"I heard the Messenger of Allah [SAW] say: 'It is not permissible to shed the blood of a Muslim except in three cases: A man who commits adultery after having married; or one who kills another person, who is to be killed; or who reverts to Kufr after having accepted Islam, who is to be killed.'"
Hadith Text & Context
"I heard the Messenger of Allah [SAW] say: 'It is not permissible to shed the blood of a Muslim except in three cases: A man who commits adultery after having married; or one who kills another person, who is to be killed; or who reverts to Kufr after having accepted Islam, who is to be killed.'"
This profound narration, recorded in Sunan an-Nasa'i 4058, establishes the fundamental Islamic principle of the sanctity of Muslim life. It originates from the noble companion who heard it directly from the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), giving it the highest level of authenticity.
Commentary on the Three Exceptions
The Married Adulterer (Zani al-Muhsan): This refers to a Muslim who is legally married, sane, adult, and free, and then commits adultery. The prescribed punishment (Hadd) is stoning (Rajm), as established in multiple authentic narrations. This severe penalty underscores the gravity of violating marital trust and corrupting lineage.
The Unjust Killer (Qisas for Murder): "One who kills another person" refers to intentional, unjust murder. The principle here is legal retribution (Qisas), as stated in the Quran: "O you who have believed, prescribed for you is legal retribution for those murdered..." (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:178). The execution is not a transgression but the establishment of divine justice and a deterrent to protect society.
The Apostate (Murtadd): The one "who reverts to Kufr after having accepted Islam" is the apostate. The scholars agree that this ruling applies to one who willingly and clearly renounces Islam, not out of compulsion or ignorance. The purpose is to protect the integrity of the Muslim community from subversion and to uphold the covenant of faith, which is the foundation of a Muslim's life and identity.
Legal Principles & Scholarly Consensus
This hadith is a foundational text in Islamic criminal law (Jinayat). The three exceptions are not arbitrary but are fixed, divinely prescribed punishments (Hudud) that require strict evidential standards and are to be carried out by the legitimate Islamic authority, not by individuals. The overarching principle derived is that the default ruling for a Muslim's life is inviolability.
Scholars from the four schools of jurisprudence have unanimously agreed upon these three cases based on this and other corroborating evidences from the Quran and Sunnah. The conditions for implementing each punishment are detailed in the books of Fiqh, ensuring justice and preventing misuse.
Wisdom & Objective
The wisdom behind these rulings is to establish a balanced society where the most severe crimes against God (apostasy), against society (murder), and against the family unit (adultery by a married person) are met with a punishment that deters others, delivers justice, and purifies the society from corruption. It perfectly balances mercy with justice, protecting the rights of Allah and the rights of His creation.