"Aishah said: 'O 'Ammar! Do you not know that it is not permissible to shed the blood of a Muslim except in three cases: a life for a life, a man who commits adultery after being married.'"
The Book of Fighting [The Prohibition of Bloodshed] - Sunan an-Nasa'i 4018
This narration from the Mother of the Believers 'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) establishes the fundamental Islamic principle regarding the sanctity of Muslim blood. She addresses 'Ammar ibn Yasir (may Allah be pleased with him), a distinguished Companion, reminding him of the three exceptional circumstances where taking a Muslim's life becomes permissible according to Islamic law.
Scholarly Commentary on the Three Exceptions
First Exception - Qisas (Retaliation): "A life for a life" refers to lawful retaliation in cases of intentional murder. This is based on Quranic injunction: "O you who have believed, prescribed for you is legal retribution for those murdered" (Quran 2:178). The ruling applies when all conditions of intentional homicide are met and the victim's heirs demand retribution.
Second Exception - Married Adulterer: The hadith mentions "a man who commits adultery after being married" (al-muhsan). This refers to the prescribed punishment (hadd) for adultery when the perpetrator is married, which is stoning to death. This ruling requires strict evidential requirements including confession or testimony of four upright witnesses who witnessed the actual act of penetration.
Third Exception - Apostate: Although not explicitly mentioned in this particular narration, the complete version of this hadith in other collections includes "the one who leaves his religion and separates from the community." This refers to the apostate who openly renounces Islam after having embraced it, provided they are given opportunity to repent and return to Islam.
Legal and Theological Implications
This hadith establishes that Muslim blood is inviolable by default, and these exceptions are strictly limited and regulated by detailed legal procedures. Classical scholars emphasize that these rulings can only be implemented by legitimate Islamic authority through proper judicial process, not through individual vigilante action. The preservation of life is considered among the primary objectives (maqasid) of Islamic law, and these exceptions serve as necessary measures to maintain social order and religious integrity.