"Al-Ashtar and I went to 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, and said: Did the Prophet of Allah tell you anything that he did not tell to all the people?' He said: 'No, except what is in this letter of mine.' He brought out a letter from the sheath of his sword and it said therein: "The lives of the believers are equal in value, and they are one against others, and they hasten to support the asylum granted by the least of them. But no believer may be killed in return for a disbeliever, nor one with a covenant while his convenant is in effect. Whoever commits an offense then the blame is on himself, and whoever gives sanctuary to an offender, then upon him will be the curse of Allah, the angels and all the people."
The Book of Oaths (qasamah), Retaliation and Blood Money
Sunan an-Nasa'i - Hadith Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i 4734
Textual Analysis
This noble hadith from Amir al-Mu'minin 'Ali ibn Abi Talib contains fundamental principles of Islamic jurisprudence regarding the sanctity of life and the rules governing retaliation and protection.
Scholarly Commentary
"The lives of the believers are equal in value" establishes the principle of equivalence in diyah (blood money) and qisas (retaliation) among Muslims, regardless of social status or wealth.
"They are one against others" signifies the unity of the Muslim community in rights and responsibilities, where all stand together as one body in matters of justice.
"They hasten to support the asylum granted by the least of them" emphasizes collective responsibility to honor protection granted by any Muslim, reinforcing social cohesion.
"No believer may be killed in return for a disbeliever" establishes that a Muslim's life cannot be taken in retaliation for killing a non-Muslim, based on the difference in legal status.
"Nor one with a covenant while his covenant is in effect" protects dhimmis and those under treaty, honoring Islamic contractual obligations.
"Whoever commits an offense then the blame is on himself" affirms individual responsibility in Islamic criminal law, where each soul bears its own burden.
The final warning about giving sanctuary to offenders serves as a severe deterrent against obstructing justice, invoking divine and communal censure.
Legal Implications
This hadith forms the basis for rulings in chapters of qisas, diyah, and international relations in classical fiqh works. Scholars like Imam Shafi'i and Imam Malik derived from this the ruling that a Muslim is not killed for killing a harbi (non-Muslim combatant) or kafir dhimmi, though compensation may be due.