The Book of Oaths (qasamah), Retaliation and Blood Money

كتاب القسامة

Chapter 6: Mentioning The Differences Reported In The Narration Of 'Alqamah Bin Wa'il

A similar report was narrated from 'Alqamah bin Wa'il from his father, from the Prophet. Yahya (one of the narrators) said

"He is better than him." [1]

It was narrated from 'Alqamah bin Wa'il that his father said

"I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah when a man came with a string around his neck and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, this man and my brother were digging a hole, and he raised his pickax and struck his companion in the head, Killing him. 'The Prophet said: 'Forgive him,' but he refused and said: 'O Prophet of Allah, this man and my brother were digging a whole, and he raised his pickax and struck his companion in the head, killing him.' The Prophet said: 'Forgive him,' but he refused, then he stood up and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, this man and my brother were digging a hole, and he raised his pickax and struck his companion in the head, killing him.' The Prophet said: 'Forgive him,' but he refused. He (the prophet) said: 'Go, but if you kill him, you will be like him. So he took him out, and they called out to him: Didn't you hear what the Messenger of Allah said?' So he came back and he said: 'If I kill him will I be like him?' He said: 'Yes. Forgive him.' Then he went out, dragging his string, until he disappeared from our view."

'Alqamah bin Wa'il narrated from his father that he was sitting with the Messenger of Allah when a man came leading another man by a string. He said

"O Messenger of Allah, this man killed my brother." The Messenger of Allah said to him: "Did you kill him?" He said: "O Messenger of Allah even if he did not confess I would have brought proof against him." He said: "Yes, I killed him." He said: "How did you kill him?" He said: "He and I were chopping firewood from a tree and he insulted me, so I got angry and struck him with the ax on the forehead." The Messenger of Allah said: "Do you have any wealth with which you can pay the Diyah to save yourself?" He said: "O Messenger of Allah, I do not have anything but my ax and my clothes." The Messenger of Allah said to him: "Do you think your people will pay to save you?" He said: "I am too insignificant to them for that." He threw the string to the man and said: "Here, thank him." When he turned to go, the Messenger of Allah said: "If he kills him, he will be like him. "They caught up with the man, and said: "Woe to you! The Messenger of Allah said: 'If he kills him, he will be like him. "So he went back to the Messenger of Allah and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I have been told that you said: 'if he kills him, he will be like him. 'But I only took him because you told me to. He said: 'Don't you want him to carry your sin and the sin of your companion (the victim)?' He said: 'Yes, if that is the case.' He said: 'And that is how it is."'

It was narrated from Simak bin Harb that 'Alqamah bin Wa'il told him that his father said

"I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah when a man came leading another" (and he narrated) a similar report.

It was narrated from 'Alqamah bin Wa'il that

his father told them that a man who had killed another man was brought to the Prophet and he handed him over to their of the victim to kill him. Then the Prophet said to those who were sitting with him: "The killer and the slain will both be in Fire. "A man went after him and told him that, and when he told him that, he left him (let him go). He (the narrator) said: "I saw him dragging his string when he let him go. I mentioned that the Habib and he said: 'Sa'eed bin Ashwa' told me that the Prophet commanded the man to forgive him."'

It was narrated from Ans bin Malik that a man brought the killer of his kinsman to the Messenger of Allah and the Prophet said

"Forgive him." But he refused. He said: "Take the Diyah," but he refused. He said: "Go and kill him then, for you are just like him." So he went away, but some people caught up with the man and told him that the Messenger of Allah had said: "Messenger of Allah had said: "Kill him for you are just like him." So he let him go, and the man passed by me dragging his string.

It was narrated from 'Abdullah bin Buraidah, from the father, that a man came to the Prophet and said

"This man killed my brother." He said: "Go and kill him as he killed your brother." The man said to him: "Fear Allah and let me go, for that will bring you a greater reward and will be better for you and your brother on the Day of Resurrection." So he let him go. The Prophet was told about that, so he asked him about it, and he told him what he had said. He said: "Pardoning him would be better for you than what he would have done for you on the Day of Resurrection when he said: 'O Lord, ask him why he killed me."'

Chapter 7: The Meaning Of The Saying Of Allah, The Most High: 'And If You Judge, Judge With Justice Between Them"

Chapter 8: Different Reports From 'Ikrimah Concerning That[2]

It was narrated from Simak, from 'Ikrimah, that Ibn 'Abbas said

"There were (the two tribes of) Quraizah and An-Nadir, and An-Nadir was nobler than Quraiaah. If a man of Quraizah Killed a man of An-Nadir, he would be killed in return, but if a man of An-Nadir killed a man of Quraizah, he would pay a Diyah of one hundred Wasqs of dates. When An-Nadir killed a man of Quraizah, and they said: 'Hand him over to us and we will kill him.' They said: 'Between us and you (as judge) is the Prophet.' So they came to him, then the following was revealed: "And if you judge, judge with justice between them."[3] Al-Qisl (justice) means a soul for a soul. Then the following was revealed: "Do they then seek the judgment of (the days of) Ignorance?"[4]

It was narrated from Dawud hin Al-Husain, from 'Ikrimah, from Ibn 'Abbas, that the Verses in AL-Ma'idah, in which Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, says

"Either judge between them, or turn away from them. If you turn away from then up to: those who act justly."[1] - were revealed concerning the matter of blood money between An-Nadir and Quraizah. That was because the slain of An-Nadir were of noble status, so the blood money would be paid in full for them, but for Banu Quraizah only half of the blood money would be paid. They referred the matter to the Messenger of Allah for judgment, then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed that concerning them, so the Messenger of Allah told them to do the right thing and he made the blood money equal.

Chapter 9: Cases Of Retaliation Between Free Men And Slaves

It was narrated that Qais bin 'Ubad said

"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."

It was narrated from 'Ali, may Allah be please with him that the Prophet said

"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 covenant is in effect."

Chapter 10: Retaliating Against The Master For The Slave

It was narrated from Samurah that the Messenger of Allah said

"Whoever kills his slave, we will kill him: whoever mutilates (his slave). We will mutilate him, and whoever castrates (his slave), we will castrate him."

It was narrated from Samurah that the Prophet said

"Whoever kills his slave, we will kill him, and whoever mutilates his slave, we will mutilate him."

It was narrated that Samurah said

"The Prophet said: 'Whoever kills his slave, we will kill him, and whoever mutilates his slave, we will mutilate him."'

Chapter 11: Killing A Woman In Return For A Woman

'Amr bin Dinar narrated that

he heard Tawus narrate from Ibn 'Abbas, from 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, that he asked about the ruling of the Messenger of Allah concerning that. Hamal bin Malik stood up and said: "I was married to two women, and one of them struck the other with a tent pole and killed her and her fetus. The Prophet ruled that a slave be given (as Diyah) for her fetus and that she be killed (for killing the other woman)."

Chapter 12: Retaliation If A Man Kills A Woman

It was narrated from Anas that

a Jew killed a young girl for her jewelry, so the Messenger of Allah killed him in retaliation for her.

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that

a Jew took some jewelry from a girl, then he crushed her head between two rocks. They found her as she was breathing her last, and they took her around among the people (saying); "Was it this one? Was it this one?" (When) she said yes, the Messenger of Allah ordered that his head be crushed between two rocks.

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said

"A girl went out wearing some jewelry and a Jew caught her, crushed her head between two rocks and took the jewelry that she was wearing. She was found as she was breathing her last, and she was brought to the Messenger of Allah who said: 'Who killed you? Was it so and so?' She gestured no with her head, and he continued asking until he named the Jew, and she gestured yes with her head. He was caught and he confessed (to his crime), then the Messenger of Allah ordered that his head be crushed between two rocks."

Chapter 13: No Retaliation Is To Be Carried Out If A Muslim Kills A Disbeliever

It was narrated from 'Aishah, the Mother of the Believers, that the Messenger of Allah said

"It is not permissible to kill a Muslim except in one of three cases: A adulterer who has been married, who is to be stoned; a man who kills a Muslim deliberately; and a man who leaves Islam and wages war against Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and His Messenger, who is to be killed, crucified or banished from the land."