O You Who Believe

4)

"O you who have believed, prescribed for you is legal retribution for those murdered – the free for the free, the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. But whoever overlooks from his brother anything, then there should be a suitable follow-up and payment to him with good conduct. This is an alleviation from your Lord and a mercy. But whoever transgresses after that will have a painful punishment."

[Qur'an 2:178]

In this verse, Allah has given the order of 'Qisaas' for a murder. In the times of the previous prophets, the order of 'Qisaas' (blood for blood) was also implied but in the era of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), Allah gave an additional option of Diyat (money for blood).

In case of an intentional murder, it is permitted to take the life of the murderer by legal means.

In the Arabs, the blood of women and slaves was considered less precious compared to the blood of men and freemen. The Qur'an prohibited this practice, by making the blood of everyone equally precious: life for life, but allowed an exception, i.e forgiveness for merciful objectives. The Qur'an warns of painful punishment for those who transgress these rules.

The Qur'an provides two options to deal with someone who is found guilty of intentional murder: Qisas (i.e that he/she be killed in the manner in which the victim was murdered) in public (as a sign of Ibrat; warning for others) and Diyat (i.e forgiveness by the heir/s of the victim). The conditions for the second option are that the victim’s heirs are required to ask for ‘fair’ diyat (blood money) and the guilty person is obligated to pay diyat in a ‘good’ way. To make sure that diyat is fair and that it is paid ‘in a good way’, jurists have agreed on judicial oversight over the matter of demanding and paying diyat as leaving it as a private matter was risky.

The action of murdering someone is highly disliked by Allah. Allah is the one who gives life and takes life. We are His creation and our love for our Creator demands that we love his creation as well.

"...Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption (done) in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely..."

[Qur'an 5:32]

Things we learnt:

> Blood of men, slaves, freemen and women is equally precious.

> Murder is a big sin. We should ask for Allah's refuge from such big sins.

> A life for a life unless the victim's heirs decide to forgive the murderer and take blood money (diyat).

> A painful punishment awaits the transgressors. These are the limits of Allah and Allah doesn't like those who cross limits.

May Allah guide us to the right path.
Ameen.
Wama alayna illal balaghul mubeen.