Sunan Abu Dawud #4503
Types of Blood-Wit (Kitab Al-Diyat)
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَوْفٍ الطَّائِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْقُدُّوسِ بْنُ الْحَجَّاجِ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ عَطَاءٍ الْوَاسِطِيُّ، عَنْ سِمَاكٍ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ وَائِلٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِحَبَشِيٍّ فَقَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا قَتَلَ ابْنَ أَخِي . قَالَ " كَيْفَ قَتَلْتَهُ " . قَالَ ضَرَبْتُ رَأْسَهُ بِالْفَأْسِ وَلَمْ أُرِدْ قَتْلَهُ . قَالَ " هَلْ لَكَ مَالٌ تُؤَدِّي دِيَتَهُ " . قَالَ لاَ . قَالَ " أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ أَرْسَلْتُكَ تَسْأَلُ النَّاسَ تَجْمَعُ دِيَتَهُ " . قَالَ لاَ . قَالَ " فَمَوَالِيكَ يُعْطُونَكَ دِيَتَهُ " . قَالَ لاَ . قَالَ لِلرَّجُلِ " خُذْهُ " . فَخَرَجَ بِهِ لِيَقْتُلَهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَمَا إِنَّهُ إِنْ قَتَلَهُ كَانَ مِثْلَهُ " . فَبَلَغَ بِهِ الرَّجُلُ حَيْثُ يَسْمَعُ قَوْلَهُ فَقَالَ هُوَ ذَا فَمُرْ فِيهِ مَا شِئْتَ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَرْسِلْهُ - وَقَالَ مَرَّةً دَعْهُ - يَبُوءُ بِإِثْمِ صَاحِبِهِ وَإِثْمِهِ فَيَكُونَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّارِ " . قَالَ فَأَرْسَلَهُ .
A man brought an Abyssinian to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: This man has killed my nephew. He asked: How did you kill him? He replied: I struck his head with axe but I did not intend to kill him. He asked: Have you some money so that you pay his blood-wit? He said: No. He said: What is your opinion if I send you so that you ask the people (for money) and thus collect your blood-wit? He said: No. He asked : Will your masters give you his blood-wit (to pay his relatives)? He said: No. He said to the man. Take him. So he brought him out to kill him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: If he kill him, he will be like him. This (statement) reached the man where he was listening to his statement. He said: He is here, order regarding him as you like. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Leave him alone. And he once said: He will bear the burden of the sin of the slain and that of his own and thus he will become one of the Companions of Hell. So he let him go.
Narrated by Narrated Wa'il (b. Hujr):
Context
In this narrative, a man brings an Abyssinian to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), claiming he killed his nephew. The Prophet engages in a dialogue about the circumstances of the death and explores options for compensation. Ultimately, he advises against taking revenge, highlighting the gravity of sin associated with unjust killing and the importance of mercy.
Modern Application
This hadith serves as a reminder of the importance of forgiveness and the consequences of revenge. In modern contexts, it encourages individuals to seek peaceful resolutions and to consider the moral implications of their actions before resorting to violence.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Blood Money and Punishments (Hudud) because it discusses the consequences of killing and the importance of compensation in such matters.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ
An-Nisaa (The Women)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ أَن يَقْتُلَ مُؤْمِنًا إِلَّا خَطَـًۭٔا ۚ وَمَن قَتَلَ مُؤْمِنًا خَطَـًۭٔا فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍۢ مُّؤْمِنَةٍۢ وَدِيَةٌۭ مُّسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن يَصَّدَّقُوا۟ ۚ فَإِن كَانَ مِن قَوْمٍ عَدُوٍّۢ لَّكُمْ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌۭ فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍۢ مُّؤْمِنَةٍۢ ۖ وَإِن كَانَ مِن قَوْمٍۭ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَٰقٌۭ فَدِيَةٌۭ مُّسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِۦ وَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍۢ مُّؤْمِنَةٍۢ ۖ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ تَوْبَةًۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًۭا
And never is it for a believer to kill a believer except by mistake. And whoever kills a believer by mistake - then the freeing of a believing slave and a compensation payment presented to the deceased's family [is required] unless they give [up their right as] charity. But if the deceased was from a people at war with you and he was a believer - then [only] the freeing of a believing slave; and if he was from a people with whom you have a treaty - then a compensation payment presented to his family and the freeing of a believing slave. And whoever does not find [one or cannot afford to buy one] - then [instead], a fast for two months consecutively, [seeking] acceptance of repentance from Allah. And Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.
سُورَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Al-Israa (The Night Journey)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلنَّفْسَ ٱلَّتِى حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ ۗ وَمَن قُتِلَ مَظْلُومًۭا فَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا لِوَلِيِّهِۦ سُلْطَٰنًۭا فَلَا يُسْرِف فِّى ٱلْقَتْلِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مَنصُورًۭا
And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right. And whoever is killed unjustly - We have given his heir authority, but let him not exceed limits in [the matter of] taking life. Indeed, he has been supported [by the law].
سُورَةُ الكَهۡفِ
Al-Kahf (The Cave)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا لَقِيَا غُلَٰمًۭا فَقَتَلَهُۥ قَالَ أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًۭا زَكِيَّةًۢ بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍۢ لَّقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْـًۭٔا نُّكْرًۭا
So they set out, until when they met a boy, al-Khidh r killed him. [Moses] said, "Have you killed a pure soul for other than [having killed] a soul? You have certainly done a deplorable thing."
سُورَةُ المَائـِدَةِ
Al-Maaida (The Table)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
2 ayahs
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلصَّيْدَ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُمٌۭ ۚ وَمَن قَتَلَهُۥ مِنكُم مُّتَعَمِّدًۭا فَجَزَآءٌۭ مِّثْلُ مَا قَتَلَ مِنَ ٱلنَّعَمِ يَحْكُمُ بِهِۦ ذَوَا عَدْلٍۢ مِّنكُمْ هَدْيًۢا بَٰلِغَ ٱلْكَعْبَةِ أَوْ كَفَّٰرَةٌۭ طَعَامُ مَسَٰكِينَ أَوْ عَدْلُ ذَٰلِكَ صِيَامًۭا لِّيَذُوقَ وَبَالَ أَمْرِهِۦ ۗ عَفَا ٱللَّهُ عَمَّا سَلَفَ ۚ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَيَنتَقِمُ ٱللَّهُ مِنْهُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌۭ ذُو ٱنتِقَامٍ
O you who have believed, do not kill game while you are in the state of ihram. And whoever of you kills it intentionally - the penalty is an equivalent from sacrificial animals to what he killed, as judged by two just men among you as an offering [to Allah] delivered to the Ka'bah, or an expiation: the feeding of needy people or the equivalent of that in fasting, that he may taste the consequence of his deed. Allah has pardoned what is past; but whoever returns [to violation], then Allah will take retribution from him. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Owner of Retribution.
مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَٰلِكَ كَتَبْنَا عَلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ أَنَّهُۥ مَن قَتَلَ نَفْسًۢا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍۢ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًۭا وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَآ أَحْيَا ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًۭا ۚ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ كَثِيرًۭا مِّنْهُم بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لَمُسْرِفُونَ
Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that 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. And our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.
Common Words
188 total137 unique30 repeated
من6x
ومن5x
قتل5x
ٱلله5x
كان4x
إلا3x
رقبة3x
مؤمنة3x
فى3x
أو3x
ذلك3x
أن2x
مؤمنا2x
خطـا2x
فتحرير2x
مسلمة2x
إلى2x
أهله2x
قوم2x
تقتلوا2x
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About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #4503 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Types of Blood-Wit (Kitab Al-Diyat). It is graded Da'if and narrated by Narrated Wa'il (b. Hujr):.