Sunan an-Nasa'i #4724
The Book of Oaths (qasamah), Retaliation and Blood Money
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرٌ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ الْمُفَضَّلِ - قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ بُشَيْرِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ أَبِي حَثْمَةَ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ سَهْلٍ، وَمُحَيِّصَةَ بْنَ مَسْعُودِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، أَنَّهُمَا أَتَيَا خَيْبَرَ وَهُوَ يَوْمَئِذٍ صُلْحٌ فَتَفَرَّقَا لِحَوَائِجِهِمَا فَأَتَى مُحَيِّصَةُ عَلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَهْلٍ وَهُوَ يَتَشَحَّطُ فِي دَمِهِ قَتِيلاً فَدَفَنَهُ ثُمَّ قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ فَانْطَلَقَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ سَهْلٍ وَحُوَيِّصَةُ وَمُحَيِّصَةُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَهَبَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ يَتَكَلَّمُ - وَهُوَ أَحْدَثُ الْقَوْمِ سِنًّا - فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " كَبِّرِ الْكُبْرَ " . فَسَكَتَ فَتَكَلَّمَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَتَحْلِفُونَ بِخَمْسِينَ يَمِينًا مِنْكُمْ فَتَسْتَحِقُّونَ دَمَ صَاحِبِكُمْ أَوْ قَاتِلِكُمْ " . قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ نَحْلِفُ وَلَمْ نَشْهَدْ وَلَمْ نَرَ قَالَ " تُبَرِّئُكُمْ يَهُودُ بِخَمْسِينَ يَمِينًا " . قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ نَأْخُذُ أَيْمَانَ قَوْمٍ كُفَّارٍ فَعَقَلَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ عِنْدِهِ .
'Abdullah bin SAahi and Nubayysah bin Mas'ud bin Zaid went o Khaibar, and at that time there was peace treaty. They went their separate ways to about their business, then Muhayysah came upon 'Abdullah in Sahl lying dead in a pool of blood. He buried him, then he came to AL-Madinah. 'Abdur-Rahman bin Sahi. Huwayysah, and Muhayysah came to the Messenger of Allah, and 'Abdur-Rehman started to speak, but he was the youngest of them, so the Messenger of Allah said: "Let the elders speak first." So he fell silent and they (the other two) spoke. The Messenger of Allah said: "Will you swear fifty oaths, then you will receive compensation or be entitled to retaliate?" They said: "O Messenger of Allah, how can we swear an oath when we did not witness, and did not see (what happened)?" He said: "The n can the Jews swear fifty oaths declaring their innocence?" They said: "O Messenger of Allah, how can we accept the oath of a disbelieving people?" So the Messenger of Allah paid the blood money himself.
Narrated by It was narrated from Sahi bin Abi Hathmah that:
Context
This hadith narrates an incident where a man was killed during a time of peace, and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ addressed the issue of blood money and oaths. The Prophet's response reflects the complexities of justice and the need for fair compensation in cases of harm, even when witnesses are lacking.
Modern Application
In today's legal systems, this hadith highlights the importance of due process and fair compensation in cases of wrongful death. It encourages communities to establish just systems that ensure accountability and fairness.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Blood Money and Court Procedure because it addresses the legal implications of wrongful death and the procedures for seeking justice.
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 المَائـِدَةِ
Al-Maaida (The Table)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ شَهَٰدَةُ بَيْنِكُمْ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ حِينَ ٱلْوَصِيَّةِ ٱثْنَانِ ذَوَا عَدْلٍۢ مِّنكُمْ أَوْ ءَاخَرَانِ مِنْ غَيْرِكُمْ إِنْ أَنتُمْ ضَرَبْتُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَأَصَٰبَتْكُم مُّصِيبَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۚ تَحْبِسُونَهُمَا مِنۢ بَعْدِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَيُقْسِمَانِ بِٱللَّهِ إِنِ ٱرْتَبْتُمْ لَا نَشْتَرِى بِهِۦ ثَمَنًۭا وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَىٰ ۙ وَلَا نَكْتُمُ شَهَٰدَةَ ٱللَّهِ إِنَّآ إِذًۭا لَّمِنَ ٱلْءَاثِمِينَ
O you who have believed, testimony [should be taken] among you when death approaches one of you at the time of bequest - [that of] two just men from among you or two others from outside if you are traveling through the land and the disaster of death should strike you. Detain them after the prayer and let them both swear by Allah if you doubt [their testimony, saying], "We will not exchange our oath for a price, even if he should be a near relative, and we will not withhold the testimony of Allah. Indeed, we would then be of the sinful."
سُورَةُ النَّمۡلِ
An-Naml (The Ant)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
قَالُوا۟ تَقَاسَمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ لَنُبَيِّتَنَّهُۥ وَأَهْلَهُۥ ثُمَّ لَنَقُولَنَّ لِوَلِيِّهِۦ مَا شَهِدْنَا مَهْلِكَ أَهْلِهِۦ وَإِنَّا لَصَٰدِقُونَ
They said, "Take a mutual oath by Allah that we will kill him by night, he and his family. Then we will say to his executor, 'We did not witness the destruction of his family, and indeed, we are truthful.' "
سُورَةُ مُحَمَّدٍ
Muhammad (Muhammad)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَضَرْبَ ٱلرِّقَابِ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَثْخَنتُمُوهُمْ فَشُدُّوا۟ ٱلْوَثَاقَ فَإِمَّا مَنًّۢا بَعْدُ وَإِمَّا فِدَآءً حَتَّىٰ تَضَعَ ٱلْحَرْبُ أَوْزَارَهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ وَلَوْ يَشَآءُ ٱللَّهُ لَٱنتَصَرَ مِنْهُمْ وَلَٰكِن لِّيَبْلُوَا۟ بَعْضَكُم بِبَعْضٍۢ ۗ وَٱلَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَلَن يُضِلَّ أَعْمَٰلَهُمْ
So when you meet those who disbelieve [in battle], strike [their] necks until, when you have inflicted slaughter upon them, then secure their bonds, and either [confer] favor afterwards or ransom [them] until the war lays down its burdens. That [is the command]. And if Allah had willed, He could have taken vengeance upon them [Himself], but [He ordered armed struggle] to test some of you by means of others. And those who are killed in the cause of Allah - never will He waste their deeds.
سُورَةُ قُرَيۡشٍ
Quraish (Quraysh)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
لِإِيلَٰفِ قُرَيْشٍ
For the accustomed security of the Quraysh -
Common Words
169 total131 unique25 repeated
ٱلله6x
من5x
كان4x
رقبة3x
مؤمنة3x
أهله3x
إذا3x
أن2x
مؤمنا2x
إلا2x
خطـا2x
فتحرير2x
مسلمة2x
إلى2x
قوم2x
بينكم2x
ٱلذين2x
شهدة2x
ٱلموت2x
إن2x
Related Hadiths
About Sunan an-Nasa'i
This hadith is #4724 from Sunan an-Nasa'i, in the Book of The Book of Oaths (qasamah), Retaliation and Blood Money. It is graded Sahih and narrated by It was narrated from Sahi bin Abi Hathmah that:.