Consequences of Accidental and Intentional Killing in Islamic Law

An-Nisa — Verses 92–93 | Explore this Quran theme on Muallim

وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ أَن يَقْتُلَ مُؤْمِنًا إِلَّا خَطَأً ۚ وَمَن قَتَلَ مُؤْمِنًا خَطَأً فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُّؤْمِنَةٍ وَدِيَةٌ مُّسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ إِلَّا أَن يَصَّدَّقُوا ۚ فَإِن كَانَ مِن قَوْمٍ عَدُوٍّ لَّكُمْ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُّؤْمِنَةٍ ۖ وَإِن كَانَ مِن قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَاقٌ فَدِيَةٌ مُّسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ وَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُّؤْمِنَةٍ ۖ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ تَوْبَةً مِّنَ اللَّهِ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا ٩٢

It is not for a believer to kill a believer except (that it be) by mistake, and whosoever kills a believer by mistake, (it is ordained that) he must set free a believing slave and a compensation (blood money, i.e. Diya) be given to the deceased's family, unless they remit it. If the deceased belonged to a people at war with you and he was a believer; the freeing of a believing slave (is prescribed), and if he belonged to a people with whom you have a treaty of mutual alliance, compensation (blood money - Diya) must be paid to his family, and a believing slave must be freed. And whoso finds this (the penance of freeing a slave) beyond his means, he must fast for two consecutive months in order to seek repentance from Allah. And Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.

وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ أَن يَقْتُلَ مُؤْمِنًا إِلَّا خَطَأً ۚ
It is not for a believer to kill a believer except (that it be) by mistake,
وَمَن قَتَلَ مُؤْمِنًا خَطَأً
and whosoever kills a believer by mistake,
فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُّؤْمِنَةٍ وَدِيَةٌ مُّسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ
(it is ordained that) he must set free a believing slave and a compensation (blood money, i.e. Diya) be given to the deceased's family,
إِلَّا أَن يَصَّدَّقُوا ۚ
unless they remit it.
فَإِن كَانَ مِن قَوْمٍ عَدُوٍّ لَّكُمْ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ
If the deceased belonged to a people at war with you and he was a believer;
فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُّؤْمِنَةٍ ۖ
the freeing of a believing slave (is prescribed),
وَإِن كَانَ مِن قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَاقٌ
and if he belonged to a people with whom you have a treaty of mutual alliance,
فَدِيَةٌ مُّسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ وَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُّؤْمِنَةٍ ۖ
compensation (blood money - Diya) must be paid to his family, and a believing slave must be freed.
فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ
And whoso finds this (the penance of freeing a slave) beyond his means,
فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ
he must fast for two consecutive months
تَوْبَةً مِّنَ اللَّهِ ۗ
in order to seek repentance from Allah.
وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا
And Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.

وَمَن يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُّتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا ٩٣

And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide therein, and the Wrath and the Curse of Allah are upon him, and a great punishment is prepared for him.

وَمَن يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُّتَعَمِّدًا
And whoever kills a believer intentionally
فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِدًا فِيهَا
his recompense is Hell to abide therein
وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ
and the Wrath of Allah are upon him
وَلَعَنَهُ
and the Curse of Allah
وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا
and a great punishment is prepared for him