Chapter on a Muslim Killing a Dhimmi, a Slave, a Mudabbar, or a Mukatab, or Them Killing a Muslim

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ دِيَةِ الْيَهُودِيِّ وَ النَّصْرَانِيِّ وَ الْمَجُوسِيِّ قَالَ هُمْ سَوَاءٌ ثَمَانُمِائَةٍ ثَمَانُمِائَةٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنْ أُخِذُوا فِي بَلَدِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَ هُمْ يَعْمَلُونَ الْفَاحِشَةَ أَ يُقَامُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْحَدُّ قَالَ نَعَمْ يُحْكَمُ فِيهِمْ بِأَحْكَامِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ‌[2].

I asked Abu Abdullah (as) about the blood money (diyyah) for a Jew, a Christian, and a Magian. Imam (as) replied: "They are equal - eight hundred (dirhams), eight hundred (dirhams)." I asked: "May I be your ransom, if they are caught committing an immoral act in the land of the Muslims, is the legal punishment (hadd) a

بَعَثَ النَّبِيُّ ع خَالِدَ بْنَ الْوَلِيدِ إِلَى الْبَحْرَيْنِ فَأَصَابَ بِهَا دِمَاءَ قَوْمٍ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ وَ النَّصَارَى وَ الْمَجُوسِ فَكَتَبَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص إِنِّي أَصَبْتُ دِمَاءَ قَوْمٍ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ وَ النَّصَارَى فَوَدَيْتُهُمْ ثَمَانَمِائَةٍ ثَمَانَمِائَةٍ[3] وَ أَصَبْتُ دِمَاءَ قَوْمٍ مِنَ الْمَجُوسِ وَ لَمْ تَكُنْ عَهِدْتَ إِلَيَّ فِيهِمْ عَهْداً قَالَ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنّ

Hadith.5250 - Ibn Abi Umayr narrated from Samaah ibn Mihran who reported from Abu Abdullah (as) that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) sent Khalid ibn Al-Walid to Bahrain, where he was involved in shedding the blood of some Jews, Christians, and Magians. Khalid wrote to the Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace

نَعَمْ قِيلَ‌ فَإِنْ لَمْ يُسْلِمْ قَالَ يُدْفَعُ إِلَى أَوْلِيَاءِ الْمَقْتُولِ فَإِنْ شَاءُوا قَتَلُوا وَ إِنْ شَاءُوا عَفَوْا وَ إِنْ شَاءُوا اسْتَرَقُّوا وَ إِنْ كَانَ مَعَهُ مَالٌ عَيْنٌ لَهُ دُفِعَ إِلَى أَوْلِيَاءِ الْمَقْتُولِ هُوَ وَ مَالُهُ‌[1].

Hadith.5251 - Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Ali ibn Riʾab from Ḍurays Al-Kunasi who reported from Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) regarding a Christian man who killed a Muslim. When he was captured, he accepted Islam. Imam (as) was asked: "Should he be killed for the Muslim he murdered?" Imam (as) rep

دِيَةُ الْيَهُودِيِّ وَ النَّصْرَانِيِّ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافٍ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافٍ وَ دِيَةُ الْمَجُوسِيِّ ثَمَانُمِائَةِ دِرْهَمٍ وَ قَالَ أَمَا إِنَّ لِلْمَجُوسِ كِتَاباً يُقَالُ لَهُ جَامَاسْفُ‌[2].

Hadith.5252 - Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad narrated from Ali ibn Abi Hamzah from Abu Baṣir, who reported from Abu Abdullah (as) that he said: "The blood money (diyyah) for a Jew and a Christian is four thousand (dirhams), four thousand (dirhams), and the blood money for a Magian (Zoroastrian) is eight hundred dirhams." Imam (

وَ قَدْ رُوِيَ‌ أَنَّ دِيَةَ الْيَهُودِيِّ وَ النَّصْرَانِيِّ وَ الْمَجُوسِيِّ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافِ دِرْهَمٍ أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافِ دِرْهَمٍ لِأَنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ‌[3].

Hadith.5253 - It has been narrated: "The blood money (diyyah) for a Jew, a Christian, and a Magian is four thousand dirhams, four thousand dirhams because they are People of the Book."

دِيَةُ الْيَهُودِيِّ وَ النَّصْرَانِيِّ وَ الْمَجُوسِيِّ دِيَةُ الْمُسْلِمِ.

"The blood money (diyyah) for a Jew, a Christian, and a Magian is equal to that of a Muslim."

مَا رَوَاهُ اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ عَنْ أَبَانٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: "مَنْ أَعْطَاهُ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ ذِمَّةً فَدِيَتُهُ كَامِلَةٌ"

"Whoever was granted protection (dhimmah) by Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace be upon him and his family), his blood money (diyyah) is complete (to that of a muslim)."

"إِذَا قَتَلَ اَلْمُسْلِمُ اَلنَّصْرَانِيَّ فَأَرَادَ أَهْلُ اَلنَّصْرَانِيِّ أَنْ يَقْتُلُوهُ قَتَلُوهُ وَ أَدَّوْا فَضْلَ مَا بَيْنَ اَلدِّيَتَيْنِ".

"If a Muslim kills a Christian and the family of the Christian wishes to execute him, they may do so, but they must pay the difference between the two blood monies (diyyahs)."

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ دِمَاءِ اَلْمَجُوسِ وَ اَلْيَهُودِ وَ اَلنَّصَارَى هَلْ عَلَى مَنْ قَتَلَهُمْ شَيْءٌ إِذَا غَشُّوا اَلْمُسْلِمِينَ وَ أَظْهَرُوا اَلْعَدَاوَةَ وَ اَلْغِشَّ لَهُمْ قَالَ "لاَ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ مُتَعَوِّداً لِقَتْلِهِمْ" قَالَ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ اَلْمُسْلِمِ يُقْتَلُ بِأَهْلِ اَلذِّمَّةِ وَ أَهْلِ اَلْكِتَابِ إِذَا قَتَلَهُمْ قَالَ "لاَ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ مُعْ

I asked Abu Abdullah (as) about the blood of the Magians, Jews, and Christians - whether there is any penalty upon someone who kills them if they deceive the Muslims and openly display hostility and treachery towards them. Imam (as) replied: "No, unless he is habitual in killing them." He further said: I asked Imam (as

وَ قَدْ قَالَ اَلنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ : "مَنْ آذَى ذِمَّتِي فَقَدْ آذَانِي".

Hadith.5258 - The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Whoever harms one under my protection (dhimmah) has indeed harmed me."

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ فَقَأَ عَيْنَ نَصْرَانِيٍّ فَقَالَ "إِنَّ دِيَةَ عَيْنِ اَلذِّمِّيِّ أَرْبَعُمِائَةِ دِرْهَمٍ".

Hadith.5259 - Buraid Al-Ijli narrated from Abu Abdullah (as) that he was asked about a Muslim who gouged out the eye of a Christian. Imam (as) replied: "The blood money (diyyah) for the eye of a dhimmi (non-Muslim under Islamic protection) is four hundred dirhams."

يُقْتَلُ الْعَبْدُ بِالْحُرِّ وَ لَا يُقْتَلُ الْحُرُّ بِالْعَبْدِ وَ لَكِنْ يُغَرَّمُ قِيمَتَهُ وَ يُضْرَبُ ضَرْباً شَدِيداً حَتَّى لَا يَعُودَ.

Hadith.5260 - Uthman ibn Isa narrated from Sama'ah that Abu Abdullah (as) said: "A slave is to be killed for killing a free man, but a free man is not to be killed for killing a slave. However, he must pay the slave's value and be severely beaten so that he does not repeat such an act."

فِي رَجُلٍ يَقْتُلُ مَمْلُوكَهُ مُتَعَمِّداً قَالَ يُعْجِبُنِي أَنْ يُعْتِقَ رَقَبَةً وَ يَصُومَ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ وَ يُطْعِمَ سِتِّينَ مِسْكِيناً ثُمَّ تَكُونَ التَّوْبَةُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ‌[2].

Hadith.5261 - Hammad narrated from Al-Halabi that Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said regarding a man who intentionally kills his slave: "I prefer that he frees a slave, fasts for two consecutive months, and feeds sixty needy people, and then he should repent after that."

يُعْتِقُ رَقَبَةً[3].

Hadith.5262 - Humran asked Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) about a man who struck his slave, and the slave died as a result of the beating. Imam (as) replied: "He must free a slave."

إِذَا قَتَلَ الْعَبْدُ الْحُرَّ فَلِأَهْلِ الْمَقْتُولِ إِنْ شَاءُوا قَتَلُوا وَ إِنْ شَاءُوا اسْتَعْبَدُوا[1].

"If a slave kills a free man, the family of the murdered person has the choice: if they wish, they may kill him, and if they wish, they may enslave him."

وَ قَضَى أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فِي مُكَاتَبٍ قُتِلَ فَقَالَ يُحْسَبُ مَا عَتَقَ مِنْهُ فَيُؤَدَّى دِيَةُ الْحُرِّ وَ مَا رَقَّ دِيَةُ الْعَبْدِ وَ قَالَ الْعَبْدُ لَا يُغْرِمُ أَهْلَهُ وَرَاءَ نَفْسِهِ شَيْئاً[2].

Hadith.5264 - Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as), Commander of the Faithful, ruled regarding a mukatab (a slave who had a contract for freedom) who was killed: "The portion of him that had been freed is calculated, and the blood money for that part is paid as that of a free man, and the portion that remained in servitude is p

فِي عَبْدٍ جَرَحَ حُرّاً قَالَ إِنْ شَاءَ الْحُرُّ اقْتَصَّ مِنْهُ وَ إِنْ شَاءَ أَخَذَهُ إِنْ كَانَتِ الْجِرَاحَةُ تُحِيطُ بِرَقَبَتِهِ وَ إِنْ كَانَتْ لَا تُحِيطُ بِرَقَبَتِهِ افْتَدَاهُ مَوْلَاهُ فَإِنْ أَبَى مَوْلَاهُ أَنْ يَفْتَدِيَهُ كَانَ لِلْحُرِّ الْمَجْرُوحِ مِنَ الْعَبْدِ بِقَدْرِ دِيَةِ جِرَاحَتِهِ وَ الْبَاقِي لِلْمَوْلَى يُبَاعُ الْعَبْدُ فَيَأْخُذُ الْمَجْرُوحُ حَقَّهُ وَ يُرَدُّ الْبَاقِي عَلَى الْمَو

Hadith.5265 - Imam Abu Abdullah (as) was asked about a slave who injured a free man. Imam (as) said: "If the free man wishes, he may take retribution (qisas) from him, and if he wishes, he may take the slave if the injury is severe enough to warrant his execution. If the injury does not warrant execution, then the slav

عَلَيْهِ نِصْفُ عُشْرِ

Hadith.5266 - Imam Abu Abdullah (as) was asked about a man who inflicted a mudhiha (a wound exposing the bone) on a slave. Imam (as) said: "He is liable to pay half of one-tenth of the slave's value."

هُوَ بَيْنَهُمَا إِنْ كَانَتْ جِنَايَتُهُ تُحِيطُ بِقِيمَتِهِ قِيلَ لَهُ فَإِنْ جَرَحَ رَجُلًا فِي أَوَّلِ النَّهَارِ وَ جَرَحَ آخَرَ فِي آخِرِ النَّهَارِ قَالَ هُوَ بَيْنَهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَحْكُمِ الْوَالِي فِي الْمَجْرُوحِ الْأَوَّلِ فَإِنْ كَانَ الْوَالِي قَدْ حَكَمَ فِي الْمَجْرُوحِ الْأَوَّلِ فَدَفَعَهُ إِلَيْهِ بِجِنَايَتِهِ فَجَنَى بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ جِنَايَةً فَإِنَّ جِنَايَتَهُ عَلَى الْأَخِيرِ.

Hadith.5267 - Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) was asked about a slave who injured two men. Imam (as) said: "He is to be divided between them if his crime equals his full value." It was asked: "What if he injured one man in the morning and another in the evening?" Imam (as) replied: "He is to be divided be

إِذَا قَتَلَ الْحُرُّ الْعَبْدَ غُرِّمَ قِيمَتَهُ وَ أُدِّبَ قِيلَ لَهُ فَإِنْ كَانَتْ قِيمَتُهُ عِشْرِينَ أَلْفاً قَالَ لَا يُجَاوَزُ بِقِيمَةِ عَبْدٍ عَنْ دِيَةِ حُرٍّ[2].

Hadith.5268 - Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "If a free man kills a slave, he must pay the slave's value and be disciplined." It was asked: "What if the value of the slave is twenty thousand?" Imam (as) replied: "The value of a slave cannot exceed the blood money (diyyah) of a free person."

وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ السَّكُونِيِّ قَالَ‌[3] قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ جِرَاحَاتُ الْعَبِيدِ عَلَى نَحْوِ جِرَاحَاتِ الْأَحْرَارِ فِي الثَّمَنِ.

Hadith.5269 - In the narration of Al-Sakuni, Commander of the Faithful (as) said: "The injuries of slaves are to be compensated in the same manner as the injuries of free people, according to their value."

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْمٍ ادَّعَوْا عَلَى عَبْدٍ جِنَايَةً تُحِيطُ بِرَقَبَتِهِ فَأَقَرَّ الْعَبْدُ بِهَا قَالَ لَا يَجُوزُ إِقْرَارُ الْعَبْدِ عَلَى سَيِّدِهِ قَالَ‌[5] فَإِنْ أَقَامُوا الْبَيِّنَةَ عَلَى مَا ادَّعَوْا عَلَى الْعَبْدِ أَخَذُوا الْعَبْدَ بِهَا أَوْ يَفْتَدِيَهُ مَوْلَاهُ.

I asked Abu Abdullah (as) about a group of people who claimed that a slave had committed an offense warranting his execution, and the slave confessed to it. Imam (as) said: "The confession of a slave is not valid against his master." Imam (as) further said: "But if they establish evidence for what they claimed against

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنْ مُدَبَّرٍ قَتَلَ رَجُلًا عَمْداً قَالَ يُقْتَلُ بِهِ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ قَتَلَهُ خَطَأً- قَالَ يُدْفَعُ إِلَى أَوْلِيَاءِ الْمَقْتُولِ فَيَكُونُ لَهُمْ رِقّاً فَإِنْ شَاءُوا اسْتَرَقُّوا وَ إِنْ شَاءُوا بَاعُوا وَ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ أَنْ يَقْتُلُوهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ إِنَّ الْمُدَبَّرَ مَمْلُوكٌ‌[1].

I asked Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) about a mudabbar (a slave promised freedom after the owner's death) who intentionally killed a man. Imam (as) said: "He is to be killed in retaliation." I asked: "What if he killed him by mistake?" Imam (as) replied: "He is handed over to the heirs of the murdered p

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنْ مُكَاتَبٍ قَتَلَ رَجُلًا خَطَأً فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ مَوْلَاهُ حِينَ كَاتَبَهُ اشْتَرَطَ عَلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ إِنْ عَجَزَ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ إِلَى الرِّقِّ فَهُوَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْمَمْلُوكِ يُدْفَعُ إِلَى أَوْلِيَاءِ الْمَقْتُولِ فَإِنْ شَاءُوا اسْتَرَقُّوا وَ إِنْ شَاءُوا بَاعُوا وَ إِنْ كَانَ مَوْلَاهُ حِينَ كَاتَبَهُ لَمْ يَشْتَرِطْ عَلَيْهِ وَ كَانَ قَدْ أَدَّى مِنْ مُكَاتَبَتِهِ شَيْئاً فَإِنَّ

I asked Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) about a mukatab (a slave who has a contract for gradual emancipation) who unintentionally killed a man. Imam (as) said: "If his master, when drafting the emancipation contract, stipulated that if he fails to fulfill the payment, he would return to slavery, then he i

الْغُرْمُ عَلَى الْمَوْلَى‌[4].

Hadith.5273 - Ibn Mahbub narrated from Ali bin Ri'ab from Abu Abdullah (as) regarding a man who placed his slave on a riding animal, and the animal trampled a man. Imam (as) said: "The compensation is upon the master."

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنْ رَجُلٍ قَتَلَ عَبْداً خَطَأً قَالَ عَلَيْهِ قِيمَتُهُ وَ لَا يُجَاوَزُ بِقِيمَتِهِ عَشَرَةَ آلَافِ دِرْهَمٍ قُلْتُ وَ مَنْ يُقَوِّمُهُ وَ هُوَ مَيِّتٌ قَالَ إِنْ كَانَ لِمَوْلَاهُ شُهُودٌ أَنَّ قِيمَتَهُ يَوْمَ قَتَلَهُ كَذَا وَ كَذَا أُخِذَ بِهَا قَاتِلُهُ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِمَوْلَاهُ شُهُودٌ كَانَتِ الْقِيمَةُ عَلَى الَّذِي قَتَلَهُ مَعَ يَمِينِهِ يَشْهَدُ أَرْبَعَ مَرَّاتٍ بِاللَّ

I asked Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) about a man who accidentally killed a slave. Imam (as) said: "He must pay the slave's value, and his value should not exceed ten thousand dirhams." I asked: "Who will appraise his value when he is dead?" Imam (as) replied: "If the master has witnesses that his value

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ مُكَاتَبٍ‌[2] جَنَى عَلَى رَجُلٍ حُرٍّ جِنَايَةً فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ أَدَّى مِنْ مُكَاتَبَتِهِ شَيْئاً- غُرِّمَ فِي جِنَايَتِهِ بِقَدْرِ مَا أَدَّى مِنْ مُكَاتَبَتِهِ لِلْحُرِّ وَ إِنْ عَجَزَ عَنْ حَقِّ الْجِنَايَةِ أُخِذَ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْمَوْلَى الَّذِي كَاتَبَهُ- قُلْتُ فَإِنْ كَانَتِ الْجِنَايَةُ لِعَبْدٍ قَالَ عَلَى مِثْلِ ذَلِكَ يُدْفَعُ إِلَى مَوْلَى الْعَبْدِ الَّذِي جَرَحَهُ

I asked Abu Abdullah (as) about a mukatab (a slave who has entered into a contract for his freedom) who committed an offense against a free man. Imam (as) said: "If he has paid part of his mukataba (freedom contract), he is liable for the offense in proportion to what he has paid. If he cannot cover the liability for t