14th Hadith - Prohibition of Blood of a Muslim (Bukhari: 6878 & Muslim: 1676)

الحديث الرابع عشر 

عَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُوْدٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم : لاَ يَحِلُّ دَمُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَأَنِّي رَسُوْلُ اللهِ إِلاَّ بِإِحْدَى ثَلاَثٍ : الثَّيِّبُ الزَّانِي، وَالنَّفْسُ بِالنَّفْسِ وَالتَّارِكُ لِدِيْنِهِ الْمُفَارِقُ لِلْجَمَاعَةِ

[رواه البخاري ومسلم]

14th Hadith Translation

On the authority of Ibn Masud (R.A.), who said: The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) said:

"The blood of a man who is a Muslim is not lawful (i.e. cannot be lawfully shed), save if he belongs to one of three (classes): a married man who is an adulterer; life for a life (i.e. for murder); one who is a deserter of his religion, abandoning the community.” (Bukhari: 6878 & Muslim: 1676)

Brief Narration

Before the arrival of Islam, human life had no value. A person can easily be killed for many different reasons, e.g. revenge, to show the superiority of a tribe, killing a newborn baby girl because it was considered a shame, etc. When Islam arrived, it stressed on the value and importance of human life. A life must not be threatened unless it is lawful, i.e. where a serious violation of the Shariah (Islamic Laws) had occurred. Islam also made it clear that the taking of a human life is the responsibility of the highest authority, i.e. the judge. This is to prevent this practice from being abused for personal interests.

Islam makes it clear what the duties and obligations of the Muslim are - how we are to treat and respect each other. Islam places importance in a caring society, where the people, whether rich or poor, care for each other. This minimizes hatred and hence conflicts and killings.

This hadith needs to be looked at in the positive light where the emphasis is on the value of the human life and not on the punishments permissible for the three cases mentioned in the hadith. Islam has put in place a system which leads to minimizing the occurrences of the three cases mentioned in the hadith. There are strategies, obligations, etc., which help the Muslims to avoid these acts.

 (Reference: Commentary of Forty Hadiths of An-Nawawi by Dr. Jamal Ahmed Badi)