Chapter on Rare Cases of Blood Money (Diyyat)

It is narrated from Wahb ibn Wahb, from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام, that Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام said: "Whoever kills a close relative (hamim) of a people should seek reconciliation with them as much as he is able, for it will lighten his reckoning."

Abdullah ibn Sinan narrated from Al-Thumali, from Sa'id ibn Al-Musayyab, from Jabir ibn Abdullah, who said: "If a man strikes another man with a whip, Allah سبحانه وتعالى will strike him with a whip of fire."

In the narration of Ibn Faddal from some of his companions from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام, that Imam عليه السلام said: "The diyah (compensatory blood money) for a (killing) hunting dog is forty dirhams, the diyah for a livestock dog is twenty dirhams, and the diyah for a dog that is neither for hunting nor for livestock is a basket of dirt - the killer must give it, and the owner must accept it."

Muhammad ibn Sinan narrated from Abu Al-Jarud who said: I heard Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام say: "The mule of the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى (peace be upon him and his family) was never stopped from going anywhere it wanted." Imam عليه السلام said: "A man from Banu Mudlij came, and the mule had entered his field of reeds. He prepared an arrow and killed it." Then Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام said to him: "By Allah سبحانه وتعالى, you will not leave me until you compensate for it." So he compensated for it with six hundred dirhams.

Jameel ibn Darraj narrated from some of our companions from one of the two Imams عليه السلام regarding a man who broke another man's hand, and then the man's hand healed. Imam عليه السلام said: "There is no retaliation (qisas) in this case, but he must pay compensation (Al-arsh)."

Al-Husayn ibn Said narrated from Ibn Abi Umayr from Muhammad ibn Abi Hamzah and Husayn Al-Rawwasi from Ishaq ibn Ammar, who said: I asked Abu Al-Hasan عليه السلام about a woman who fears pregnancy and drinks medicine to cause a miscarriage. Imam عليه السلام replied: "No." I said: "It is only a drop of fluid (nutfah)." Imam عليه السلام said: "Indeed, the first stage of creation is a drop of fluid (nutfah)."

Al-Husayn ibn Said narrated from Fadalah from Dawud ibn Farqad from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام, that Imam عليه السلام recounted: "Dawud ibn Ali asked me about a man who used to visit another man's house, and the owner forbade him from coming to his house, but he refused to stop. So the owner went to the ruler, and the ruler said: 'If he does it again, kill him.' So the man killed him. What is your opinion on this?" So I (Imam عليه السلام) said: "I see that he should not have killed him. If this ruling were upheld, then anyone could later claim that an enemy entered their house, and they killed him."

Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Yahya narrated from Ali ibn Isma'il from Ahmad ibn Al-Nadr from Al-Husayn ibn Amr from Yahya ibn Said ibn Al-Musayyab that Mu'awiyah wrote to Abu Musa Al-Ashari, saying: "The son of Abu Al-Husayn found a man with his wife and killed him. This matter has become confusing for the judges, so ask Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام about this issue." Abu Musa asked Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام, and Imam عليه السلام replied: "By Allah سبحانه وتعالى, this matter is not in this land - meaning Kufa and its surroundings - nor is it in my presence. So how did this come to you?" He (Abu Musa) replied: "Mu'awiyah wrote to me that the son of Abu Al-Husayn found a man with his wife and killed him, and this matter has confused the judges. What is your opinion on this?" Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام said: "I am Abu Al-Hasan عليه السلام. If he brings four witnesses who testify to what he claimed, then so be it. Otherwise, he should be handed over in full (for punishment)."

In the narration of Ibn Abi Umayr from Jameel from some of our companions from one of the two Imams (peace be upon them), that They عليه السلام said: "If the guardian of the murdered person dies, his child assumes his position regarding the right to seek retribution for the blood."

Muhammad ibn Qays narrated from Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام who said: "The Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام ruled that if the eye of a horse is gouged out, the compensation is a quarter of its value on the day its eye was gouged out."

The Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام ruled regarding four people who were partners in a camel. One of them tied it, but the camel struggled with its tether, broke free, fell, and was injured. The other owners said to the one who had tied it, "You must compensate us for our camel." So Imam عليه السلام ruled between them, saying: "They must compensate him for his share because he had secured his portion properly, but their shares were lost along with his.".

In the narration of Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Yahya through his chain of transmission, it is reported that a man was brought before Al-Ma'mun for having pushed another man into a well, resulting in his death. Al-Ma'mun ordered that the man be executed. The man said: "I was in my house when I heard cries for help. I rushed out quickly with my sword and passed by this man who was standing at the edge of a well. I pushed him, and he fell into the well." Al-Ma'mun consulted the jurists about this matter. Some of them said he should be subjected to retribution, while others suggested different punishments. Al-Ma'mun then asked Abu Al-Hasan عليه السلام about this matter and wrote to him. Abu Al-Hasan عليه السلام replied: "His blood money is upon those who cried out for help." The jurists found this ruling surprising and said to Al-Ma'mun: "Ask him on what basis he gave this ruling." When Al-Ma'mun asked, Abu Al-Hasan عليه السلام said: "A woman once complained to Prophet Sulayman ibn Dawud عليه السلام about the wind. She said: 'I was on the roof of my house when a gust of wind pushed me, and I fell into a courtyard, breaking my arm.' Sulayman عليه السلام summoned the wind and asked: 'What caused you to do this to this woman?' The wind replied: 'O' Prophet of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the ship of a certain people was in the sea and was on the verge of sinking. I passed by this woman while hurrying to help them, and she fell, breaking her arm.' Sulayman عليه السلام ruled that the compensation for her arm should be paid by the people of the ship."

In the narration of Aban ibn Uthman, it is reported that Umar ibn Al-Khattab was presented with a man who had killed another man's brother. Umar handed him over to the victim's brother and ordered him to kill him. The man struck him until he thought he had killed him. He was carried to his home, and they found he still had some life in him. They treated him until he recovered. When he recovered, the brother of the first murdered man seized him and said: "You are the killer of my brother, and I have the right to kill you." The man replied: "You have already killed me once." He was then brought before Umar, who ordered his execution. As he was being taken away, he cried out: "O' people, by Allah سبحانه وتعالى, he has already killed me once!" They passed by Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام and informed him of the situation. Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام said: "Do not rush to kill him until I come out to you." Imam عليه السلام entered upon Umar and said: "This is not the correct ruling in this matter." Umar asked: "Then what is it, O' Abu Al-Hasan عليه السلام?" Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام replied: "This man should exact retribution from the brother of the first murdered man for what he did to him, and then he can be executed for his brother." The man thought that if he took retribution, it would lead to his own death, so he pardoned him, and they both left each other in peace.