37/2. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 3997 — The Motive Behind Killing Will Be Questioned
The Gravity of the Sin of Shedding Blood
Intention Behind Killing: Accountability Before Allah
Sunan an-Nasai : 3997
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3997
أَخْبَرَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ الْمُسْتَمِرِّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَاصِمٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُعْتَمِرٌ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ شَقِيقِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُرَحْبِيلَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " يَجِيءُ الرَّجُلُ آخِذًا بِيَدِ الرَّجُلِ فَيَقُولُ يَا رَبِّ هَذَا قَتَلَنِي . فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ لَهُ لِمَ قَتَلْتَهُ فَيَقُولُ قَتَلْتُهُ لِتَكُونَ الْعِزَّةُ لَكَ . فَيَقُولُ فَإِنَّهَا لِي . وَيَجِيءُ الرَّجُلُ آخِذًا بِيَدِ الرَّجُلِ فَيَقُولُ إِنَّ هَذَا قَتَلَنِي . فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ لَهُ لِمَ قَتَلْتَهُ فَيَقُولُ لِتَكُونَ الْعِزَّةُ لِفُلاَنٍ فَيَقُولُ إِنَّهَا لَيْسَتْ لِفُلاَنٍ فَيَبُوءُ بِإِثْمِهِ " .
'Abdullah bin Mas'ud Narrated from:
The Prophet [SAW] said: "A man will come, holding another man's hand, and will say: 'O Lord, this man killed me.' Allah will say to him: 'Why did you kill him?' He will say: 'I killed him so that the glory would be to you.' He will say: 'It is to Me.' Then (another) man will come holding another man's hand, and will say: 'This man killed me.' Allah will say to him: 'Why did you kill him?' He will say: 'So that the glory would be to so and so.' He will say: 'It is not to so and so,' and the burden of sin will be upon him."
[1] This may mean that the sin of the murderer is confirmed, or that the murderer will be made to bear the sins of his victim as a punishment for killing him.Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3997In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 32English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4002
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3997
This hadith about the intention behind killing describes a direct confrontation on the Day of Resurrection. A slain man comes holding the hand of his killer and says, “O Lord, this man killed me.” Allah asks the killer why he did it. One answer is that he killed so that glory would belong to Allah, and the reply confirms that glory belongs to Allah. Another man says he killed so that glory would belong to a particular person, and he is told that glory does not belong to that person; the burden of sin then falls upon him. The narration does not erase the killing or describe all parts of the judgment. Its focus is motive and accountability. It warns against shedding blood for personal leaders, group pride, or another person’s power. A claimed purpose will be examined, and naming a worldly figure does not turn killing into a righteous act.
What we learn from this hadith
- The victim is shown bringing his claim directly before Allah.
- The killer is asked why he took the person’s life.
- Killing for the glory of a worldly person is rejected in the narration.
- A claimed motive does not remove accountability for bloodshed.
