37/2. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4001 — Repentance After Intentional Murder
The Gravity of the Sin of Shedding Blood
Repentance for Intentional Murder: Ibn Abbas's Answer
Sunan an-Nasai : 4001
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4001
أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ أَبِي بَزَّةَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، قَالَ قُلْتُ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ هَلْ لِمَنْ قَتَلَ مُؤْمِنًا مُتَعَمِّدًا مِنْ تَوْبَةٍ قَالَ لاَ . وَقَرَأْتُ عَلَيْهِ الآيَةَ الَّتِي فِي الْفُرْقَانِ { وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ وَلاَ يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ } قَالَ هَذِهِ آيَةٌ مَكِّيَّةٌ نَسَخَتْهَا آيَةٌ مَدَنِيَّةٌ { وَمَنْ يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ } .
Sa'eed bin Jubair Narrated from:
I said to Ibn 'Abbas: 'Can a person, who killed a believer intentionally, repent?' He said: 'No.' I recited the Verse from Al-Furqan to him: 'And those who invoke not any other ilah (god) along with Allah, or kill such person as Allah has forbidden, except by right,' he said: 'This Verse was revealed in Makkah and was abrogated by a Verse that was revealed in Al-Madinah: 'And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell.'
[1] Al-Furqân 25:68.[2] An-Nisâ' 4:93.[1] Al-Fay' refers to wealth taken from the disbelievers without fighting. Ghanîmah refers to spoils of war in general. However, the author has included chapter about both in this section. See the details after No. 4152.Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4001In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 36English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4006
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4001
This hadith records a direct question about repentance for intentional murder. Sa'eed bin Jubair asked Ibn 'Abbas whether a person who deliberately killed a believer could repent. Ibn 'Abbas answered no in this report. Sa'eed then recited the verse in Surah Al-Furqan that mentions avoiding shirk and unlawful killing. Ibn 'Abbas replied that the Al-Furqan verse was revealed in Makkah and said that a later verse revealed in Al-Madinah addressed the intentional killing of a believer and its punishment. The wording should be read carefully: the hadith presents Ibn 'Abbas's stated view and his understanding of the order of these verses. It strongly warns against murder and does not allow the seriousness of taking a believer's life to be treated lightly.
What we learn from this hadith
- This report presents intentional murder as an extremely serious sin.
- Ibn 'Abbas linked his answer to the order in which the two verses were revealed.
- Questions about difficult verses should be taken to people of knowledge.
- The report states Ibn 'Abbas's view without discussing every other scholarly position.
