37/2. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4008 — Fear of the Murder Verse and Al-Furqan
The Gravity of the Sin of Shedding Blood
The Intentional Killing Verse: Concern and the Al-Furqan Passage
Sunan an-Nasai : 4008
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4008
أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ مُسْلِمِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنْ مُجَالِدِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ خَارِجَةَ بْنَ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ، يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ نَزَلَتْ { وَمَنْ يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِدًا فِيهَا } أَشْفَقْنَا مِنْهَا فَنَزَلَتِ الآيَةُ الَّتِي فِي الْفُرْقَانِ { وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ وَلاَ يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ } .
Kharijah bin Zaid bin Thabit Narrated from:
It was narrated that Mujalid bin 'Awf said: "I heard Kharijah bin Zaid bin Thabit narrate that his father said: (The Verse) 'And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell' was revealed and we became worried about it. Then the Verse in Al-Furqan 'And those who invoke not any other ilah (god) along with Allah, or kill such person as Allah has forbidden, except by right.' was revealed."
[2] An-Nisâ’ 4:93.[3] Al-Furqân 25:68.Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4008In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 43English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4013
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4008
This hadith reports Zaid bin Thabit's memory of two revelations. He says that the verse warning whoever intentionally kills a believer was revealed and that they became worried because of it. He then says that the verse in Surah Al-Furqan was revealed, the passage describing those who do not associate another god with Allah and do not kill a forbidden soul except by right. The core message in this report is the strong fear produced by the warning against intentional killing, followed by mention of the Al-Furqan passage. The narration gives its own sequence and should be explained exactly as it appears. It does not spell out how every related question should be resolved. What is plain is that the Companions took the warning seriously and did not hear it with indifference.
What we learn from this hadith
- The warning about intentional killing caused real concern among those who heard it.
- The report links that concern with the later mention of the Al-Furqan passage.
- The Companions' reaction shows that Qur'anic warnings were taken seriously.
- The narration gives a sequence but does not provide a full discussion of all related rulings.
