37/5. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4018 — Protected Blood in an Abridged Report
Mentioning What Circumstances Allow Shedding the Blood of a Muslim
Sanctity of Life in Islam: Aishah's Abridged Reminder
Sunan an-Nasai : 4018
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4018
أَخْبَرَنَا هِلاَلُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ غَالِبٍ، قَالَ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ يَا عَمَّارُ أَمَا إِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ لاَ يَحِلُّ دَمُ امْرِئٍ إِلاَّ ثَلاَثَةٌ النَّفْسُ بِالنَّفْسِ أَوْ رَجُلٌ زَنَى بَعْدَ مَا أُحْصِنَ وَسَاقَ الْحَدِيثَ .
'Amr bin Ghalib Narrated from:
Aishah said: 'O 'Ammar! Do you not know that it is not permissible to shed the blood of a Muslim except in three cases: a life for a life, a man who commits adultery after being married.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4018In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 53English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4023
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4018
This hadith records 'Aishah addressing 'Ammar and reminding him that a person's blood is not lawful except in three cases. In the supplied wording, two are stated before the narrator says that the rest of the hadith continued: a life for a life and a man who commits adultery after marriage. Because this version is abbreviated, the missing third case should not be invented from the text itself. The main teaching remains the protection of life and the limited nature of the exceptions. The narration is not a command for individuals to act. It gives no rules of evidence, judgment or enforcement. A careful explanation therefore keeps the focus on the sanctity of blood and acknowledges openly that the provided wording is incomplete.
What we learn from this hadith
- The narration begins by affirming that blood is protected.
- A life for a life is one case stated in the supplied text.
- Adultery after marriage is the second case stated before the report is cut short.
- Because the narration is abridged, the omitted wording should not be guessed from this text alone.
