45/27, 28: Chapter
Sunan an-Nasai 4782 — Qisas and Diyah as Mercy
Interpreting The Saying Of Allah, The Mighty And Sublime: "But If The Killer Is Forgiven By The Brother (Or The Relatives) Of The Killed Against Blood Money, Then Adhering To It With Fairness And Payment Of The Blood Money To The Heir Should Be Made In Fairness"
Hadith About Qisas and Diyah as an Easing
Sunan an-Nasai : 4782
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4782
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حَفْصٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا وَرْقَاءُ، عَنْ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، قَالَ { كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِصَاصُ فِي الْقَتْلَى الْحُرُّ بِالْحُرِّ } قَالَ كَانَ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقِصَاصُ وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِمُ الدِّيَةَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الدِّيَةَ فَجَعَلَهَا عَلَى هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ تَخْفِيفًا عَلَى مَا كَانَ عَلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ .
Mujahid Narrated from:
Al-Qisas (the Law of Equality in punishment) is prescribed for you in case of murder: the free for the free[2] The rule for the Children of Israel was Qisas, and not Diyah. Then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed the Diyah to them, and He revealed this ruling to this Ummah as an alleviation of the ruling that applied to the Children of Israel.
[2] Al-Baqarah 2:178.Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4782In-book reference : Book 45, Hadith 77English translation : Vol. 5, Book 45, Hadith 4786
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4782
This Hadith about Qisas and Diyah is a short explanation from Mujahid. He mentions the verse, “Al-Qisas is prescribed for you in case of murder: the free for the free,” and then explains that the Children of Israel had Qisas, but not Diyah. The report says that Allah revealed Diyah and made it for this Ummah as an alleviation compared with the ruling that was upon the Children of Israel. The teaching is simple and focused: the law does not only deal with retaliation. It also opens a path for blood money. This Hadith does not add details about every case. It points to the difference between an earlier rule and the easier ruling given to this Ummah.
What we learn from this hadith
- Qisas is linked in the text to cases of murder.
- The Children of Israel are described as having Qisas without Diyah.
- Diyah is presented here as an easing for this Ummah.
- The Hadith teaches that legal rulings may include both justice and relief.
