49/26. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 5415 — Choosing Forgiveness Over Retaliation
The Ruler Suggesting That the Disputant Should Pardon
Hadith About Forgiveness, Diyah, and Retaliation in a Murder Case
Sunan an-Nasai : 5415
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 5415
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عَوْفٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي حَمْزَةُ أَبُو عُمَرَ الْعَائِذِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَلْقَمَةُ بْنُ وَائِلٍ، عَنْ وَائِلٍ، قَالَ شَهِدْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ جَاءَ بِالْقَاتِلِ يَقُودُهُ وَلِيُّ الْمَقْتُولِ فِي نِسْعَةٍ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِوَلِيِّ الْمَقْتُولِ " أَتَعْفُو " . قَالَ لاَ . قَالَ " فَتَأْخُذُ الدِّيَةَ " . قَالَ لاَ . قَالَ " فَتَقْتُلُهُ " . قَالَ نَعَمْ . قَالَ " اذْهَبْ بِهِ " . فَلَمَّا ذَهَبَ فَوَلَّى مِنْ عِنْدِهِ دَعَاهُ فَقَالَ " أَتَعْفُو " . قَالَ لاَ قَالَ " فَتَأْخُذُ الدِّيَةَ " . قَالَ لاَ . قَالَ " فَتَقْتُلُهُ " . قَالَ نَعَمْ . قَالَ " اذْهَبْ بِهِ " . فَلَمَّا ذَهَبَ فَوَلَّى مِنْ عِنْدِهِ دَعَاهُ فَقَالَ " أَتَعْفُو " . قَالَ لاَ . قَالَ " فَتَأْخُذُ الدِّيَةَ " . قَالَ لاَ . قَالَ " فَتَقْتُلُهُ " . قَالَ نَعَمْ . قَالَ " اذْهَبْ بِهِ " . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ " أَمَا إِنَّكَ إِنْ عَفَوْتَ عَنْهُ يَبُوءُ بِإِثْمِهِ وَإِثْمِ صَاحِبِكَ " . فَعَفَا عَنْهُ وَتَرَكَهُ فَأَنَا رَأَيْتُهُ يَجُرُّ نِسْعَتَهُ .
Wa'il Narrated from:
I saw the Messenger of Allah [SAW] when a killer was brought by the heir of the victim by a string. The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said to the heir of the victim: 'Will you forgive him?' He said: 'No.' He said: 'Will you accept the Diyah?' He said: 'No.' He said: 'Will you kill him?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Take him away.' When he went and turned away from him, he called him back and said: 'Will you forgive him?' He said: 'No.' He said: 'Will you accept the Diyah?' He said: 'No.' He said: 'Will you kill him?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Take him away.' When he went and turned away from him, he called him back and said: 'Will you forgive him?' He said: 'No.' He said: 'Will you accept the Diyah?' He said: 'No.' He said: 'Will you kill him?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Take him away.'At that point the Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'But if you forgive him, he will carry his own sin and the sin of your companion.' So he forgave him, and I saw him dragging his string.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 5415In-book reference : Book 49, Hadith 37English translation : Vol. 6, Book 49, Hadith 5417
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 5415
This hadith about forgiveness in a murder case shows the Prophet SAW speaking to the heir of a victim who brought the killer by a string. The Prophet SAW asked more than once if he would forgive, accept diyah, or carry out retaliation. Each time, the heir first refused forgiveness and diyah and chose killing. After repeating the choices, the Prophet SAW told him that if he forgave, the killer would carry his own sin and the sin of the victim. The heir then forgave him, and the narrator saw the killer dragging his string. The hadith presents the choices clearly and shows how the Prophet SAW encouraged forgiveness without forcing the heir at the start.
What we learn from this hadith
- The heir was asked about forgiveness, diyah, and retaliation.
- The Prophet SAW repeated the options before the final choice.
- Forgiveness was encouraged in the wording of the hadith.
- The final decision in the report ended with the killer being forgiven.
