16/13. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1406 — Sacredness of Makkah
What Has Been Related About The Guardian Of One Who Was Killed Deciding Between Qisas or Pardon
Hadith About the Sacredness of Makkah and Bloodshed
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1406
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1406
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي شُرَيْحٍ الْكَعْبِيِّ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ حَرَّمَ مَكَّةَ وَلَمْ يُحَرِّمْهَا النَّاسُ مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلاَ يَسْفِكَنَّ فِيهَا دَمًا وَلاَ يَعْضِدَنَّ فِيهَا شَجَرًا فَإِنْ تَرَخَّصَ مُتَرَخِّصٌ فَقَالَ أُحِلَّتْ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم . فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَحَلَّهَا لِي وَلَمْ يُحِلَّهَا لِلنَّاسِ وَإِنَّمَا أُحِلَّتْ لِي سَاعَةً مِنْ نَهَارٍ ثُمَّ هِيَ حَرَامٌ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ مَعْشَرَ خُزَاعَةَ قَتَلْتُمْ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ مِنْ هُذَيْلٍ وَإِنِّي عَاقِلُهُ فَمَنْ قُتِلَ لَهُ قَتِيلٌ بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ فَأَهْلُهُ بَيْنَ خِيرَتَيْنِ إِمَّا أَنْ يَقْتُلُوا أَوْ يَأْخُذُوا الْعَقْلَ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَحَدِيثُ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ وَرَوَاهُ شَيْبَانُ أَيْضًا عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ مِثْلَ هَذَا . - وَرُوِيَ عَنْ أَبِي شُرَيْحٍ الْخُزَاعِيِّ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنْ قُتِلَ لَهُ قَتِيلٌ فَلَهُ أَنْ يَقْتُلَ أَوْ يَعْفُوَ أَوْ يَأْخُذَ الدِّيَةَ " . وَذَهَبَ إِلَى هَذَا بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ أَحْمَدَ وَإِسْحَاقَ .
Abu Shuraih al-Ka'bi Narrated from:
The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: "Indeed Allah Made Makkah Sacred, It Was Not Made Sacred By The People. Whoever Believes In Allah, And The Last Day, Then Let Them Not Shed Blood In It, Nor Cut Down Any Of Its Trees. If One Tries To Make An Excuse By Saying: 'It Was Made Lawful For The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ)' Then Indeed Allah Made It Lawful For Me But He Did Not Make It Lawful For The People, And It Was Only Made Lawful For Me For An Hour Of A Day. Then It Is Returned To Being Sacred Until The Day Of Judgement.Then, To You People Of Khuza'Ah Who Killed This Man From Hudhail: I Am His 'Aqil, So Whomever (One Of His Relatives) Is Killed After Today, Then His People Have Two Options; Either They Have Him Killed, Or They Take The Blood-Money From Him.'"
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1406In-book reference : Book 16, Hadith 22English translation : Vol. 3, Book 14, Hadith 1406
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1406
This Hadith about the sacredness of Makkah gives a clear warning. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said that Allah made Makkah sacred, not people. Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not shed blood in it or cut its trees. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم also explained that what was made lawful for him was only for a short part of a day, and then Makkah returned to being sacred until the Day of Judgement. The Hadith then mentions a killing and states that the family has two choices: legal retaliation or blood-money. So the text combines Makkah sanctity, respect for life, and ordered justice.
What we learn from this hadith
- Makkah’s sacredness is from Allah, not from human decision.
- Bloodshed and cutting trees in Makkah are forbidden in the Hadith.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم clarified that his exception was limited.
- The family of a killed person is given legal choices.
