16/13. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1407 — Intent in a Killing Case
What Has Been Related About The Guardian Of One Who Was Killed Deciding Between Qisas or Pardon
Hadith About Intent in a Killing Case
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1407
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1407
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قُتِلَ رَجُلٌ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَدُفِعَ الْقَاتِلُ إِلَى وَلِيِّهِ فَقَالَ الْقَاتِلُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَرَدْتُ قَتْلَهُ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَمَا إِنَّهُ إِنْ كَانَ صَادِقًا فَقَتَلْتَهُ دَخَلْتَ النَّارَ " . فَخَلَّى عَنْهُ الرَّجُلُ . قَالَ وَكَانَ مَكْتُوفًا بِنِسْعَةٍ . قَالَ فَخَرَجَ يَجُرُّ نِسْعَتَهُ . قَالَ فَكَانَ يُسَمَّى ذَا النِّسْعَةِ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَالنِّسْعَةُ حَبْلٌ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
A Man Was Killed During The Time Of The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ), So The Killer Was Brought To The Man'S Guardian. The Killer Said: 'O Messenger Of Allah! By Allah! I Did Not Mean To Kill Him.' So The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: 'Then If What He Is Saying Is True, And You Kill Him, You Would Enter The Fire.' So He Let The Man Go. He Said: "His Hands Were Bound Behind Him With A Nis'Ah." He Said: "So He Left, Dragging His Nis'Ah." [He Said:] "So He Was Called Dhan-Nis'Ah'."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1407In-book reference : Book 16, Hadith 23English translation : Vol. 3, Book 14, Hadith 1407
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1407
This Hadith about intent in a killing case describes a man killed during the time of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم. The killer was brought to the guardian of the killed man. The killer said by Allah that he did not mean to kill him. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then warned the guardian that if the man was truthful and he killed him, he would enter the Fire. After hearing this, the guardian let him go. The text does not give every legal detail, but it clearly shows that intent matters. A claim about not intending to kill was treated seriously, and the guardian was warned against acting wrongly.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Hadith shows that intent can matter in a killing case.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم warned against killing someone if his claim was true.
- The guardian chose to let the accused go after the warning.
- Serious cases require caution, not haste.
