Is There Repentance for Intentional Killing?
هل للقاتل الذي يقتل عمدا من توبة؟
Is there any repentance for the intentional killing?
The answer states that the intentional killer has repentance: Allah forbids despair of His mercy and forgives all sins (Az-Zumar 39:53), but the right of the slain is treated differently, and on the Day of Judgment Allah will exact retribution for him from the killer.
Despair is strongly discouraged in the Islamic faith. No matter how massive the transgression, turning back to the Creator with sincere remorse is always possible, though it does not erase the sacred rights of the victims.
1. The Open Door of Repentance
Yes, one can certainly repent. Allah Almighty addresses those who have committed the most severe sins, urging them never to despair of His vast mercy. As long as a person is breathing, sincere repentance is accepted by the Creator for the violation of His divine commands.
2. The Quranic Promise
Allah Almighty says: (Say, O Prophet, that Allah says, "O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah's mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins. He is indeed the All Forgiving, Most Merciful.") Surah Az Zummar 39: 53.
3. The Right of the Victim
While Allah may forgive the violation of His own rights, the rights of human beings are treated differently. But on the Day of Judgment, Allah will exact retribution for the slain person from the killer. The victim will stand before Allah and demand justice for the life that was unjustly taken, and Allah will establish perfect justice between them.
هل للقاتل الذي يقتل عمدا من توبة؟
يبين الجواب أن للقاتل عمدا توبة، فالله ينهى عن القنوط من رحمته ويغفر الذنوب جميعا (الزمر 39:53)، لكن حق المقتول يعامل بطريقة مختلفة، فإذا كان يوم القيامة اقتص الله للمقتول من القاتل.
اليأس مرفوض تماما في العقيدة الإسلامية. فمهما عظم الذنب، فإن العودة إلى الخالق بندم صادق ممكنة دائما، رغم أن ذلك لا يمحو الحقوق المقدسة للضحايا.
باب التوبة المفتوح
نعم، له توبة. يخاطب الله تعالى أولئك الذين ارتكبوا أشد الذنوب، ويحثهم على ألا ييأسوا أبدا من رحمته الواسعة. فما دام الإنسان يتنفس، فإن الخالق يقبل التوبة النصوح عن انتهاك أوامره الإلهية.
الوعد القرآني
قال الله تعالى: (قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ) الزمر 39: 53.
حق المقتول يوم القيامة
في حين أن الله قد يغفر الذنب المتعلق بحقه، فإن حقوق العباد تعامل بطريقة مختلفة. لكن إذا كان يوم القيامة اقتص الله للمقتول من القاتل. حيث يقف الضحية أمام الله ويطالب بحقه في الحياة التي سلبت منه ظلما، وسيقيم الله العدل التام بينهما.
1. The Man Who Killed Ninety-Nine | الذي قتل تسعة وتسعين
The Prophet told of a man among the Children of Israel who killed ninety-nine people, then asked a monk whether he could repent; the monk said no, so he killed him too. He kept asking, and a man directed him to a certain town; death overtook him on the way, the angels of mercy and of punishment disputed over him, and Allah forgave him (Sahih al-Bukhari 3470). Ibn Kathir reasons that if repentance was accepted from them, it is all the more accepted in this nation.
قال النبي ﷺ: "كان في بني إسرائيل رجل قتل تسعة وتسعين إنسانا ثم خرج يسأل، فأتى راهبا فسأله فقال له: هل من توبة؟ قال: لا، فقتله، فجعل يسأل، فقال له رجل: ائت قرية كذا وكذا، فأدركه الموت... فغفر له" (صحيح البخاري 3470). وقال ابن كثير: "إن كان هذا في بني إسرائيل فلأن يكون في هذه الأمة التوبة مقبولة بطريق الأولى والأحرى".
2. Ibn Abbas's View and the Majority | قول ابن عباس وقول الجمهور
Sa'id ibn Jubayr asked Ibn Abbas about whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, and he said: it is among the last revealed, and nothing abrogated it (Sahih al-Bukhari 4590); asked about his recompense is Hell, he said: he has no repentance (Sahih al-Bukhari 4764). Ibn Kathir states that the majority of the early and later scholars hold that the killer has repentance between him and his Lord, and if he repents and does good, Allah replaces his bad deeds with good ones and compensates the slain for his wrong, citing Al-Furqan 25:68-70.
إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ (سورة الفرقان: 70)
سأل سعيد بن جبير ابن عباس عن قوله تعالى (ومن يقتل مؤمنا متعمدا فجزاؤه جهنم) فقال: "هي آخر ما نزل وما نسخها شيء" (صحيح البخاري 4590)، وسأله عن قوله (فجزاؤه جهنم) فقال: "لا توبة له" (صحيح البخاري 4764). وقال ابن كثير: "والذي عليه الجمهور من سلف الأمة وخلفها: أن القاتل له توبة فيما بينه وبين ربه عز وجل، فإن تاب وأناب وخشع وخضع، وعمل عملا صالحا، بدل الله سيئاته حسنات، وعوض المقتول من ظلامته وأرضاه عن طلابته"، واستدل بآيات الفرقان 25:68-70.
3. Three Rights in Killing | ثلاثة حقوق في القتل
Ibn al-Qayyim writes that killing involves three rights: the right of Allah, the right of the slain, and the right of the victim's family. If the killer willingly surrenders himself to the family, out of remorse for what he did, fear of Allah, and sincere repentance, Allah's right falls by repentance, the family's right by retribution, settlement, or pardon, and the right of the slain remains: on the Day of Resurrection Allah compensates him on behalf of His repentant servant who does good, and reconciles them, so neither the right of the one nor the repentance of the other is lost (al-Jawab al-Kafi).
قال ابن القيم: "والتحقيق في المسألة أن القتل يتعلق به ثلاثة حقوق: حق لله وحق للمقتول، وحق للولي، فإذا سلم القاتل نفسه طوعا واختيارا إلى الولي ندما على ما فعل، وخوفا من الله، وتوبة نصوحا، سقط حق الله بالتوبة، وحق الولي بالاستيفاء أو الصلح أو العفو، وبقي حق المقتول يعوضه الله عنه يوم القيامة عن عبده التائب المحسن، ويصلح بينه وبينه، فلا يبطل حق هذا، ولا تبطل توبة هذا" (الجواب الكافي).
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Does Allah accept the repentance of an intentional killer?
The answer says yes, and Ibn Kathir reports this as the view of the majority of early and later scholars, citing Al-Furqan 25:68-70; Ibn Abbas held that the intentional killer has no repentance.
If Allah forgives the killer, is the victim denied justice?
No. The answer says Allah will exact retribution for him on the Day of Judgment; Ibn al-Qayyim adds that for a sincerely repentant killer, Allah compensates the victim and reconciles them.
Does repentance cancel retribution in this world?
No. Ibn al-Qayyim explains that the family's right is settled by retribution, settlement, or pardon, separately from the repentance that settles Allah's right.
Is there a hadith about a killer who repented?
Yes. A man who had killed ninety-nine people, and then a hundredth, set out to repent, died on the way, and Allah forgave him (Sahih al-Bukhari 3470).