What Is the Blood Money for the Deceased?
ما هي الدية للمقتول؟
What is the blood money for the deceased?
The answer defines blood money as a sum paid to the next of kin of the person killed, borne by the killer's forefathers, descendants, and relatives, with the judge assigning it to the closest relatives first, then those after them.
In Islamic jurisprudence, the concept of blood money serves as a vital mechanism to prevent endless cycles of revenge and to provide financial stability to the family that lost their loved one. The law ensures the burden is distributed fairly so that justice is swiftly served.
1. The Definition and Beneficiary
It is a sum of money paid to the next of kin of the person killed. This compensation aims to alleviate the sudden financial and emotional hardship placed upon the victim's family.
2. Who Pays the Blood Money?
The burden of this massive payment does not fall solely on the perpetrator. The killer's forefathers, however far up, his descendants, however far down, and his relatives bear the blood money. This collective family obligation ensures the large sum is successfully collected.
3. The Role of the Judge
The distribution of this financial burden is carefully calculated in a court of law. So the judge imposes the blood money to be paid by the closest relative, moving outward to the extended family as needed to fulfill the required amount fairly.
ما هي الدية للمقتول؟
يعرف الجواب الدية بأنها مبلغ من المال يؤدى إلى ولي المقتول، يتحمله آباء الجاني وإن علوا وأبناؤه وإن نزلوا وأقاربه، ويجتهد القاضي في تحميلها الأقرب فالأقرب.
في الفقه الإسلامي، يعتبر مفهوم الدية آلية حيوية لمنع دورات الانتقام التي لا تنتهي ولتوفير الاستقرار المالي للأسرة التي فقدت عزيزا. ويضمن الشرع توزيع العبء بشكل عادل لتحقيق العدالة بسرعة.
التعريف والمستفيد
هي مبلغ من المال، يؤدى إلى ولي المقتول. ويهدف هذا التعويض إلى التخفيف من الضائقة المالية والعاطفية المفاجئة التي تقع على عاتق أسرة الضحية.
من يتحمل الدية؟
لا يقع عبء هذا الدفع الكبير على الجاني وحده. بل يتحمل الدية آباء الجاني وإن علوا، وأبناؤه وإن نزلوا، وأقاربه. ويضمن هذا الالتزام العائلي الجماعي جمع المبلغ الكبير بنجاح.
دور القاضي في التوزيع
يتم حساب توزيع هذا العبء المالي بعناية في المحكمة الشرعية. حيث يجتهد القاضي بتحميل الدية الأقرب فالأقرب، وصولا إلى العائلة الممتدة حسب الحاجة للوفاء بالمبلغ المطلوب بعدل.
1. On the Killer's Paternal Relatives | على عصبة القاتل
When a woman of Hudhayl killed another with a tent pole, the Prophet placed the blood money of the slain woman on the paternal relatives (asabah) of the killer, and a slave for the unborn child; when one of them objected, he still required the blood money of them (Sahih Muslim 1682). This is the shared burden the answer describes.
لما قتلت امرأة من هذيل ضرتها بعمود فسطاط، "جعل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم دية المقتولة على عصبة القاتلة وغرة لما في بطنها"، ولما اعترض رجل من عصبة القاتلة جعل عليهم الدية (صحيح مسلم 1682). وهذا هو التحمل المشترك الذي ذكره الجواب.
2. Are the Killer's Father and Sons Included? | هل يدخل آباء القاتل وأبناؤه؟
Ibn Qudamah reports two narrations from Ahmad. In the first, all the paternal relatives are part of the clan that bears the blood money, including the killer's fathers and sons, which is the view of Malik and Abu Hanifa and the view the answer gives. In the second, his fathers and sons are not included, which is the view of al-Shafi'i (al-Mughni).
ذكر ابن قدامة روايتين عن أحمد: الأولى أن العصبة كلهم من العاقلة ومنهم آباء القاتل وأبناؤه، وهو قول مالك وأبي حنيفة، وهو ما ذكره الجواب، والثانية أن آباءه وأبناءه ليسوا من العاقلة، وهو قول الشافعي (المغني).
3. Blood Money Is a Mercy for This Nation | الدية تخفيف ورحمة
Ibn Abbas said: The Children of Israel had retribution but not blood money, so Allah said to this nation: whoever is pardoned by his brother in some way, let it be followed with fairness and paid with kindness; that is an alleviation from your Lord and a mercy (Al-Baqarah 2:178). Pardoning is accepting blood money for deliberate killing (Sahih al-Bukhari 4498).
ذَٰلِكَ تَخْفِيفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ (سورة البقرة: 178)
قال ابن عباس: "كان في بني إسرائيل القصاص، ولم تكن فيهم الدية، فقال الله تعالى لهذه الأمة: (كتب عليكم القصاص في القتلى...) فالعفو أن يقبل الدية في العمد... (ذلك تخفيف من ربكم) ورحمة مما كتب على من كان قبلكم" (صحيح البخاري 4498).
Scholarly Insight: The Prophet placed blood money on the killer's paternal relatives (Sahih Muslim 1682), sharing the burden while guaranteeing the victim's family their right. Ibn Qudamah reports that Malik and Abu Hanifa include the killer's fathers and sons in this clan, as the answer does, while al-Shafi'i excludes them (al-Mughni). Ibn Abbas described blood money itself as an alleviation and mercy given to this nation (Sahih al-Bukhari 4498). Read more in the tafsir of Surah Al-Baqarah.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Who receives the blood money?
The next of kin of the person killed, as the answer defines it: a sum of money paid to the victim's family.
Does the killer pay the blood money alone?
No. The Prophet placed it on the killer's paternal relatives (Sahih Muslim 1682); the answer names his forefathers, descendants, and relatives.
Are the killer's father and sons among those who pay?
In the answer, yes, which is the view of Malik and Abu Hanifa and one narration from Ahmad; al-Shafi'i does not include them (al-Mughni).
Why did Islam prescribe blood money?
Ibn Abbas said the Children of Israel had retribution without blood money, and Allah gave this nation the option as an alleviation and mercy (Sahih al-Bukhari 4498; Al-Baqarah 2:178).
Prepared by Eng. Ghada Homad, founder of IslamFAQ, researched and written in consultation with qualified scholars, reviewed by Professor Khaled Jassem Al-Houli, Associate Professor of Comparative Jurisprudence and Islamic Politics, Faculty of Sharia and Islamic Studies, University of Kuwait. Read more about the authors and this project →