In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
A Severe Warning From Allah and His Messenger Against All Unjust Killing!
None Excluded From This Warning – Muslim or non-Muslim, Whether Carried Out by Individuals, Groups, or State-Sanctioned Killing; Committed Directly or Indirectly, Openly or Discreetly, at Home or Abroad; and a Warning to All Those Who Excuse, Appease, or Downplay Such Crimes by Diverting Attention From the Intentional Murder of the Innocent In order to Shield The Rich and Influential
Allah, The Most High, said:
مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَا أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا
If anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land – it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind. [Al-Ma’idah. 32]
Imam As-Sadi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
If a person is bold enough to kill someone who does not deserve to be killed, this implies that he does make a distinction between the one he killed and other than him; rather he would commit this act whenever his evil calls him to that. Therefore, his bold attitude that led him to kill is as if he has killed all humankind. On the other hand, if a person saves a life and does not kill – whilst his soul calls him to do so – due to fear of Allah, this is as if he has saved the lives of all humankind because the fear of Allah he possesses stops him killing one who does not deserve to be killed. [1]
Allah, The Most High, said:
وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُونَ وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا * يُضَاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَيَخْلُدْ فِيهِ مُهَانًا * إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُولَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا
And those who invoke not any other ilah (god) along with Allah, nor kill such life as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse and whoever does this shall receive the punishment. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace; Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds, for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [Al-Furqan. 68-70]
Allah, The Most High, said:
وَمَنْ يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا
And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide therein, and the Wrath and the Curse of Allah are upon him, and a great punishment is prepared for him. [An-Nisaa. 93]
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
And that which is established with fact regarding this matter is that murder is attached to (violation) of three rights: the right of Allah, the right of the victim and the right of the heir. If the murderer voluntarily hands over himself to the heir, shows remorse for what he has done out of fear of Allah and repents sincerely, then Allah’s right is waivered through repentance. And the heir’s right is that he can seek retaliation (i.e. via the Islamic Shariah courts), reconciliation or can pardon. Then what remains is the victim’s right, (which) Allah will recompense on the Day of Judgement for His servant who is a repentant and a good-doer, and rectify affairs between them (i.e. the murdered and the repentant murderer), so neither the right of the victim nor the repentance of the murderer is nullified. [2]
Abdullah Bin Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “The first (thing) that will be decided among people on the Day of Judgment will pertain to bloodshed”. [3]
Imam An-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
This hadith shows the severity of bloodshed and that it will be the first thing that will be judged between people on the Day of Resurrection because of its greatness and extreme danger. This hadith does not contradict the well-known hadith in the Sunan that “The first thing a person will be questioned about is the prayer”, because this hadith is about a matter between Allah and the person, whereas the first hadith (i.e. judgement in matters related to bloodshed) is a matter between the people. [4]
The Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “The termination of the world means less to Allah than the killing of a Muslim (i.e. without right)”. [5]
Amr Ibn Al-Hamiq, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “Whenever a man promises safety for another man’s life and then kills him, I disavow myself from him even if the victim was an unbeliever”. [6]
Uqbah Ibn Aamir, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “Whoever meets Allah while neither associating anything with Him nor spilling sacred blood will enter Paradise”. [7]
The people said to Jundub, may Allah be pleased with him: “Advise us”. He said: “The first thing of the human body to putrefy is the abdomen, so he who can eat nothing but good (halal) food (earned lawfully) should do so, and he who does as much as he can that nothing intervenes between him and paradise by not shedding even a handful of blood [i.e. unlawful killing], should do so”.[8]
A man wrote to Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, and asked him to write down all knowledge for him; so he replied to him, saying: “Indeed, knowledge is plentiful, but if you are able to meet Allah while not shedding people’s blood, not taking their wealth (unlawfully) and violating their honour, then do so”. [9]
Do Not Support Oppressors
Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that Allah’s Messenger, pease and blessings of Allah be upon him, said : “Two are the types of the inhabitants of Hell whom I did not see: people having flogs like the tails of the ox with them and they would be beating people, and the women who would be dressed but appear to be naked, who would be inclined (to evil) and making others inclined towards evil. Their heads would be like the humps of the bukht camel inclined to one side. They will not enter Paradise and they would not smell its odour whereas its odour would be smelt from such and such distance. [10]
Imam an-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
“This hadith is from the miracles of Prophethood. Certainly these two types of people have appeared and they are present”. [11]
Imam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
“Men having flogs like the tails of the ox with them and they would be beating people”, such as the police and other than police who beat people unjustly. These are from the people of Hell. This is a threat that calls for caution. A soldier and non-soldier must not hit people except based on a justified reason”. [12]
Anyone who takes on the responsibility to beat people unjustly is included in this hadith, whether it is by the order of the state or without the order of the state because the state is to be obeyed only in good. The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “Indeed, obedience is only in that which is good. There is no obedience to the creation in disobedience to the Creator”. [13]
“And the women who would be dressed but appear to be naked”.
Imam Muhammad Ibn Salih Al-Uthaymin, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
It has been clarified that they will dress in short attire that does not conceal the obligatory parts of the body. It has been elucidated that they will wear clothing that exposes the woman’s skin. Furthermore, it has been expounded that they will don tight clothing that covers the body but still reveals that which leads to trial through a woman. [14] [End of quotes]
Regarding the statement: “They will not enter Paradise, nor smell its fragrance, even though it can be found from a distance of five hundred years of travel”, here is the belief of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama’ah as clarified by Imam Abdul Aziz Bin Baz, may Allah have mercy upon him:
والخلاصة أن من مات على الشرك لا يغفر له، والجنة عليه حرام، من عرب وعجم، ومن جن وإنس، ومن مات على ما دون الشرك من المعاصي، فهو تحت مشيئة الله خلافًا للمعتزلة والخوارج، ومن سار على مذهبهم من سائر المبتدعة، فإن الخوارج والمعتزلة ومن سار على مذهبهم يرون العاصي مخلد في النار، وأنه لا يغفر له إذا مات على الزنا يروه مخلدًا في النار، أو الخمر يروه مخلدًا في النار هذا باطل، بل هو تحت مشيئة الله، إن شاء الله غفر له، ومحا عنه سيئاته، وأدخله الجنة بتوحيده، وإسلامه، وأعماله الصالحة الأخرى.
وإن شاء عذبه على قدر معاصيه، يعذب في النار ما شاء الله، ثم يخرج من النار، عند أهل السنة والجماعة وهم الصحابة وأتباعهم بإحسان، يعذب ما شاء الله قد تطول مدته، وقد تقصر على حسب أعماله السيئة، ثم يخرج من النار، لا يخلد في النار، لا يخلد في النار إلا المشركون إلا الكفرة.
أما العاصي الموحد المسلم لا يخلد في النار إذا دخلها، يعذب على قدر معاصيه التي مات عليها لم يتب، ثم يخرجه الله من النار إلى الجنة، عند أهل الحق عند أهل السنة والجماعة بإجماع أهل السنة والجماعة خلافًا للخوارج والمعتزلة ومن سار على منهجهم من الإباضية
The one who dies upon Shirk is not forgiven; Paradise is forbidden for him — among the Arabs, non-Arabs, the Jinn, and humankind.
The one who dies upon a sin that is lesser than Shirk is under the Will of Allah. This is the opposite of what the Muʿtazilah, the Khawarij, and others who follow their path believe — that the sinner will dwell in the Fire forever, and that he will not be forgiven if he dies with the sin of fornication or alcohol consumption. They hold that he will dwell in the Fire forever. This belief is false. Rather, he will be under Allah’s Will: if He wills, He will forgive him, erase his evil deeds, and enter him into Paradise due to his belief in Islamic monotheism, Islam, and other righteous deeds. And if Allah wills, He punishes him based on the level of his sin — punished in the Fire as Allah wills, then removed from the Fire.
This is the belief of Ahlus Sunnah, such as the Sahabah and those who follow them in good. He is punished as Allah wills, and the period may be long or short in accordance with his evil deeds. Then he is removed from the Fire and will not remain there forever.
None remains in the Fire forever except the polytheists and those who disbelieve (in Allah or His Messenger, or died upon a sin that is tantamount to major disbelief). [15] [Paraphrased]
Be Warned Against The Danger of Selective Justice
Aa’isha, may Allah be pleased with her, reported that the Quraish had been anxious about the Makhzumi woman who had committed theft, and said, “Who will speak to Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, about her?” They said, “Who dare it, but Usamah, the loved one of Allah’s Messenger?” So Usamah spoke to him. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger said, “Do you intercede regarding one of the punishments prescribed by Allah?” He then stood up and addressed (people) saying, “O people! Those who have gone before you were destroyed, because if any one of high status committed theft amongst them, they spared him; and if anyone of low status committed theft, they inflicted the prescribed punishment upon him. By Allah, if Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would have her hand cut of”. [16]
“Do you intercede regarding one of the punishments prescribed by Allah?” Meaning, it is not permissible to intercede regarding the divine prescribed punishments.
“Those who have gone before you were destroyed because if any one of high status committed theft amongst them, they spared him; and if anyone of low status committed theft, they inflicted the prescribed punishment upon him”.
Meaning, destroyed through punishment due to their sins. They were destroyed due to this matter because they said, “This is a person of high status and it is not possible to cut his hand”. When a person of high status amongst them stole, they let him off, (but) when a person of low status stole, they established the punishment on him, thus the implementation of Allah’s prescribed punishments was carried out based on their desires. In this hadith is proof to show that the nations before us committed theft, and that there was much theft in their midst including the wealthy, the poor, the one of high status and the one of low status.
The Messenger then made an oath – even though he is the righteous and truthful one without making an oath – that “By Allah, if Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would have her hand cut of”.
O Allah! Send Your Salutations and blessings upon him (i.e. the prophet). This is how justice should be and the manner in which Allah’s rulings are to be applied, and not through desires. He made an oath that if Fatimah – who was of a higher status than that Makhzumi woman, both in nobility and lineage, because she is the leader of the women of paradise, the daughter of Muhammad – stole, he would cut her hand. [17]
Imaam An-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated that Imam Muslim, may Allah have mercy upon him, mentioned narrations in the chapter regarding the forbiddance of interceding in the divine ordained punishments and that this was the cause of the destruction of the Children of Israel. The scholars unanimously agreed that – due to these narrations – interceding in the divine ordained punishments – after the affair has reached the leader – is prohibited. As for before it reaches the leader, most scholars have permitted intercession if the one being interceded for is not an evil person and harmful to the people. As for the sins (or acts of disobedience) for which there are no prescribed punishments, then intercession regarding them is permissible whether the affair has reached the leader or not. Intercession in these affairs is desirable if the one being interceded for is not a harmful person and so on. [18]
[1] Tafsir As-Sadi
[2] Jawab Al-Kaafee. page 102
[3] Sahih Muslim. 1678
[4] Sharh Sahih Muslim. 11/139
[5] Sahih Al-Jami 9208
[6] Sahih Al-Jami 6103]
[7] Silsilah As-Sahihah 2923
[8] Sahih Al-Bukhari 7152
[9] Siyar A’lam An-Nubulaa 3/222
[10] Sahih Muslim. 2128
[11] Sharh Sahih Muslim 14/92
[12]https://binbaz.org.sa/fatwas/10311/%D9%85%D8%A7-%D9%85%D8%B9%D9%86%D9%89-%D9%82%D9%88%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%B5%D9%86%D9%81%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%84%D9%85-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87%D9%85%D8%A7
[13]https://binbaz.org.sa/index.php/fatwas/6333/%D9%85%D8%B9%D9%86%D9%89-%D8%AD%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%AB-%D8%B5%D9%86%D9%81%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%84%D9%85-%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87%D9%85%D8%A7
[14] Fataawaa Shaikh Muhammad Bin Utrhaymeen. 2/825
[15]https://binbaz.org.sa/fatwas/18158/%D9%85%D8%A7-%D9%85%D8%B9%D9%86%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87-%D9%84%D8%A7-%D9%8A%D8%BA%D9%81%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%8A%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%83-%D8%A8%D9%87
[16] Saheeh Muslim. 1688a
[17] An Excerpt from Sharh Riyaadus Saaliheen 6/525-530 By Imam Muhammad Ibn Saalih Al-Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy upon him)
[18] An Excerpt from ‘Sharh Saheeh Muslim’. 11/155