Author: Mohammad Asem Ismail Zahi
The Wisdom and Philosophy of Qisas (Retribution) and Its Effects (Part 5)
The Right to Life and the Sanctity of Life
Regarding suicide, Almighty Allah says: “وَلَا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ” Translation: “And do not throw yourselves into destruction with your own hands.” [1]
And He also says: “وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا” Translation: “And do not kill yourselves; surely Allah is Most Merciful to you.” [2]
Imam Bukhari and Muslim have narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (PBUH) said: «مَنْ تَرَدَّى مِنْ جَبَلِ فَقَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ فَهُوَ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ يَتَرَدَّى فِيهَا خَالِداً مُخلداً فيها أبداً وَ مَنْ تَحسَى سُما فَقَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ فَسَمُّهُ فِي يَدِهِ يَتَحَسَّاهُ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِداً مُخَلَّداً فِيهَا أَبَداً وَ مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ بِحَدِيدَةٍ فَحَدِيدَتُهُ فِي يَدِهِ يَتَوَجَّأُ بِهَا فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِداً مخلداً فيها أبداً» Translation: “Whoever throws himself from a mountain and kills himself will be thrown in the Fire of Hell, falling therein forever. Whoever drinks poison and kills himself, he will keep sipping it in the Hellfire eternally. And whoever kills himself with an iron weapon, that weapon will remain in his hand as he continues stabbing himself in the Hellfire, dwelling therein forever.” [3]
Also, from Abu Hurayrah, the Prophet (PBUH) said: “الذي يخنق نفسه يخنق نفسه في النار، والذي يطعن نفسه يطعن نفسه في النار، والذي يقتحم يقتحم في النار.” Translation: “Whoever strangles himself, he strangles himself in Hell; and whoever stabs himself, he stabs himself in Hell; and whoever throws himself down (from a height), he throws himself into Hell.” [4]
Jundub ibn Abdullah narrated from the Prophet (PBUH): «كانَ فِيمَنْ قَبْلَكُمْ رَجُلٌ بِهِ جُرْحٌ فَجَزَعَ: فَأَخَذَ سِكِّيناً فَخَزَّ بِهَا يَدَهُ فَمَا رَقَا الدَّمُ حَتَّى مَاتَ قال الله تعالى بادَرَنِي عَبْدِى بِنَفْسِهِ: حَرَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ» Translation: “Among the people before you there was a man who was wounded and became impatient. He took a knife and cut his hand. The bleeding did not stop, and he died. Allah said: ‘My servant has hastened to Me with his own soul—I have forbidden Paradise to him.’” [5]
And in another hadith: “مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسَهُ بِشَيْءٍ عُذِّبَ بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ” Translation: “Whoever kills himself with something will be punished with that same thing on the Day of Judgment.” [6]
Islam deems murder to be so vile and heinous that, aside from everything mentioned, it considers the murder of one person as if the killer has murdered all of humanity. This clearly shows the extreme ugliness and severity of murder in Islam. Almighty Allah says: “أَنَّهُ مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْساً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا، وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَا أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا” Translation: “Whoever kills a soul—unless for a soul (i.e., retribution) or for spreading corruption on the earth—it is as if he has killed all mankind. And whoever saves a soul, it is as if he has saved all mankind.” [7]
Since bloodshed and the preservation of life are of the utmost importance in Islam, Muslim narrated that the first matter to be judged on the Day of Resurrection will be issues of blood and life. [8]
Among the rights of humans, this is the foremost, and among the rights between man and Allah, prayer will be the first matter accounted for. Allah has legislated Qisas (retributive justice) for murder so that vengeance may be taken and a lesson given to others, thereby purifying society from crimes that disrupt public order and security.
Allah says: “وَلَكُمْ فِي الْقِصَاصِ حَيَاةٌ يَا أُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ” Translation: “And in (the law of) retribution (Qisas) there is life for you, O people of understanding, so that you may become mindful.” [9]
As mentioned earlier, this punishment and legal retribution existed in all the previous divine laws. In the Law of Moses, in chapter 21 of Exodus, it is stated: “Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death.” “But if someone schemes and kills his neighbor deliberately, take him even from My altar and put him to death.” “He who strikes his father or mother shall surely be put to death.” “If injury occurs, then give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”
In the law of Jesus, some claim that according to Christian principles, the murderer should not be executed. They quote from Matthew 5, attributed to Jesus: “But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your cloak as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two.”
However, others argue that Jesus also confirmed capital punishment for murderers. They support their view with Jesus’s words: “I did not come to abolish the Law (the Torah) but to fulfill it.” The Qur’an confirms this by quoting Jesus: “مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْرَاةِ” Translation: “(I have come) confirming that which came before me of the Torah.” [10]
And it further refers to the ruling of the Torah regarding retribution: “وَكَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهَا أَنَّ النَّفْسَ بِالنَّفْسِ وَالْعَيْنَ بِالْعَيْنِ وَالأَنفَ بِالأَنفِ وَالأُذُنَ بِالأُذُنِ وَالسِّنَّ بِالسِّنِّ وَالْجُرُوحَ قِصَاصٌ” Translation: “And We ordained for them in it (the Torah): a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and wounds equal for equal.” [11]
Divine law does not distinguish between lives—it declares a life for a life, regardless of whether the victim is old or young, male or female. All people have the right to life, and no one has the right to violate this under any pretext. Even in cases of accidental (unintentional) killing, Allah does not exempt the killer from responsibility. For such cases, Islam mandates the freeing of a slave and the payment of blood money: “وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ أَنْ يَقْتُلَ مُؤْمِنًا إِلَّا خَطَأً، وَمَنْ قَتَلَ مُؤْمِنًا خَطَأً فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُؤْمِنَةٍ وَدِيَةٌ مُسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَصَّدَّقُوا” Translation: “It is not for a believer to kill a believer except by mistake. And whoever kills a believer by mistake, then he must free a believing slave and pay blood money to the victim’s family—unless they remit it (as charity).” [12]
Thus, even unintentional killing incurs a financial penalty to preserve the sanctity of life, so no one takes life lightly or devalues human life. This regulation also deters people from using “mistake” as a false excuse to commit murder. Islam protects life to such a degree that even abortion is forbidden after the soul has been breathed into the fetus, except in cases of genuine, serious necessity—such as when the mother’s life is at risk or due to similar valid reasons. Whoever intentionally and unlawfully aborts a fetus must free a male or female slave in compensation.
Continues…
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References:
[1]. Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse: 195.
[2]. Surah An-Nisa, Verse: 29.
[3]. Al-Bukhari, Muhammad ibn Ismail, Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 5, p. 2179, Book of Medicine, Chapter on Drinking Poison and Medicine with It and with What is Feared from It and the Impure, Hadith No.: 5442, Third Edition, 1407-1987, Publisher: Dar Ibn Kathir, Al-Yamama – Beirut.
[4]. Al-Muttaqi Al-Hindi, Ali ibn Husam al-Din, Kanz al-Ummal, vol. 15, p. 60, Book of Retaliation from the Section of Sayings, and in it are Two Chapters, The Completion of the One Who Kills Himself, Hadith No.: 39967, Publisher: Mu’assasat al-Risalah – Beirut 1989 AD.
[5]. Al-Bukhari, Muhammad ibn Ismail, Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 3, p. 1275, Book of the Prophets, Chapter on What Was Mentioned About the Children of Israel, Hadith No.: 3276, Third Edition, 1407-1987, Publisher: Dar Ibn Kathir, Al-Yamama – Beirut.
[6]. Al-Nisaburi, Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj ibn Muslim, Al-Jami’ al-Sahih al-Musamma Sahih Muslim, vol. 1, p. 103, Book of Faith, Chapter on the Seriousness of the Prohibition of a Person Killing Himself and That Whoever Kills Himself with Something Will Be Tormented with It in the Fire and That No One Will Enter Paradise Except a Muslim Soul, Hadith No.: 47, Publisher: Dar al-Jeel Beirut + Dar al-Afaq al-Jadidah – Beirut.
[7]. Surah Al-Ma’idah, Verse: 32.
[8]. Al-Nisaburi, Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj ibn Muslim, Al-Jami’ al-Sahih al-Musamma Sahih Muslim, vol. 3, p. 1304, Book of Diyat (Blood Money), Hadith No.: 453, Publisher: Dar al-Jeel Beirut + Dar al-Afaq al-Jadidah – Beirut.
[9]. Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse: 179.
[10]. Surah Al-Imran, Verse: 50.
[11]. Surah Al-Ma’idah, Verse: 45.
[12]. Surah An-Nisa, Verse: 92.
