An-Nawawi's Forty HadithHadith 14

When the blood of a Muslim may be shed

متى يحل دم المسلم

A Muslim's life is sacred, and may be taken only in three cases the law names.

Sahih

The hadith

عَنْ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم لَا يَحِلُّ دَمُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ [ يشهد أن لا إله إلا الله، وأني رسول الله] إلَّا بِإِحْدَى ثَلَاثٍ: الثَّيِّبُ الزَّانِي، وَالنَّفْسُ بِالنَّفْسِ، وَالتَّارِكُ لِدِينِهِ الْمُفَارِقُ لِلْجَمَاعَةِ . [رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ] ، [وَمُسْلِمٌ]

On the authority of Ibn Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “It is not permissible to spill the blood of a Muslim except in three [instances]: the married person who commits adultery, a life for a life, and the one who forsakes his religion and separates from the community.” [Al-Bukhari] [Muslim]

Reported by
al-Bukhari, Muslim

Lessons

A Muslim's life is sacred, like their property and honour; the hadith names the only three cases in which the law allows taking it, explained by the scholars with strict conditions (5:45, 2:179). For adultery, for example, the penalty requires a confession or four witnesses, and the one who sinned is urged to conceal it and repent to Allah.

These penalties are carried out only by the lawful ruler or his deputy through the courts, never by individuals or groups, as islamweb's fatwas state.

Evidence

Sahih

The Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 14

Grades
GraderVerdict
Full narration

عَنْ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم لَا يَحِلُّ دَمُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ [ يشهد أن لا إله إلا الله، وأني رسول الله] إلَّا بِإِحْدَى ثَلَاثٍ: الثَّيِّبُ الزَّانِي، وَالنَّفْسُ بِالنَّفْسِ، وَالتَّارِكُ لِدِينِهِ الْمُفَارِقُ لِلْجَمَاعَةِ .<br>[رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ] ، [وَمُسْلِمٌ]

On the authority of Ibn Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “It is not permissible to spill the blood of a Muslim except in three [instances]: the married person who commits adultery, a life for a life, and the one who forsakes his religion and separates from the community.” [Al-Bukhari] [Muslim]

Graded through the collections it is cited from below.

Sahih

Sahih al-Bukhari 6878

Grades
GraderVerdict
al-BukhariSahih (included by al-Bukhari in his Sahih) (Sahih)
Full narration

حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ حَفْصٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لاَ يَحِلُّ دَمُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ بِإِحْدَى ثَلاَثٍ النَّفْسُ بِالنَّفْسِ وَالثَّيِّبُ الزَّانِي، وَالْمَارِقُ مِنَ الدِّينِ التَّارِكُ الْجَمَاعَةَ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated `Abdullah:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The blood of a Muslim who confesses that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that I am His Apostle, cannot be shed except in three cases: In Qisas for murder, a married person who commits illegal sexual intercourse and the one who reverts from Islam (apostate) and leaves the Muslims

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Sahih

Sahih Muslim 1676a

Grades
GraderVerdict
MuslimSahih (included by Muslim in his Sahih) (Sahih)
Full narration

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ غِيَاثٍ، وَأَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ وَوَكِيعٌ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ مَسْرُوقٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لاَ يَحِلُّ دَمُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ بِإِحْدَى ثَلاَثٍ الثَّيِّبُ الزَّانِ وَالنَّفْسُ بِالنَّفْسِ وَالتَّارِكُ لِدِينِهِ الْمُفَارِقُ لِلْجَمَاعَةِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:It is not permissible to take the life of a Muslim who bears testimony (to the fact that there is no god but Allah, and I am the Messenger of Allah, but in one of the three cases: the married adulterer, a life for life, and the deserter of his Din (Islam), abandoning the community

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