He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God may forgive every sin, except in the case of one who dies a polytheist, or one who purposely kills a believer.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Nasa’i transmitted it on the authority of Mu'awiya.

I came to God’s Messenger with my father, and on his asking who this was along with him, he replied, “He is my son; be witness to the fact.” He said, “He will not bring evil on you, nor will you bring evil on him.”* Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it. * This is explained as meaning that neither will be punished for the wrong done by the other. In Sharh as-sunna there is an addition at the beginning. He said: I went in with my father to see God’s Messenger, and when my father saw what was on God's Messenger’s back he said, “Let me treat what is on your back, for I am a physician.” He replied, “You are the helper, but God is the Physician.”* *i.e. you act in a gentle manner giving help and advice, but only God can cure.

‘Amr b. Shu'aib, on his father’s authority, said his grandfather told that Suraqa b. Malik said he was present when God's Messenger allowed a father to take retaliation on his son, but did not allow a son to take retaliation on his father. Tirmidhi transmitted it, declaring it to be weak.

‘Ali reported the Prophet as saying, “The lives of all Muslims are equal; the lowliest of them can guarantee their protection, the most distant can keep others from breaking protection he has given,* and they are one band against others. A Muslim must not be killed for an infidel, nor must one who has been given a covenant be killed while his covenant holds.” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted it on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas. * The interpretation which seems to be preferred is that no matter how far one may live from the land of infidels, any protection one may guarantee to an infidel must be respected by all Muslims. Another possible explanation is that when a detachment is sent ahead into infidel country those who remain behind them are entitled to their portion of any spoil they take, but it is felt that this meaning does not suit the context. The Arabic words are wa-yaruddu 'alaihim aqsahum.

Abu Shuraih al-Khuza'i told that he heard God's Messenger say, “If a relative of anyone is killed, or if he suffers khabal, which means a wound, he may choose one of three things, but if he wants anything more* you must restrain him. He may retaliate, or forgive, or receive compensation; but if he accepts one of these and afterwards asks something more, he will go to hell for ever and ever.” Darimi transmitted it. * Literally “the fourth.”

Ta’us, on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas, reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone is killed in error when people are throwing stones, or by beating with whips, or striking with a stick, it is accidental and the compensation for accidental death is due.* But if anyone kills someone deliberately retaliation is due, and if anyone tries to prevent it God’s curse and anger will rest on him, and neither supererogatory nor obligatory acts will be accepted from him.” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it. *These are instances in which the actual person who killed him is not clearly known, or where there was no intention to kill.

Jabir reported God’s Messenger as saying, “I will not forgive any-one who kills after accepting blood wit.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Jundub said he was told by so and so that God’s Messenger said, “On the day of resurrection the man who has been killed will bring the one who killed him and say, ‘Ask this man why he killed me,’ and he will say, ‘I killed him on account of so and so's property’.”* Jundub said, “Avoid that.” Nasa’i transmitted it. * There is some doubt as to whether the word is to be read milk or mulk. The translation above follows the former the latter is the correct reading it would require "in the time of so and so's reign." This, however, does not seem to suit the context.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone helps in killing a believer to the extent of half a word,* he will meet God with ‘Despairing of God’s mercy’ written on his forehead.” Ibn Majah transmitted it. * This is taken to mean that it is a serious matter even to utter half the word which expresses an intention to kill a believer.

Ibn ‘Umar reported the Prophet as saying, “If a man seizes a man and another kills him, the one who killed him is to be killed and the one who seized him is to be imprisoned.” Daraqutni transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told that God’s Messenger gave judgment, when the child of a woman of the B. Lihyan was born dead,* that a male or female slave of the best quality be paid in compensation. Then the woman against whom he had given this judgment died, and God’s Messenger gave judgment that her sons and husband should inherit from her and that the compensation should be paid by her relatives on her father’s side. (Bukhari and Muslim.) * Lihyan were a section of the tribe of Hudhail, so this tradition may be explained by what is said in the next ones. It was not merely an instance of a child being born dead; this was due to the injury caused by another woman.

He said that two women of Hudhail fought together and one of them threw a stone at the other killing both her and what was in her womb. Then God’s Messenger gave judgment that the blood wit for her unborn child should be a male or female slave of the best quality, he gave judgment that the woman responsible for blood wit should pay her blood wit, and he made her sons and those who were with them her heirs. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Amr b. Shu'aib, on his father’s authority, said his grandfather told that God’s Messenger said in the course of an address in the year of the Conquest, “O people, there is no confederacy in Islam, but such as existed in pre-Islamic times is made still stronger by Islam. The believers are one band against others, the lowliest of them gives protection as from all, the most distant of them sends back spoil to them,* their expeditions sending it back to those who are at home. A believer shall not be killed for an infidel. The blood wit for an infidel is half that for a Muslim. There is to be no bringing in of animals to be assessed for zakat, neither are they to be removed to their pastures, but the sadaqat are to be received only in their dwellings.”, And in a version he said, “The blood wit for one with whom a covenant has been made is half that for a freeman.” Abu Dawud transmitted it. * Here the context seems to require this translation but cf. p. 739, n 1.

Khishf b. Malik, on the authority of Ibn Mas'ud, said God’s Messenger gave judgment that the blood wit for accidental killing should be twenty female and twenty male camels which had entered their second year, twenty she-camels which had entered their third year, twenty she-camels in their fifth year and twenty she-camels in their fourth year. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it, but the sound view is that it does not go back beyond Ibn Mas'ud. Khishf is unknown, being known only by this tradition. It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna that the Prophet paid bloodwit for those slain at Khaibar from the camels of the sadaqa, but the male camel which has entered its second year is not among the age groups of the camels of the sadaqa, only the male camel which has entered its third year being included.

‘Amr b. Shu'aib, on his father's authority, said his grandfather told that the value of the blood wit in the time of God’s Messenger was eight hundred dinars or eight thousand dirhams, and that the blood wit for the people of the Book at that time was half that for Muslims. He said that applied till ‘Umar became Caliph, and he made a speech in which he said camels had become dear; so ‘Umar fixed the value for those who possessed gold at a thousand dinars, for those who possessed silver at twelve thousand,* for those who possessed cattle at two hundred cows, for those who possessed sheep at two thousand sheep, and for those who possessed suits of clothing at two hundred suits. But he said he left the blood wit for dhimmis as it was, not raising it in proportion to the increase he made in the blood wit. Abu Dawud transmitted it. *i.e. dirhams

Ibn ‘Abbas said the Prophet fixed the blood wit at twelve thousand.* Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Darimi transmitted it. *i.e. dirhams

‘Amr b. Shu'aib, on his father’s authority, said his grandfather told that God’s Messenger was fixing the blood wit for accidental death at the rate of four hundred dinars or their equivalent in silver for townsmen, and he was fixing it according to the price of camels, so when they were dear he increased the amount to be paid and when cheap prices prevailed he reduced the amount to be paid. In the time of God’s Messenger they reached between four hundred and eight hundred dinars, their equivalent in silver being eight thousand dirhams. He said that God's Messenger gave judgment that those who possessed cattle should pay two hundred cows, and those who possessed sheep two thousand sheep. He said that blood wit was to be treated as something to be inherited by the heirs of the one who was killed, and he gave judgment that the blood wit for a woman should be divided among her relatives on her father’s side, but the killer should not inherit anything. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

‘Amr b. Shu'aib, on his father’s authority, said his grandfather reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Anyone who practices medicine when he is not known as a practitioner will be held responsible.”* Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it. *He will have to pay blood wit if the patient dies.

‘Imran b. Husain told that when the slave of some poor people cut off the ear of a slave of some rich people, and his people came to the Prophet telling him that they were poor, he imposed no compensation on them. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “No retaliation is payable for a wound caused by a dumb animal, for a mine, or for a well.”* (Bukhari and Muslim.) * A longer form is given on p. 380. The reference is said to be an animal which is not at the time under anyone's charge. No responsibility attaches to anyone who has dug a mine or a well in a place where he is entitled to do so if someone falls in.

‘Abdallah b. 'Amr told of hearing God’s Messenger say, “He who is killed protecting his property is a martyr.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri and Anas b Malik reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Disagreement and division will arise among my people. Some will speak well but do evil; they will recite the Qur’an but it will go no farther than their throats; they will swerve from the religion as an arrow goes through the animal shot at and will not return till an arrow comes back to the place where it was strung. They are the worst of men and animals. Blessed are they who kill them and are killed by them! They summon people to God’s Book, but they have no part with us. He who fights with them is nearer to God than they.” God’s Messenger was asked what mark they had, and said it was shaving.* Abu Dawud transmitted it. * Tahliq is here explained as going to extremes in shaving the head and taking the hair out by the roots.

fornication after marriage, in which case he should be stoned; one who goes forth to fight with God and His Messenger,* in which case he should be killed, or crucified, or made a fugitive; or one which commits murder for which he is killed.” Abu Dawud transmitted it. * Mirqat iv. 53 refers this to such things as highway robbery.

Ibn Abu Laila said he was told by Muhammad’s companions that during a journey with God’s Messenger while one of them was asleep another went to a rope he had with him and seized him,* with the result that he was startled. God’s Messenger then said, “It is not lawful for a Muslim to frighten another.” Abu Dawud transmitted it. * The meaning is that he tied the rope round him while he was asleep, presumably as a joke.

Abud Darda’ reported God’s Messenger as saying, “He who gets land on which tax is due ¹ has sought to rescind his emigration,² and he who takes an infidel’s lowliness from his neck and puts it on his own ³ has turned his back on Islam.” Abu Dawud transmitted it. 1. The word for "tax" here is jizya. Eventually a distinction was made between jizya and kharaj, the former being used for poll-tax and the latter for land-tax. 2. i.e. to make himself like a dhimmi. 3. i.e. undertakes the responsibility of paying his tax for him.

Jarir b. ‘Abdillah told that when God’s Messenger sent an expedition to Khath'am some of them sought God’s protection by having recourse to prostration* and were quickly killed. When the Prophet heard that, he ordered half the blood wit to be paid for them, saying, “I am not responsible for any Muslim who stays among polytheists.” On being asked why that was, he replied, “Their fires should not be visible to one another.” Abu Dawud transmitted it. * Some members of Khath'am who were Muslims prostrated themselves in prayer to God thinking that this would make it clear to the attackers that they were Muslims.

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, “Faith is an assurance of safety from being killed unawares. A believer does not kill another unawares.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

We went to Wathila b. al-Asqa‘ and said, “Tell us a tradition which has no addition or omission.” He replied angrily, “One of you recites when his copy of the Qur’an is hung up in his house, and he makes additions and omissions.” We declared that all we meant was a tradition he had heard from the Prophet, and he said they had gone to God’s Messenger about a friend of theirs who deserved (i.e., hell) for murder, ² and he replied, “If you emancipate a slave on his behalf God will set free from hell a member of the body for every member of his.” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it. 1. Mirqat, iii, 540 gives al-Gharif ad-Dailami but says it should correctly be Ibn ad-Dailami. It adds that Hakim in his Mustadrak says al-Gharif was a laqab of ‘Abdallah b. ad-Dailami, and that in Jami'-al-usul the name is given as al-Gharif b. ‘Ayyash ad-Dailami. This is the form in the Damascus edn. of the Mishkat, the one used in the translation above. It is also given by Ibn Hajar, Tahdhib, viii, 245. 2. Mirqat, iii, 541 suggests that the reference may be to someone who had killed a man unintentionally.

Samura b. Jundub reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The most excellent sadaqa is intercession for which a slave is set free.” Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “Every prophet has a supplication which receives an answer, but whereas every prophet made his supplication in this world, I have kept mine till the day of resurrection to be used in intercession for my people, and if God will, it will reach those of my people who have died without associating anything with God.” Muslim transmitted it, and Bukhari has a shorter version.

He reported God’s messenger as. saying, “O God, I have entered into a covenant with Thee which Thou wilt not break. I am only a human being, so when I have injured, reviled, cursed or beaten a believer, make that for him a mercy, a purification and a means by which Thou wilt bring him near to Thee on the day of resurrection.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God's messenger as saying, “When one of you makes supplication he must not say, ‘O God, forgive me if Thou wilt, show mercy to me if Thou wilt, provide for me if Thou wilt’, but must make his request definite, for He does what He wills and there is no one to impose compulsion on Him.” Bukhari transmitted it.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “When one of you makes supplication he must not say, ‘O God, forgive me if Thou wilt, but must be definite and cherish a great desire, for nothing which God gives is burdensome to Him.” Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “A servant is granted an answer provided he does not ask for anything sinful or for breaking ties of relationship, and provided he does not demand an answer quickly.” On being asked what demanding an answer quickly meant, God’s messenger replied, “It is when he says he has prayed and prayed and does not think he will be answered, so he grows weary in such circumstances and gives up supplication.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Darda’ reported God’s messenger as saying, “A Muslim’s supplication for an absent brother receives an answer. An angel is stationed at his head, and as often as he makes supplication that his brother may be given what is good the angel who is put in charge of him says, ‘Amen, and may you receive the like’.” Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir reported God’s messenger as saying, “Do not invoke curses on yourselves, or on your children, or on your possessions lest you happen to do it at a time when God is asked for something and grants your requests.” Muslim transmitted it.

An-Nu‘man b. Bashir reported God’s messenger as saying, “Supplication is worship.” He then recited, “And your Lord said, If you call on me I will aswer you.”* *Qur’an, xl, 60. Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa'i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Anas reported God’s messsenger as saying, “Supplication is the pith of worship.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “Nothing is more honourable in God’s sight than supplication.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a hasan gharib tradition.

Salman al-Farisi reported God’s messenger as saying, “Nothing but supplication averts the decree, and nothing but righteousness increases life.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, "Supplication is beneficial regarding things which have happened and things which have not happened, so devote yourselves to supplication, servants of God." Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Ahmad transmitted it from Mu'adh b. Jabal. Tirmidhi said this is a gharib tradition.

Jabir reported God’s messenger as saying, “No one offers a supplication without God bringing him what he asks or keeping away from him a like amount of evil, provided he does not ask for something sinful or for breaking ties of relationship.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying, “Ask God for some of His bounty, for God likes to be asked, and the most excellent worship is expectation of relief.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “God will be angry with those who do not make requests from Him.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God's messenger as saying, “If the gate of supplication is opened for any of you, the gates of mercy will be opened for him, and God is not asked for anything He likes so much as to be asked for security.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone finds pleasure in receiving an answer from God in times of difficulty, he should make many supplications when times are easy.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “Supplicate God when you are assured of being answered, and know that God does not answer a supplication which comes from a careless and inattentive heart.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Malik b. Yasar reported God’s messenger as saying, “When you make requests of God, do so with the palms of your hands and not the backs upward.” In the version of Ibn ‘Abbas he said, “When you make requests of God, do so with the palms of your hands and not the backs upward, and when you are finished wipe your faces with them.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Salman reported God’s messenger as saying, “Your Lord is munificent and generous, and is ashamed to turn away empty the hands of a servant when he raises them to Him .” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Baihaqi, in [Kitab] ad-Da'awat al-kabir, transmitted it.

‘Umar said that when God’s messenger raised his hands in supplication he did not lower them till he wiped his face with them. Tirmidhi transmitted it.