It is not for a believer to slay a believer except by mistake. He who slays a believer by mistake then let him set free a believing slave and blood- money is to be submitted to his family unless they remit it as a charity. If he belongs to a people at war with you and is a believer then the setting free of a believing slave. If he belongs to a people between whom and you there is a covenant then the blood-money must be paid to his family and the setting free of a believing slave. But if he has not the wherewithal then the fasting of two successive months a relenting from God. And God is ever Knowing Wise. [God] mitigated the matter of someone who mistakenly [slays a believer] by giving the burden of restitution to the larger group responsible for the blood-money ʿāqila. The elite are responsible for the blood-money for the weak and oppressed mustaḌʿafūn in the community. The people of deeper knowledge ahl al-maʿrifa are responsible for the blood-money for the aspirants murīdūn. The shaykhs are responsible for the blood-money for the poor fuqarāÌ. Their way is to bear the burdens that afflict the weak and oppressed.
- 4:9292
وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ أَنْ يَقْتُلَ مُؤْمِنًا إِلَّا خَطَأً ۚ وَمَنْ قَتَلَ مُؤْمِنًا خَطَأً فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُؤْمِنَةٍ وَدِيَةٌ مُسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَصَّدَّقُوا ۚ فَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ قَوْمٍ عَدُوٍّ لَكُمْ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُؤْمِنَةٍ ۖ وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ مِيثَاقٌ فَدِيَةٌ مُسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ وَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُؤْمِنَةٍ ۖ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ تَوْبَةً مِنَ اللَّهِ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا
It is not for a believer to take a believer's life except by mistake; and he who kills a believer by mistake should free a slave who is a believer, and pay blood-money to the victim's family unless they forego it as an act of charity. If he belonged to a community hostile to you but was himself a believer, then a slave who is a believer should be freed. In case he belonged to a people with whom you have a treaty, then give blood-money to his family and free a believing slave. But he who has no means (to do so) should fast for a period of two months continuously to have his sins forgiven by God, and God is all-knowing and all-wise.
- common.revelation-Medinan
- common.hizb : 37