The Meaning of the Hadith: "What about the one who was killed?" He said: "(He intended to kill his companion)." Does this apply to the fighting that occurred between the Companions?

The questioner : ... the one who was killed.

The Shaykh : You started your question with a hadith that I suspect you do not know in its entirety. If you had known it completely, it might have spared you the need to ask me; perhaps! When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . They said: "This is the killer; so what about the one who was killed?" He said: . This is the hadith in its entirety, and it is in "Sahih al-Bukhari." Now that you know the full hadith, does the question regarding Ali and A'isha arise or not?

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : What is the connection of the hadith...?

The questioner : This applies to the Muslims; the war that took place.

The Shaykh : I am asking you: Does the hadith have any relation, now that you know its entirety, to Ali and A'isha or not?

The questioner : I want to know.

The Shaykh : I am not asking you what you wanted. Pray to your Lord that He does not make us among the transgressors [everyone laughs!]. Just tell me: Have I clarified to you that the hadith has no relation to the fighting you asked about, or has it not become clear to you?

The questioner : No, it has not become clear to me.

The Shaykh : But like this, why do you keep trying to twist and turn like others do?
, do you understand from the hadith that he intended to kill his companion with right or without right? Also tell me: Do I know or do I not know! Half of knowledge is "I do not know," do you see how it is? There is no doubt that the intended meaning of the hadith is: without right; why? Because if he intended to kill his companion without right, there is no doubt that the hadith means that this one who was killed, who is like the killer in that both are in the Fire, the reason is that he intended to kill his companion without right. But if he intended to kill his companion with right, then everyone who kills a disbeliever with right would also be in the Fire; does anyone say this? Did you understand the question?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Good, more than this; , is this hadith known to you?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Good, a man entered your home intending to seize your wealth, do you say to him: "Please, my master..." or do you resist him?

The questioner : Naturally, I would resist him.

The Shaykh : If he intended to kill you, what would you do?

The questioner : By Allah, I would like to kill him, I mean.

The Shaykh : Yes?

The questioner : I would kill him, I mean.

The Shaykh : You would kill him, would you be with him in the Fire?

The questioner : No, it was not my original intention to kill him.

The Shaykh : Ah, so now you have understood the hadith, without right. He intended to kill you to take your wealth, and you intended to kill him to defend your wealth, so you killed him with right, and he attempted to kill you with falsehood, without right; correct?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : So if you, even though you killed him with right... are in the Fire; correct?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : So what about the one who was killed? He said: with right or without right?

The questioner : Without right.

The Shaykh : If you did not understand it.

The questioner : I understood this.

The Shaykh : The issue of Ali and A'isha, you will not understand it.

The questioner : No, no, I understood this, but...

The Shaykh : My dear, I am asking you a question, did you understand that was with right or without right?

The questioner : Of course, the first one who was going to kill was without right.

The Shaykh : Good; and this second one?

The questioner : The second one was with right in order to defend himself.

The Shaykh : Is that not in the picture?

The questioner : All of them are without right, of course.

The Shaykh : My brother, we have a picture that the hadith addressed, and we have a second picture that I discussed with you in order to make you understand the hadith. The picture of the hadith is that the killer and the one who was killed are in the Fire; because both the killer and the one who was killed intended to kill their companion without right. As for the picture that I illustrated for you in order for you to understand, when you killed the one who was transgressing against you, intending to take your wealth, you killed him with right, not without right, so you are not gathered with him, nor are you tormented with him in the Fire. So our picture is not that picture. The important thing is that we now know that the meaning of the hadith is without right, and that killer killed this one who was killed without right; correct?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : So both the killer and the one who was killed meet their companion, they meet in the Fire; because each of them intended to kill the other without right; good?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : Beautiful. Now it is very easy for us... to understand the answer to the question or the rest of the question; which is: the fighting between A'isha and Ali - for example - , and indeed the fighting between Ali and Mu'awiyah, this is your problem here where you were afflicted by the Shi'ah! Now do you believe that Ali fought A'isha with falsehood or with right? I mean in terms of his intention, regardless of whether he was correct or incorrect, that is another research, we do not enter into it now, the matter is referred to Allah; correct or not?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : But what do you imagine about a Muslim who intends to kill his companion with right or without right?

The questioner : With right.

The Shaykh : With right, now based on the rule: When Ali fought A'isha, was it with right or without right?

The questioner : With right.

The Shaykh : In terms of his intention, not in terms of correctness and error; I mean, any imam of the Muslims who issues a fatwa or legislates an issue, does he intend the truth or does he intend falsehood? But in the result, he may be incorrect, he may be correct; correct or not?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : Good, now the question is reversed and it is said: When A'isha fought Ali, did she intend to fight Ali to kill him without right or with right?

The questioner : Without doubt, with right.

The Shaykh : Good, so it is established for you that the hadith has no relation to this story, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and sufficient is Allah for the believers in fighting! Good?

The questioner: Good.

The Shaykh : Does he have anything else?