Expiation for accidental killing
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
From the city of Marsa Matruh in the Arab Republic of Egypt, the listener (F. A. A.) sent a message saying: I drive a heavy transport vehicle, and I hit a child. I reconciled with his family and paid the blood money. Some of my brothers gave me a ruling that I must fast for two months as expiation. Is this ruling correct? Please note that, as I mentioned, I am a driver, and fasting is difficult for me due to the hardship of my work as a heavy transport driver. Please advise us, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Yes, you must free a slave, specifically a believing slave, if that is feasible and you are able to do so. If it is not feasible, then you must fast for two consecutive months, sixty days, at a time when you are able to do so. It remains a debt on you until you are able to fast during a vacation, at a time when you rest from driving, at a time when you are able to fast. This is obligatory upon you by the explicit text of the Noble Qur'an, because your killing was accidental, and accidental killing obligates you to perform expiation: freeing a believing slave. If you are unable to do so, you fast for two consecutive months, sixty days. There is no feeding involved in this; there is only freeing a slave, and in the case of inability, it becomes fasting for two consecutive months, sixty days. We ask Allah for your assistance and success.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good. So, fasting is necessary, O Shaykh!
The Shaykh: Fasting is necessary, yes, if freeing a slave is not feasible. In Mauritania and some African countries, there are slaves who are sold. So, if you instruct a trustworthy person to buy one for you and he finds one, that is good.
The presenter: And if he is unable to free a slave, then fasting is necessary, even if he is a driver?
The Shaykh: Even if he is a driver, yes.
The presenter: May Allah bless you, may Allah reward you with good.
From the city of Marsa Matruh in the Arab Republic of Egypt, the listener (F. A. A.) sent a message saying: I drive a heavy transport vehicle, and I hit a child. I reconciled with his family and paid the blood money. Some of my brothers gave me a ruling that I must fast for two months as expiation. Is this ruling correct? Please note that, as I mentioned, I am a driver, and fasting is difficult for me due to the hardship of my work as a heavy transport driver. Please advise us, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
Yes, you must free a slave, specifically a believing slave, if that is feasible and you are able to do so. If it is not feasible, then you must fast for two consecutive months, sixty days, at a time when you are able to do so. It remains a debt on you until you are able to fast during a vacation, at a time when you rest from driving, at a time when you are able to fast. This is obligatory upon you by the explicit text of the Noble Qur'an, because your killing was accidental, and accidental killing obligates you to perform expiation: freeing a believing slave. If you are unable to do so, you fast for two consecutive months, sixty days. There is no feeding involved in this; there is only freeing a slave, and in the case of inability, it becomes fasting for two consecutive months, sixty days. We ask Allah for your assistance and success.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good. So, fasting is necessary, O Shaykh!
The Shaykh: Fasting is necessary, yes, if freeing a slave is not feasible. In Mauritania and some African countries, there are slaves who are sold. So, if you instruct a trustworthy person to buy one for you and he finds one, that is good.
The presenter: And if he is unable to free a slave, then fasting is necessary, even if he is a driver?
The Shaykh: Even if he is a driver, yes.
The presenter: May Allah bless you, may Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.