Is there an authentic hadith denying repentance for the killer of a believer?
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Question:
How do we reconcile the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Nisa: 48], with the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): ?
Answer:
Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions.
As for what follows: The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) have agreed that repentance is valid for all sins, even shirk (associating partners with Allah), which is the greatest of sins. Allah accepted the repentance of its people when they embraced Islam and repented, so Allah turned to them in mercy. Allah the Exalted said in Surat al-Zumar: [Al-Zumar: 53]. He informed (Glorified and Exalted is He) that He forgives all sins—meaning: for those who repent. All scholars agreed that this verse is about those who repent, and that all sins are forgiven: shirk and what is less than it, even cursing the Prophets, and even cursing Allah. Whoever repents, Allah turns to him in mercy.
So killing is less than that; killing is less than shirk. And the Qur'an explicitly mentions the repentance of the killer. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Furqan 25:68] his punishment will be doubled on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in humiliation except for him who repents [Al-Furqan: 68-70]. This is the explicit text of the Qur'an: [Al-Furqan 25:70]. This includes the polytheist, the killer, and the fornicator by the explicit text of the Qur'an.
As for the hadith: This is not authentic: This is not authentic. It is only narrated from Ibn Abbas, and the scholars have pointed out that Ibn Abbas was mistaken in this. The correct view is that the killer is like everyone else; his repentance is accepted. The statement that the repentance of the killer is not accepted is a mistaken, weaker opinion that contradicts the authentic evidence. Even though Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) is known for his high status in knowledge, being the interpreter of the Qur'an and the scholar of the Ummah, he is not infallible. He has statements in which he differed from others, and the evidence is with the others, including in this issue. He only said that to emphasize the severity of the crime of killing. But emphasizing the severity of the killer is only done by the Shari'ah, not by anything other than the Shari'ah. So if the killer repents, Allah turns to him in mercy, just as with the disbeliever, and even more so.
But there is a point regarding the killer that one should be aware of, which is: that the right of the victim is not lost. The right of the heirs is obtained for them through qisas (retaliation in kind), or through diyah (blood money) if they agree to accept the blood money. And the right of Allah is dropped by repentance. The right of the victim is not lost; Allah will make the victim pleased with him on the Day of Resurrection. If the killer repents, Allah will make the victim pleased with him from His bounty (Glorified and Exalted is He). His right is not lost.
How do we reconcile the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُAllah refused to make repentance for the killer of a believer
أبى الله أن يجعل لقاتل المؤمن توبةًAnswer:
Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions.
As for what follows: The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) have agreed that repentance is valid for all sins, even shirk (associating partners with Allah), which is the greatest of sins. Allah accepted the repentance of its people when they embraced Islam and repented, so Allah turned to them in mercy. Allah the Exalted said in Surat al-Zumar:
Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُSo killing is less than that; killing is less than shirk. And the Qur'an explicitly mentions the repentance of the killer. Allah the Exalted said:
And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty.
وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا آخَرَ وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُونَ وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work
إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًاAs for the hadith: This is not authentic:
Allah refused to accept the repentance of the killer
أبى الله أن يقبل التوبةَ من القاتلBut there is a point regarding the killer that one should be aware of, which is: that the right of the victim is not lost. The right of the heirs is obtained for them through qisas (retaliation in kind), or through diyah (blood money) if they agree to accept the blood money. And the right of Allah is dropped by repentance. The right of the victim is not lost; Allah will make the victim pleased with him on the Day of Resurrection. If the killer repents, Allah will make the victim pleased with him from His bounty (Glorified and Exalted is He). His right is not lost.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.