Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (14/36)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

and life is the opposite of death. This expression mentions killing twice. Moreover, the verse establishes that the murderer is to be killed in the same manner in which he killed, for Allah Most High has made it legal retaliation; the Arabs’ expression does not indicate this. The verse also says, “for you,” establishing that this is in our interest and to our benefit, whereas the Arabs’ expression attributes it to no one.

In short, this noble verse conveys great meanings, all of which show that legal retaliation is good for the community. What, then, are the conditions for legal retaliation?

The answer:

They are four: the inviolability of the person killed. Thus, if a Muslim or a dhimmi kills a non-Muslim at war with the Muslims or an apostate, he incurs no liability for his death, neither through legal retaliation nor blood money, ..............................

His statement, “They are four: the inviolability of the person killed,” means that the conditions for legal retaliation are four. The first is the inviolability of the person killed—that is, the victim’s blood must be inviolable. This does not mean that he is infallible in his opinion, such that whatever he says cannot be mistaken, as the leaders of the Rafidah claim.

Those whose blood is inviolable fall into four categories: the Muslim, the dhimmi, the person under covenant, and the person granted safe-conduct.

The Muslim is clear enough. A dhimmi is one who has entered into a covenant of protection, lives among the Muslims, and pays the jizyah. A person under covenant is one with whom we have a treaty while they remain in their own land. A person granted safe-conduct is one to whom we have granted security in our land for trade, whether he is bringing goods in or taking them out, as Allah Most High says:

“And if any one of the polytheists seeks your protection, then grant him protection so that he may hear the words of Allah. Then deliver him to his place of safety.” [al-Tawbah 9:6]

His statement, “Thus, if a Muslim or a dhimmi kills a non-Muslim at war with the Muslims or an apostate, he incurs no liability for his death, neither through legal retaliation nor blood money,” means that a non-Muslim at war with the Muslims is the disbeliever with whom we are at war, and is not

وهي ضد الموت، وهذه العبارة فيها ذكر القتل مرتين، أيضاً الآية فيها إثبات أن القاتل يُقتل بمثل ما قتل به؛ لأنه تعالى جعلها قصاصاً، وعبارة العرب لا تدل على هذا، أيضاً في الآية قوله: ﴿لَكُمُ﴾ أي: إثبات أن هذا من مصلحتنا ومنفعتنا، وعبارة العرب لا يوجد فيها نسبة لأحد. والحاصل أن الآية الكريمة تفيد معاني عظيمة، كلها تدل على أن القصاص خير للأمة، فما هي شروط القصاص؟ الجواب: وَهِيَ أَرْبَعَةٌ: عِصْمَةُ المَقْتُولِ، فَلَوْ قَتَلَ مُسْلِمٌ، أَوْ ذِمِّيٌّ حَرْبِيّاً أَوْ مُرْتَدّاً لَمْ يَضْمَنْهُ بِقِصَاصٍ وَلَا دِيَةٍ، .............................. قوله: «وهي أربعة: عصمة المقتول» أي: شروط القصاص أربعة: الأول: عصمة المقتول، أي أن يكون المقتول معصوماً، أي: معصوم الدم، لا معصوماً في رأيه، إذا قال شيئاً لم يخطئ، كما يقول أئمة الروافض. والمعصومون أربعة أصناف: المسلم، والذمي، والمعاهد، والمستأمن. فالمسلم واضح، والذمي هو الذي عقد له ذمة، يعيش بين المسلمين ويبذل الجزية، والمعاهد الذي بيننا وبينهم عهد وهم في بلادهم، والمستأمِن الذي أمَّناه في بلادنا لتجارةٍ، سواء كانت جلباً أو أخذاً، كما قال تعالى: ﴿وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّى يَسْمَعَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُ﴾ [التوبة: ٦]. قوله: «فلو قتل مسلم أو ذمي حربياً أو مرتداً لم يضمنه بقصاص ولا دية» الحربي هو الكافر الذي بيننا وبينه حرب، وليس