whereas a wound to the chest, even if it exposes the bone, is not called a mūḍiḥah wound.
Thus, if one person deliberately assaults another and strips away the skin and flesh of his head until he reaches the bone, retaliation is carried out against him, because it is a wound that reaches the bone. What is considered is the area, not the depth—that is, the area of the wound, not the depth to which it penetrates. For some people are stout, with more layers of flesh above the bone, whereas others are the opposite. This is not taken into account; rather, what counts is the area. Thus, the offender is subjected to the equivalent of what he inflicted upon the victim.
Should this be assessed proportionately or by exact measure? What appears to be correct is that it is assessed proportionately: if he exposed the bone over one quarter of the victim’s head, the bone over one quarter of his own head is exposed.
And [this applies to] a wound to the upper arm, the lower leg, the thigh, and the foot. Retaliation is not carried out for other head wounds and bodily wounds, apart from the breaking of a tooth, unless the injury is more serious than a mūḍiḥah wound—such as a hāshimah, a munqilah, or a maʾmūmah wound. In that case, he may exact retaliation equivalent to a mūḍiḥah wound, and he is entitled to financial compensation for the additional injury, .............
His statement: “And a wound to the upper arm, the lower leg, the thigh, and the foot.” The evidence is the saying of Allah, Exalted is He: “And for wounds is legal retribution.” Thus, retaliation is carried out for every wound by its equivalent.
His statement: “the upper arm” refers to the bone between the shoulder and the elbow.
His statement: “the lower leg” refers to the bone between the knee and the foot.
His statement: “the thigh” refers to the bone between the hip and the knee.
His statement: “the foot” refers to the bone from the ankles to the tips of the toes.
Wounds in these locations reach a bone. A wound to the chest reaches a bone when it is over the ribs; but if it is between them, it does not reach a bone. A wound to the neck reaches a bone in one area, while in another area it does not. Thus, the rule is that every wound which reaches a bone entails retaliation.