The Book of Blood Money

Whoever destroys a human life through a direct act or through causation is liable for its blood money.

His statement, “Blood money,” is the plural of diyah: the property paid to the victim of a crime or to his heirs because of the offense. That is, an offense in its technical sense: an unlawful violation of the body that entails either retaliation or financial compensation. Accordingly, blood money may be due for a life, for limbs, or for faculties. The general principle governing the liability for blood money is what the author—may Allah have mercy on him—stated:

“Whoever destroys a human life through a direct act or through causation is liable for its blood money.” This applies whether the blood money is for the whole body, a part of it, or its faculties. If two persons directly commit the act, both are liable for the blood money. If two persons jointly cause it, both are liable for the blood money. If a person who caused the harm and one who directly committed it are both involved, then, if the direct perpetrator can be held liable, liability rests upon him alone; but if he cannot be held liable, it rests upon the person who caused it alone.

An example of a direct act is for a person to take an instrument that kills and kill another person with it, whether intentionally or by mistake, or to throw him down from a high place.

An example of causation is for someone to dig a hole in a public road, into which people then fall. He did not directly cause their fall, but he caused it indirectly; therefore, he is liable.

An example of two direct perpetrators is when two people participate in killing a person; both are liable for the blood money.