From this is derived the third condition: that the liable agnatic relative be wealthy.

What constitutes disqualifying poverty, and what constitutes wealth?

It should be understood that poverty is determined according to the context. For example, in the chapter concerning the obligation of zakah, a wealthy person is one who owns a nisab; whereas, in the chapter concerning entitlement to receive zakah, a wealthy person is one who has sufficient provision for himself and his dependents for one year.

In the chapter concerning maintenance, a poor person is one who is unable to earn a living and has no wealth.

In this chapter, al-Rawḍ defines the poor person as follows: (1) “One who does not possess a zakah nisab, surplus to his needs, when the year comes due.”

This means that a poor person is one who, at the time payment of the blood-money becomes due, does not possess a nisab beyond what is sufficient for himself and his dependents.

His statement, “nor a female,” means that no blood-money liability is due from a woman, even if she is an agnatic relative. Thus, if there were a woman who possessed a great deal of wealth, and her brother accidentally killed someone, we do not assign any portion of the blood-money to her—even if she were his mother, daughter, or sister—because a woman is not ordinarily among those who render support. From this is derived the fourth condition: that the liable agnatic relative be male.

His statement, “nor one whose religion differs from that of the offender,” means that the offender may be Muslim while the other is a disbeliever, or vice versa, since he is not ordinarily among those who render support. For the separation between a Muslim and a disbeliever—even if he is the closest of relatives—is established both in the Sacred Law and in reason. When Noah said, “My Lord, indeed my son is of my family,” Allah said