Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (14/386)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

he is a martyr.” This is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about a man who comes to another man intending to take his property. He said, “Do not give it to him.” The man asked, “What if he fights me?” He said, “Fight him.” He asked, “What if he kills me?” He said, “Then you are a martyr.” He asked, “What if I kill him?” He said, “He will be in the Fire.” (1) Thus, the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Fight him.” Accordingly, if he cannot be repelled except by killing him, then let him fight him. He incurs neither liability nor expiation.

As for its basis in the legal principles, it is because no liability attaches to what results from something permitted, and I am permitted to defend myself.

Question: Suppose that I fought him in defence of myself, my family, and my property, then his heirs demanded retaliation, saying, “You killed him, and we demand that you be put to death.” He replies, “I was defending myself.” They say, “Produce witnesses.” He says, “Had there been witnesses, he would not have attacked me.” They say, “You have nothing but a claim. You invited him into your house in order to kill him; therefore, we demand that you be put to death.” What is to be done?

Answer: The court rules that he is to be put to death, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “If people were given what they claimed, some would claim the lives and property of others.” (2) If we were to accept such a claim, then anyone whose heart was filled with rancour towards another person could invite him into his house; when he came to the house, he could kill him and claim that the man had assaulted him and violated his inviolability. Since that is possible, though unlikely—

(1) Recorded by Muslim in the Book of Faith, chapter: “Evidence that whoever intends to unlawfully take another person’s property forfeits his blood” (140), on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him. (2) Recorded by al-Bukhari in the Book of Qur’anic Exegesis, chapter: “Indeed, those who sell Allah’s covenant…” (4552); and Muslim in the Book of Judicial Rulings, chapter: “The oath is upon the defendant” (1711), on the authority of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him.

فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ»؛ لأن النبي ﷺ سئل عن الرجل يأتي إلى الرجل يريد أن يأخذ ماله، فقال: «لا تعطه»، قال: أرأيت إن قاتلني؟ قال: «قاتله»، قال: أرأيت إن قتلني؟ قال: «فأنت شهيد»، قال: أرأيت إن قتلته؟ قال: «هو في النار» (١)، فالرسول ﷺ قال: «قاتله»، وعليه فإذا لم يندفع إلا بالقتل فليقاتل، وليس عليه ضمان ولا كفارة. وأما بناؤه على القواعد فلأن ما ترتب على المأذون ليس بمضمون؛ وأنا مأذون لي أن أدافع عن نفسي. مسألة: لو أني قاتلته دفاعاً عن نفسي، وأهلي، ومالي، ثم طالبني أولياؤه بالقصاص، وقالوا: أنت قتلته، فنحن نطلب أن تقتل، فقال: إني مدافع عن نفسي، قالوا: هات الشهود، قال: لو كان هناك شهود ما هاجمني، قالوا: ليس عندك إلا دعوى، أنت الذي دعوته إلى بيتك لتقتله، إذاً نطالب بأن تقتل، فماذا يصنع؟ الجواب: القضاء يحكم بقتله؛ لأن النبي ﷺ يقول: «لو يعطى الناس بدعواهم لادعى ناس دماء رجال وأموالهم» (٢)، ولو أننا قبلنا مثل هذه الدعوى لكان لكل إنسان يمتلئ قلبه حقداً على شخص أن يدعوه إلى بيته، فإذا أتى إلى البيت قتله، وادعى أنه هو الذي اعتدى عليه وعلى حرمته، فلما كان ذلك ممكناً غير

(١) أخرجه مسلم في الإيمان باب الدليل على أن من قصد أخذ مال غيره بغير حق كان القاصد مهدر الدم … (١٤٠) عن أبي هريرة ﵁. (٢) أخرجه البخاري في التفسير باب: ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَشْتَرُونَ بَعَهْدِ اللَّهِ﴾ … ﴾ (٤٥٥٢)، ومسلم في الأقضية باب اليمين على المدعى عليه (١٧١١) عن ابن عباس ﵄.