I shall wash away my disgrace with the sword, and upon me will descend whatever decree Allah may bring.

Then the Almighty explained the reason for this ruling that He legislated for His servants, saying, “so that you may become mindful,” meaning: you will refrain from murder by upholding qisas, and that will become a cause of God-fearingness… End quote.

The Prophetic Sunnah affirms that the heir entitled to retribution is given a choice: he may exact it, pardon in return for the blood-money, or pardon freely—and the last is superior. Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever has a relative slain is granted the better of the two options: either he accepts the blood-money or he demands retaliation.” Narrated by all of the major compilers except al-Tirmidhi.

Allah, Exalted is He, also says, “But whoever is pardoned by his brother in anything, then let there be a fair follow-up and payment to him in kindness” (al-Baqarah 2:178).

The noble verse and the hadith together show that the guardian may choose between qisas and the blood-money: if he wishes, he may carry out retaliation, and if he wishes, he may accept the blood-money. Yet pardoning without compensation is better, for Allah says, “And that you pardon is nearer to mindfulness” (al-Baqarah 2:237), and because of the hadith of Abu Hurayrah: “No man pardons an injustice without Allah increasing him in honor because of it,” related by Ahmad, Muslim, and al-Tirmidhi.