al-Moulakhas al-Fiqhi - Salih Al-Fawzan - (2/510)

Chapter on the Expiation for Homicide
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Chapter on the Expiation for Homicide
The term kafārah (expiation) comes from the root kufr, meaning “to cover,” because the act conceals and effaces the sin.

The obligation of an expiation for homicide is proven by the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and the consensus of the scholars.

Allah the Exalted says: “Whoever kills a believer by mistake must free a believing slave and pay blood money to the victim’s family unless they remit it… But whoever cannot find one must fast two consecutive months as a means of repentance before Allah, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”

Abu Dawud and al-Nasa’i report that the Prophet ﷺ, regarding the killer, said: “Set a slave free on his behalf, for Allah will free a limb of his from the Fire for every limb of that slave.”

The expiation is required only for accidental killing and for quasi-intentional killing. In the case of deliberate, hostile murder, no expiation is due, for Allah the Exalted says: “And whoever kills a believer deliberately—his recompense is Hell, where he will abide, and Allah’s wrath and curse are upon him, and He has prepared for him a tremendous punishment,” and He makes no mention of any expiation.

باب في كفارة القتل ... باب في كغارة القتل الكفارة سميت بذلك اشتقاقا من الكفر، وهو الستر؛ لأنها تستر الذنب وتغطية. والدليل على وجوب كفارة القتل الكتاب والسنة والإجماع. قال الله تعالى: ﴿وَمَنْ قَتَلَ مُؤْمِناً خَطَأً فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُؤْمِنَةٍ وَدِيَةٌ مُسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَصَّدَّقُوا﴾ إلى قوله تعالى: ﴿فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ تَوْبَةً مِنَ اللَّهِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيماً حَكِيما﴾ . وروى أبو داود والنسائي؛ أن النبي ﷺ قال في القاتل: "أعتقوا عنه؛ يعتق الله بكل عضو منه عضوًا منه من النار". وإنما تجب الكفارة في القتل الخطأ وشبه العمد، وأما القتل العمد العدوان؛ فلا كفارة فيه؛ لقوله تعالى: ﴿وَمَنْ يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِناً مُتَعَمِّداً فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ خَالِداً فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُ عَذَاباً عَظِيماً﴾ ، ولم يذكر فيه كفارة.