If a woman menstruates during the two months, she must break her fast for the days of menstruation, but the continuity of the fast is not interrupted. Once she becomes pure, she continues from where she left off, because this is a matter decreed for women, from which they cannot protect themselves.

If he is unable to fast, can he discharge the obligation by feeding sixty needy persons? There are two views. One is that he may do so, just as in the expiation for zihar; the other is that he may not, because the Sacred Law has not mentioned any alternative for it, stating: “Then he must fast for two consecutive months.”

“As repentance from Allah”: that is, Allah has made this an expiation for one who kills by mistake. “And Allah is All-Knowing” of whoever kills by mistake, “All-Wise” in what He has ordained for you.

As for the discussion explaining blood-money, know that killing is of three types: deliberate killing, quasi-deliberate killing, and purely accidental killing.

Deliberate killing is when a person intends to kill someone by means that normally causes death, and thereby kills him. In such a case, retaliation is due when legal equivalence exists; otherwise, aggravated blood-money is due immediately from the killer’s own property.

Quasi-deliberate killing is when a person intends to strike someone with something by which a person would not normally die from such a blow—for example, if he strikes him once or twice with a light stick or a small stone, and the person dies. There is no retaliation in this case; rather, aggravated blood-money is due from his male agnatic relatives, payable over three years.

Purely accidental killing is when a person does not intend to strike him, but aims at something else and strikes him, causing his death. There is no retaliation in this case; rather, reduced blood-money is due from his male agnatic relatives, payable over three years.

Expiation is due from the killer’s own property in all these categories. According to Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy on him, intentional killing does not entail expiation, because it is a grave sin, like other grave sins.

The blood-money for a free Muslim is one hundred camels. If camels are unavailable, then, according to one view, their value in dirhams or dinars becomes due. According to another view, a fixed substitute is due: one thousand dinars or twelve thousand dirhams, based on what is reported from Umar, may Allah be pleased with him: “He prescribed the blood-money for those who deal in gold as one thousand dinars, and for those who deal in silver as twelve thousand dirhams.” (1)

Some held that the prescribed blood-money is one hundred camels, or one thousand dinars, or twelve thousand dirhams. This was the view of Urwah ibn al-Zubayr and al-Hasan al-Basri, and it was also the view of Malik.

Others held that it is one hundred camels, one thousand dinars, or ten thousand dirhams. This was the view of Sufyan al-Thawri and the scholars of opinion.