or, if they wish, pardon him; or, if they wish, accept blood money.

They may not kill anyone other than his killer. Allah Most High says:

“Do not take the life which Allah has made inviolable, except by right. Whoever is killed unjustly, We have given his heir authority, but let him not exceed the limits in killing, for he has been granted support.”

It has been explained in Quranic commentary as meaning: no one other than his killer may be killed.

Abū Shurayh al-Khuzā‘ī, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Whoever suffers a loss through bloodshed or khabal—meaning wounds—has a choice of one of three courses. If he seeks a fourth, restrain him: he may put the offender to death, pardon him, or accept blood money. Whoever takes one of these courses and then goes back on it shall have Hell, where he will abide forever and ever.”

This was reported by the compilers of the Sunan collections. Al-Tirmidhī said: “A good and authentic hadith.”

Whoever kills after granting a pardon or accepting blood money commits a graver crime than the original killer. Some scholars have even said that he must be executed as a prescribed punishment, and that his fate is not left to the slain person’s heirs. Allah Most High says:

“Retaliation is prescribed for you in cases of killing: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. But if the killer is granted any pardon by his brother, then let the claim be pursued fairly and payment be made to him graciously. This is a concession and a mercy from your Lord. Whoever transgresses after that shall have a painful punishment.”

“In retaliation there is life for you, O people of understanding, so that you may be mindful of Allah.”

The scholars have said: The hearts of the slain person’s heirs boil with rage, to the point that they wish to kill both the killer and his relatives. Sometimes they are not content to kill the killer, but instead kill