Sharḥ Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (1/119)

Sharḥ Riyāḍ al-ṢāliḥīnIbn al-'Uthaymin

As for the right of the slain person, the murderer’s repentance does not benefit him nor does it restore his due, for he has died and it is impossible to seek his pardon or to secure his release from the killer’s liability. That right therefore remains an outstanding claim against the killer even after he repents, and on the Day of Resurrection Allah will judge between them.

Regarding the right of the victim’s heirs, the killer’s repentance is not valid until he surrenders himself to the heirs, admits the murder, and declares, “I am the killer; I place myself at your disposal. If you wish, kill me; if you wish, accept the blood money; and if you wish, pardon me.” Once he repents to Allah and hands himself over to the victim’s heirs—that is, his legal inheritors—his repentance is sound, while whatever remains between him and the slain will be decided by Allah on the Day of Judgment.

ʿAbd Allah ibn Kaʿb ibn Mālik, who served as the guide of his father Kaʿb (may Allah be pleased with him) after he lost his sight, reported: I heard Kaʿb ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) recount the incident of his staying behind from the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) during the expedition of Tabūk. Kaʿb said: I never failed to accompany the Messenger of Allah in any campaign he undertook except the expedition of Tabūk. True, I also stayed behind from the battle of Badr, but no one who missed it was censured, for the Messenger of Allah and the Muslims had set out only to intercept a Quraysh caravan, then Allah—exalted is He—brought them together with their enemy without any prior appointment. I was also present with the Messenger of Allah on the Night of ʿAqaba when we pledged our allegiance to Islam, and I would not trade that for having been present at Badr. By Allah, at the time I stayed behind from the expedition of Tabūk I had never been stronger or better off than I was then. By Allah, I had never owned two riding beasts at once until that expedition, when I had acquired two mounts, and the Messenger of Allah

وأما حق المقتول؛ فإن توبة القاتل لا تنفعه ولا تؤدي إليه حقه؛ لأنه مات، ولا يمكن الوصول إلي استحلاله، أو التبرؤ من دمه، فهذا هو الذي يبقي مطالباً به القاتل ولو تاب، وإذا كان يوم القيامة فالله يفصل بينهما. وأما حق أولياء المقتول، فإنها لا تصح توبة القاتل؛ حتى يسلم نفسه إلي أولياء المقتول، ويقر بالقتل، ويقول: أنا القاتل، وأنا بين أيديكم، إن شئتم اقتلوني وإن شئتم خذو الدية، وإن شئتم اسمحوا، فإذا تاب إلي الله، وسلم نفسه لأولياء المقتول- يعني لورثته - فإن توبته تصح، وما بينه وبين المقتول يكون الحكم فيه إلي الله يوم القيامة. ٢١- وعن عبد الله بن كعب بن مالك، وكان قائد كعب- ﵁ من بنيه حين عمي، قال: سمعت كعب بن مالك ﵁ يحدث بحديثه حين تخلف عن رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم في غزوة تبوك: قال كعب: لم أتخلف عن رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم في غزوة غزاها قط إلا في غزوة تبوك، غير أني قد تخلفت في غزوة بدر، ولم يعاتب أحد تخلف عنه، إنما خرج رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم والمسلمون يريدون عير قريش حتى جمع الله - تعالي- بينهم وبين عدوهم على غير ميعاد. ولقد شهدت مع رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم ليلة العقبة حين تواثقنا على الإسلام، وما أحب حين تخلفت عن رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم في غزوة تبوك أني لم أكن قط أقوي ولا أيسر مني حين تخلفت عنه في تلك الغزوة، والله ما جمعت قبلها راحلتين قط حتى جمعتهما في تلك الغزوة، ولم يكن رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلم