Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

There is this man who did a kabeera guhna, can i ask forgiveness for him if he can not? For he murdered someone, and i'd like to ask for forgiveness from the family of the man who had got murdered for the guy who murdered him, for he can not ask for it at the moment.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Forgiveness for murder

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

If the person who committed the grave sin of murder is sincerely repentant at his crime, and is worried or scared that if he himself were to go and seek forgiveness for the murder from the family of the murdered, they would abuse, hurt or even kill him….indeed there is absolutely no harm if he sends someone to seek forgiveness for him from the family or the legal heirs of the one whom he unjustly killed.

Absolutely regardless of whether the legal heirs of the murdered person decide to forgive the murderer, or extract the full punishment as prescribed by Shariah Law in a Court of Law for murder, the one who committed the grave sin of murder must turn back to his Lord in ‘taubah’, seek sincere repentance from Allah, and fulfill the atonement which is prescribed for one who takes the life of another without right in the Quran and the Sunnah.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisa Verse 92:

92 Never should a believer kill a believer; but (if it so happens) by mistake (compensation is due): if one (so) kills a believer it is ordained that he should free a believing slave and pay compensation to the deceased's family unless they remit it freely. If the deceased belonged to a people at war with you, and he was a believer, the freeing of a believing slave (is enough). If he belonged to a people with whom ye have a treaty of mutual alliance, compensation should be paid to his family, and a believing slave be freed. For those who find this (the freeing of a slave) beyond their means (is prescribed) a fast for two months running: by way of repentance to Allah: for Allah is All-Knowing All-Wise.

If one kills a believer unintentionally or by accident, it is prescribed in Shariah Law that ‘blood money’ or compensation is due to the heirs of the deceased, unless if the heirs of the deceased, of their own free will and choice, wish to forgive all or a part of it.

Furthermore, by way of repentance and atonement unto their Lord, the Lord Most High has Commanded and Guided that the one who killed the person accidentally should also free a slave…..and if the freeing of the slave is beyond their means, they are to fast for two consecutive months.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan