It is alright for the murderer, but what about the murdered one?

23-1-2011 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalamualikum shaikh & entire team. May Allah bless you all for the noble service. I would like to know"according to a saheeh hadith, the Killer & the victim will go to hellfire." We can understand the reason for the killer to be in hellfire, but why the victim. Can you shed some light on this. Thank u & Allah bless you all
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

If you had read the full text of this Hadeeth, you would have found the answer to your question. The Companions may Allaah be pleased with them asked the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) the same question as they said: “It is alright for the murderer, but what about the murdered one?” Thereupon, the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “He was keen (i.e. had the intention) to kill his companion.” This is evidence that determination, which is having a strong intention and willingness to absolutely do something, makes the person liable to the punishment for the intended act, even if he did not actually do it. That is because the killed person was keen and willing to kill his fellow Muslim was it not that the first (his fellow Muslim) killed him. An-Nawawi may Allaah have mercy upon him when interpreting this Hadeeth, said: “This is evidence of the correct view of the majority of the scholars that if a person intends to commit a sin, and he was firm in his intention, then he is sinful, even if he did not actually do it and did not speak about it.”

Allaah Knows best.

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