Trials and Fierce Battles (Kitab Al-Fitan Wa Al-Malahim)

Narrated AbudDarda' and Ubadah ibn as-Samit: Khalid ibn Dihqan said: When we were engaged in the battle of Constantinople at Dhuluqiyyah, a man of the people of Palestine, who was one of their nobility and elite and whose rank was known to them, came forward. He was called Hani ibn Kulthum ibn Sharik al-Kinani. He greeted Abdullah ibn Zakariyya who knew his rank. Khalid said to us: Abdullah ibn AbuZakariyya told us: I heard Umm ad-Darda' say: I heard AbudDarda' say: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: It is hoped that Allah may forgive every sin, except in the case of one who dies a polytheist, or one who purposely kills a believer. Hani ibn Kulthum ar-Rabi' then said: I heard Mahmud ibn ar-Rabi' transmitting a tradition from Ubadah ibn as-Samit who transmitted from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who said: If a man kills a believer unjustly, Allah will not accept any action or duty of his, obligatory or supererogatory. Khalid then said to us: Ibn AbuZakariyya transmitted a tradition to us from Umm ad-Darda' on the authority of AbudDarda' from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who said: A believer will continue to go on quickly and well so long as he does not shed unlawful blood; when he sheds unlawful blood, he becomes slow and heavy-footed. A similar tradition has been transmitted by Hani ibn Kulthum from Mahmud ibn ar-Rabi' on the authority of Ubadah ibn as-Samit from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

Khalid b. Dihqan said: I asked Yahya b. Yahya al-Ghassani about the word i'tabata bi qatlihi spoken by him (as mentioned in the previous tradition). He said: It means those people who fight during the period of commotion (fitnah), and one of them kills (the other people) presuming that he is in the right, so he does not beg pardon of Allah of that (sin).Abu Dawud said: And he said: The word fa'tabata means "he shed blood profusely"

Narrated Zayd ibn Thabit: The verse "If a man kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide therein for ever" was revealed six months after the verse "And those who invoke not with Allah any other god, nor slay such life as Allah has made sacred, except for just cause in Surat al-Furqan.

Sa'id bin Jubair said: I asked Ibn 'Abbas (about the verse relating to intentional homicide in Surat An-Nisa') He said: When the verse "Those who invoke not with Allah any other god, nor slay such life as Allah had made sacred, except for just cause" was revealed, the polytheists of Mecca said: We have killed the soul prohibited by Allah, invoked another god along with Allah for worship, and committed shameful deeds. So Allah revealed the verse "unless he repents, believes, and works righteous deeds, for Allah will change the evil of such persons into good." This is meant for them. As regards the verse "if a man kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell" He said: If a man knows the command of Islam and intentionally kills a believer, his repentance wil not be accepted. I then mentioned it to Mujahid. He said: "Except the one who is ashamed (of his sin)."

The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by Sa'id b. Jubair from Ibn 'Abbas through a different chain of narrators. Ibn 'Abbas said: The verse: "Those who invoke not with Allah" applied to polytheists. He said: About them another verse, "Say: O my servants who have transgressed against their souls" was also revealed.

Ibn 'Abbas said: No other verse has repealed the verse "If a man kills a believer intentionally"

About the verse "If a man kills a believer intentionally" Abu Mijlaz said: This is his recompense. If Allah wishes to disregard him, He may do do.

Narrated Sa'id ibn Zayd: We were with the Prophet (ﷺ). He mentioned civil strife (fitnah) and expressed its gravity. We or the people said: Messenger of Allah, if this happens to us it will destroy us. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said; No. It is enough for you that you would be killed. Sa'id said: I saw that my brethren were killed.

Narrated AbuMusa: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: This people of mine is one to which mercy is shown. It will have no punishment in the next world, but its punishment in this world will be trials, earthquakes and being killed.