Sunan Abi Dawud: Book 41, Hadith 8
Narrated Wa’il (b. Hujr): A man brought an Abyssinian to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: This man has killed my nephew. He asked: How did you kill him? He replied: I struck his head with axe but I did not intend to kill him. He asked: Have you some money so that you pay his blood-wit? He said: No. He said: What is your opinion if I send you so that you ask the people (for money) and thus collect your blood-wit? He said: No. He asked : Will your masters give you his blood-wit (to pay his relatives)? He said: No. He said to the man. Take him. So he brought him out to kill him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: If he kill him, he will be like him. This (statement) reached the man where he was listening to his statement. He said: He is here, order regarding him as you like. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Leave him alone. And he once said: He will bear the burden of the sin of the slain and that of his own and thus he will become one of the Companions of Hell. So he let him go.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَوْفٍ الطَّائِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْقُدُّوسِ بْنُ الْحَجَّاجِ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ عَطَاءٍ الْوَاسِطِيُّ، عَنْ سِمَاكٍ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ وَائِلٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِحَبَشِيٍّ فَقَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا قَتَلَ ابْنَ أَخِي . قَالَ ” كَيْفَ قَتَلْتَهُ ” . قَالَ ضَرَبْتُ رَأْسَهُ بِالْفَأْسِ وَلَمْ أُرِدْ قَتْلَهُ . قَالَ ” هَلْ لَكَ مَالٌ تُؤَدِّي دِيَتَهُ ” . قَالَ لاَ . قَالَ ” أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ أَرْسَلْتُكَ تَسْأَلُ النَّاسَ تَجْمَعُ دِيَتَهُ ” . قَالَ لاَ . قَالَ ” فَمَوَالِيكَ يُعْطُونَكَ دِيَتَهُ ” . قَالَ لاَ . قَالَ لِلرَّجُلِ ” خُذْهُ ” . فَخَرَجَ بِهِ لِيَقْتُلَهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” أَمَا إِنَّهُ إِنْ قَتَلَهُ كَانَ مِثْلَهُ ” . فَبَلَغَ بِهِ الرَّجُلُ حَيْثُ يَسْمَعُ قَوْلَهُ فَقَالَ هُوَ ذَا فَمُرْ فِيهِ مَا شِئْتَ . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” أَرْسِلْهُ – وَقَالَ مَرَّةً دَعْهُ – يَبُوءُ بِإِثْمِ صَاحِبِهِ وَإِثْمِهِ فَيَكُونَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّارِ ” . قَالَ فَأَرْسَلَهُ .
Sunan Abi Dawud: Book 41, Hadith 8
The above hadith is from the Sunan Abi Dawud collection of hadiths. Compiled by Imam Abu Dawud al-Sijistani, Sunan Abi Dawud is revered for its extensive and practical coverage of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). Its structure is deliberately thematic, with the over 4,800 hadiths sorted into dedicated books addressing specific areas of daily life and worship. This includes detailed chapters on ritual purity (tahara), prayer (salah), alms-giving (zakat), pilgrimage (hajj), marriage (nikah), and commercial law. This logical organization has made it an indispensable primary source for scholars, jurists, and students seeking the Prophetic precedents that form the basis of Islamic law and ethical conduct.
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For more Hadith in Book 41: Types of Blood-Wit (Kitab Al-Diyat)