Al-Jazirah newspaper
SOCIAL media websites have been bombarded with appeals to help raise millions of Saudi riyals which will be used as a blood money paid to the victim’s family. This does not reflect the true message and purpose of the Shariah regarding blood money. Blood money has become a business for some people who immensely benefit from it.
The blood money demanded by a victim’s family recently reached 55 million riyals, which is really shocking. It is a huge amount and there is no way a murderer’s family could raise this. It is like blackmailing for some. Some people have turned blood money into something like public auctions. Such thing is unacceptable in our Muslim society.
I hope the government will step in and put an end to it. When it comes to blood money, we should follow in the footsteps of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who estimated the blood money for a victim’s family as 100 camels, which is equal to about SR500,000 today. This estimate prevents any type of dispute between the murderer’s family and the victim’s family. In other words, the blood money of any victim is around SR500,000.
Almighty Allah says in the Noble Qur’an, “And there is for you in legal retribution [saving of] life, O you [people] of understanding, that you may become righteous.” (2:179)
Almighty Allah also says: “But if you pardon and overlook and forgive — then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (64:14)
Pardoning does not mean paying compensation to a victim’s family, it is complete pardoning without asking anything in return. Unfortunately, the meaning of pardoning a murder has changed; today, it means asking the family of the murderer to ask their tribe fellowmen to help them raise money; it means there will be brokers who will intentionally increase the amount of blood money so that they can get a share of it as a profit.
In our society there are people who manifest the real meaning of pardoning; they forgive without expecting anything in return because they know Almighty Allah will compensate them.
