the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), Abu Bakr, and part of the caliphate of 'Umar, despite their cheapness, low value, and being worth less than one hundred and twenty. Therefore, making that mandatory is contrary to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Furthermore, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) distinguished between the blood money for unintentional killing and intentional killing; he increased the severity of the blood money for intentional killing and lightened the blood money for unintentional killing, and the scholars reached a consensus on this. Considering them according to a single value is an equation between the two, a combination of what the Lawgiver (al-Shari') separated, and the elimination of both the lightening and the severity. In fact, it is an increase in severity for the blood money of unintentional killing, because considering the value of a bin makhad (a one-year-old female camel) at the value of a thaniyyah (a five-year-old) or a jadha'ah (a four-year-old) is extremely difficult, thus it becomes an increase in severity [for the blood money of unintentional killing], and a lightening of the blood money for intentional killing; this is contrary to what the Lawgiver intended and brought forth. Furthermore, it is the custom that the value of banat al-makhad is less than the value of hiqaq (three-year-old camels) and jadha'at. If they were paid during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) at a single value, and that was considered for them, it would have been transmitted, and it would not have been permissible to neglect it, because that which the Shari'ah brought in an absolute sense is understood based on custom and habit. If something contrary to custom is intended by it, it must be stated and clarified so that it is not a deception in the religion, nor leading them to believe that the ruling of Allah is different from what it truly is. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was sent to clarify; Allah the Almighty said: "So that you may make clear to the people what has been sent down to them." How then can his speech be interpreted as having ambiguity and enigma! This is something that is not permissible. Moreover, if the matter were interpreted in that way, [then mentioning] the ages would be a useless trifle, for the benefit of that is only that the difference in their ages is a likely cause for the difference in their values, so it was set as a substitute for it. Additionally, camels are the primary origin (asl) in blood money, so their value is not to be estimated by other things, such as gold and silver. They are also the origin for the obligation, so their value is not to be estimated, like camels in the salam transaction or the sheep of compensation (shat al-jubran). The hadith of 'Amr ibn Shu'ayb is a proof for us, for the camels were being taken before they became expensive and 'Umar valued them, and their value was less than twelve thousand; it has been said that their value was eight thousand. That is why 'Umar said: The blood money for a protected person (Dhimmi) is four thousand. Their argument that they are substitutes for one location
(25) In (M): "for the blood money in unintentional killing". (26) In (B): "ila" (to). (27) Surah al-Nahl, 44. (28) In (M): "lakin" (but), which is an error. (29) Reported by al-Daraqutni in: The Book of Hudud and Blood Money and others. Sunan al-Daraqutni 3/130, 131, 146.