water that drowns the one falling and kills him, or a lion that eats them, then none of them are liable for the others, because the action of some had no effect on the destruction of others. If we are in doubt about that, none of them are liable for the others, because the principle is the immunity of liability (bara'at al-dhimma), and we do not occupy it with doubt. If their death was due to some of them falling upon others, the blood of the fourth is void (hadar), because others did not do anything to him, and he only perished by his own action. The blood money of the third is upon him, because he killed him by falling upon him; the blood money of the second is upon him and the third in equal halves; and the blood money of the first is upon the three in thirds.

Section: If they perish due to something in the well, such as a lion that was inside it, and the first pulled the second, the second pulled the third, and the third pulled the fourth, and the lion killed them, there is nothing upon the fourth, and his blood money is upon the 'aqila of the third according to one of two views. According to the second view, it is upon the 'aqilas of the three in thirds. The blood of the first is void, and the blood money of the second is upon his 'aqila. As for the blood money of the third, it is upon the second in one of two views, and in the other, it is upon the first and the second in equal halves. This issue is called the issue of the pit (al-zubyah). Hanash al-San'ani narrated that a group of people from Yemen dug a pit for a lion, and people gathered at its edge. One person slipped into it and pulled a second, the second pulled a third, and the third pulled a fourth, and the lion killed them. This was referred to 'Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, and he said: "The first receives a fourth of the blood money because three people perished on top of him. The second receives a third of the blood money because two people perished on top of him. The third receives half of the blood money because one person perished on top of him. The fourth receives the full blood money." He said: "I impose the blood money upon those who were present at the edge of the well." This was then referred to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and he said: "It is as he said." Sa'id ibn Mansur narrated it. He said: Abu 'Awana and Abu al-Ahwas told us, from Simak ibn...