His saying, the Exalted: "For a believer."

[5780] Harun ibn Ishaq narrated to us, Muttalib ibn Ziyad narrated to us, from al-Suddi, regarding His saying: "It is not for a believer to kill a believer except by mistake," he said: "A believer does not kill a believer."

His saying, the Exalted: "To kill a believer except by mistake."

[5781] Hajjaj ibn Hamzah narrated to us, Shababah narrated to us, Warqa' narrated to us, from Ibn Abi Najih, from Mujahid, regarding His saying: "It is not for a believer to kill a believer except by mistake." [He said]: 'Ayyash ibn Abi Rabi'ah killed a believing man whom he and Abu Jahl used to torture, and he was his maternal brother in following the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. 'Ayyash thought that this man was a disbeliever, just as he was. 'Ayyash had migrated to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, as a believer. His brother, Abu Jahl—who was his maternal brother—came to him and said: "Your mother implores you by her kinship and her right to return to her," and she was Asma' bint Makhramah. So he went with him, and Abu Jahl bound him until he brought him to Mecca. When the disbelievers saw him, it increased them in disbelief and trial, and they said: "Abu Jahl is indeed able to do what he wants with Muhammad and take his companions."

5782 - Abu Zur'ah narrated to us, Yahya ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Bukayr narrated to us, Ibn Lahi'ah narrated to me, 'Ata' ibn Dinar narrated to me, from Sa'id ibn Jubayr, regarding His saying: "It is not for a believer to kill a believer except by mistake." This is because 'Ayyash ibn Abi Rabi'ah al-Makhzumi had sworn against al-Harith ibn Yazid, a freed slave of the Banu 'Amir ibn Lu'ayy, that he would surely kill him, and al-Harith was at that time a polytheist. Then al-Harith embraced Islam, and 'Ayyash did not know about it. He met him in Medina and killed him, and that killing of his was by mistake. It was narrated from al-Suddi something similar.

His saying, the Exalted: "And whoever kills a believer by mistake."

[5783] 'Ali ibn al-Husayn narrated to us, Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us, Jarir narrated to us, from al-Mughirah, from Ibrahim, meaning regarding His saying: "And whoever kills a believer by mistake," he said: "When the Muslim is killed, then this belongs to him and his Muslim heirs."

His saying, the Exalted: "Then [the expiation is] the freeing of a slave."

[5784] Sulayman ibn Dawud, the freed slave of 'Abd Allah ibn Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, narrated to us, Sahl ibn 'Uthman narrated to us, Waki' narrated to us, from Isra'il, from Jabir, from Muhammad ibn 'Ali, [regarding] "the freeing of a believing slave," he said: "In the case of mistake, if she has confirmed [her faith] and nothing but good is known of her."