Islamic jurisprudence
ali farsimadan; Enayat Sharifi
Abstract
Bait al-Mal denotes a collection of public property at Islamic governor’s disposal that should be used for the social welfares of Muslims. In Islamic jurisprudence, Bait al-Mal is used for pursuing the goals of Islam. Inasmuch as it is for the benefits of Muslims, paying Diya (blood money) is one ...
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Bait al-Mal denotes a collection of public property at Islamic governor’s disposal that should be used for the social welfares of Muslims. In Islamic jurisprudence, Bait al-Mal is used for pursuing the goals of Islam. Inasmuch as it is for the benefits of Muslims, paying Diya (blood money) is one of the ways of spending Bait al-Mal. Thus, employing a descriptive and analytical method, the present study attempts to address the special cases in which Diya shall be paid from Bait al-Mal. Furthermore, the article will target the following questions:Who shall be responsible to pay Diya if the judge's mistake brings about death or disability?Is Aqilah (paternal kinship group of the criminal) responsible for murder?Who is responsible for paying Diya if the murderer does not have Aqilah or their Aqilah is not financially capable?If the claimant and the defendant do not have evidence, who is responsible for the victim's Diya?Who is responsible for the victim's Diya if they are killed in a crowd?Who is responsible for the victim's Diya if the murderer escapes or dies?Who is responsible for the victim's Diya if the murderer is unidentified?Who is responsible for the victim's Diya If Laqit commits the crime?Who is responsible for the victim's Diya if they are killed in fitnah (sedition)?What is the verdict if two persons confess to a murder?What is Ha’ishat and what is its decree?What is the sentence for the crimes of a blind person? Shall they be executed?What is the jurisprudential decree of defense against the lunatic’s assault? The authors have endeavored to examine paying Diya in special cases through surveying jurisprudential documents and Hadith. For Bait al-Mal is responsible for paying Diya. Considering the review of the related literature, it should be mentioned that due to the significance of this issue, Islamic science scholars have composed research papers on its jurisprudential and legal dimensions. Nevertheless, on the contrary to other studies, the present article refrains from referring to repeated points and sets out to prompt new instances. Furthermore, it attempts to conceptualize such terms as Aqilah, Diya and Bait al-Mal, and analyze and make reference to various jurisprudential sources. In addition, another distinguishing feature of this research is not repeating the findings of other scholars, and focusing on the words of early and late jurists and emphasizing their jurisprudential approach and testifying their instances. What is more, the present study seeks to express the favorable opinion after examining and analyzing disparate narratives. Therefore, the article sets out to address the jurisprudential recognition of paying Diya from Bait al-Mal in specific cases and mentions 13 cases collected from the expressions of the jurists.In so doing, this article will target issues in which Diya shall be paid from Bait al-Mal: when the judge makes a mistake; when the murderer does not have Aqilah; when the claimant and the defendant do not have evidence; when one is killed in a crowd; when the murder and manslaughter criminal escapes; when the murderer is unidentified; when Laqit commits the crime; when one is killed in sedition defying rebels; when two persons confess to a murder; Ha’ishat (injury and murder during the fear of day and night); when one is killed in the military camp; when one commits a murder as an act defense against the lunatic’s assault; and when the murder is committed by a blind person.Although waging war against the one who has rebelled against the Imam and the Islamic ruler is mandatory, the Diya of the victim in sedition and war with rebels is the responsibility of Bait al-Mal. Furthermore, when two people have confessed to a murder, and if there is no collusion, the verdict of execution will be suspended and the Diya of the victim will be paid from Bait al-Mal. The Diya in Ha’ishat (which signifies fear that appears at night and during the day and causes injury or murder in such a way that it does not become clear who has killed or injured someone else) is the responsibility of Bait al-Mal. Blind people are not executed for their crime and Diya will be the responsibility of their Aqilah. If they do not have Aqilah, Diya is paid from their property; otherwise, the imam will pay the Diya. If one is killed in militia or a military barracks, their Diya is paid from Bait al-Mal. If a madman intends to kill a sane person and the sane person kills him in defense of his life or his own belongings, Diya will be the responsibility of their Aqilah, and if there is no Aqilah, Diyeh is paid from Bait al-Mal.Therefore, the purpose of producing Bait al-Mal is to safeguard the Muslims’ welfare in such a manner that according to the principle "the blood of a Muslim killed shall not be wasted", preserving the blood of Muslims and preventing it from being wasted is one of the economic objectives of Bait al-Mal.
