Fiqh facts of the day

[qatarperegrine]

So, debate in the local community has turned to the issue of ad-diyat or blood money, the compensation given when a Muslim kills another Muslim accidentally. Phrased like that, it doesn't seem a pressing issue, but this is the law in effect in the case of a fatal car accident. And here in Qatar, we have a lot of car accidents, many fatal.

The Qur'an says:

It is not for a believer to kill a believer unless (it be) by mistake. He who hath killed a believer by mistake must set free a believing slave, and pay the blood-money to the family of the slain, unless they remit it as a charity. If he (the victim) be of a people hostile unto you, and he is a believer, then (the penance is) to set free a believing slave. And if he cometh of a folk between whom and you there is a covenant, then the blood-money must be paid unto his folk and (also) a believing slave must be set free. And whoso hath not the wherewithal must fast two consecutive months. A penance from Allah. Allah is Knower, Wise. (An-Nisa' 92, Pickthall translation)

The Qur'an doesn't specify the blood money to be paid, but 100 camels seems to have been the accepted standard fairly early. (That's now around $25,000.) Traditionally, though, you only pay half that amount if you accidentally kill a woman. This mirrors the fact that daughters only get half the inheritance of sons, on the grounds that men have financial obligations far exceeding those of women. However, there is apparently some debate about whether this system is required for blood money, and it is being debated here at the moment.

From yesterday's paper: Blood money must be equal to all: Qaradawi
And from today's: Scholars split over 'blood money' issue

Apparently it's not an entirely new issue, since the same players seem to have said about the same thing at Christmas: Qaradawi urges gender equality on blood money