About Murder in The Quran, Prophet’s Hadith, and Indonesian Context

Majalahnabawi.com – Any religion in the world would forbid killing without cause. Islam as a religion that loves peace strictly forbids its adherents to kill humans because killing is a form of removing a very precious life from God.

Quran-Hadith Rules

The Quran gives an illustration of how terrible and vile the sin of murder is. Allah gives an analogy that the sin of killing one human life is the same as taking all the lives of people in this world.

…… مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًاۢ بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ اَوْ فَسَادٍ فِى الْاَرْضِ فَكَاَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيْعًاۗ وَمَنْ اَحْيَاهَا فَكَاَنَّمَآ اَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيْعًا ۗ……

The meaning: “…whoever killed a soul, except for a soul slain, or for sedition in the earth, it should be considered as though he had killed all mankind; and that whoever saved it should be regarded as though he had saved all mankind. …” (al-Māʾidah (5) : 32)

Also in one of the narrations, the prophet threatened those who kill unbelievers dhimmī (non-Muslims) will not smell the smell of heaven.

مَنْ قَتَلَ قَتِيْلاً مِنْ أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ لَمْ يَرِحْ رَائِحَةَ الْجَنَّةِ

The meaning: “Whoever kills a dhimmī (non-Moslem) will not smell the smell of heaven.”

The above verse and hadith are a form of threat to a murderer. His reward in the hereafter will not get heaven and his sin is equated with killing all humans on earth. People who have committed murder are tried with qiṣāṣ or taʿzīr after going through a legal court.

Indonesia’s Rule

Meanwhile, Indonesia enforces what is contained in the Criminal Code (KUHP) to try murderers. People who kill premeditated are threatened with the death penalty or imprisonment for life or a maximum of 20 years. (Article 340 of the Criminal Code), intentional and unplanned murder is punishable by a maximum imprisonment of 15 years. (Article 338 of the Criminal Code), and accidental murder due to negligence for a maximum of 5 years (Article 359 of the Criminal Code).