Ibn Hibban

Abu Bakr Muhammad narrates from his father, who narrates from his grandfather, that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) sent a letter to the people of Yemen, in which there were some rulings regarding obligatory acts, Sunnah practices, and blood money (diyah). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent that letter through Sayyiduna Amr bin Hazm, and it was read out before the people of Yemen. Its text is as follows (i.e., it was written in it):

“This is from Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah, to Shurahbil bin Abd Kulal, Harith bin Abd Kulal, and Na’im bin Abd Kulal.

To proceed: Your messenger has returned. One-fifth of what has been granted to you as spoils is specified for Allah Almighty, and whatever Allah has made obligatory upon the believers regarding the tithe (ushr) of the land (you must also pay that). Any land that is irrigated by rainwater, or by flowing water, or whose roots draw water from the earth, the payment of ushr is obligatory on it when its produce reaches five wasq. And that which is irrigated by buckets or artificially, half of ushr is obligatory when its produce reaches five wasq. For every five freely grazing camels, one goat is obligatory, until their number reaches twenty-four. When they exceed twenty-four by even one, then one bint makhad (a one-year-old she-camel) is obligatory. If a bint makhad is not available, then an ibn labun (a two-year-old male camel) is obligatory, until their number reaches thirty-five. When they exceed thirty-five, then one bint labun (a two-year-old she-camel) is obligatory, until they reach forty-five. When they exceed forty-five, then one hiqqah (a three-year-old she-camel fit for mating) is obligatory, until their number reaches sixty. When the number of camels exceeds sixty by even one, then one jaz’ah (a four-year-old she-camel) is obligatory, until their number reaches seventy-five. When they exceed seventy-five by even one, then two bint labun are obligatory, until they reach ninety. When they exceed ninety by even one, then two hiqqah (fit for mating) are obligatory. For every thirty, a baqurah (a one-year-old she-camel) is obligatory. For every forty freely grazing goats, one goat is obligatory, until their number reaches one hundred and twenty. When they exceed one hundred and twenty by even one, then two goats are obligatory, until their number reaches two hundred. If they exceed by even one, then three goats are obligatory, until they reach three hundred. If they exceed that, then for every hundred, one goat is obligatory.

In zakat, an old, one-eyed, or defective animal will not be accepted, and wealth will not be combined to avoid zakat, nor will combined wealth be separated to avoid zakat. Whatever is collected from two partners will be divided between them equally. For every five awqiyah of silver, five dirhams are obligatory. If it exceeds that, then for every forty dirhams, one dirham is obligatory, but nothing is obligatory for less than five awqiyah. For every forty dinars, one dinar is obligatory. Indeed, charity (i.e., zakat) is not lawful for Muhammad and his family. This is the zakat by which you will purify yourselves. It will be given to the poor among the believers. It will be given in the way of Allah. There is no obligation in a slave, in a field, or among those who work there, as long as the ushr of the field has been paid. There is nothing obligatory on a Muslim’s slave or his horse. On the Day of Judgment, the greatest major sin in the sight of Allah is associating partners with Him, killing a believer unjustly, fleeing from the battlefield in the way of Allah (during jihad), disobedience to parents, accusing chaste women, learning magic, consuming usury, and consuming the wealth of orphans. Umrah is the lesser Hajj. Only a pure person should touch the Qur’an. Divorce cannot be given before ownership (of a slave woman), nor can a slave be freed until he is purchased. No one should pray wearing only one garment unless something is on his shoulder, and no one should wrap himself in a single garment in such a way that there is nothing between him and the sky (i.e., his private parts are not covered). No one should pray in a single garment in such a way that one side is exposed, and no one should pray while his hair is tied in a knot. Whoever is caught for killing a believer and it is proven by evidence, then retribution (qisas) will be taken from him, unless the heirs of the slain are pleased (then the ruling will be different).

Indeed, the blood money for a life is one hundred camels. When the nose is completely cut off, blood money is obligatory. For the tongue, blood money is obligatory. For both lips, blood money is obligatory. For both eyes, blood money is obligatory. For the private part, blood money is obligatory. For the back, blood money is obligatory. For both eyes, blood money is obligatory. For one leg, half of the blood money is obligatory. For a ma’mumah wound (a wound reaching the membrane covering the brain), one-third of the blood money is obligatory. For a ja’ifah wound (a wound reaching the body cavity), one-third of the blood money is obligatory. For a munqilah wound (a bone fracture requiring a splint), fifteen camels are obligatory. For each finger of the hand and foot, ten camels are obligatory. For a tooth, five camels are obligatory. For a mudhihah wound (a wound exposing the bone), five camels are obligatory. A man will be killed in retaliation for a woman. For those who deal in gold (in the form of blood money), one thousand dinars are obligatory.

The wording of the narration is as transmitted by Hamid bin Muhammad bin Shu’aib.

(Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:) The narrator named Sulaiman bin Dawud is Sulaiman bin Dawud Khawlani. He was from the people of Damascus, trustworthy and reliable. As for the narrator Sulaiman bin Dawud Yamami, he has no status. Both of these narrators have transmitted narrations from Zuhri.