The Ruling on Repentance After Intentional Murder
Author: Imran Ayub Lahori
If the Murderer Repents After Intentional Killing
If a person commits intentional murder and then repents, his repentance will, In shā’ Allāh, be accepted.
Allah Almighty says:
وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ ….. إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُولَٰئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ [Al-Furqān: 68–70]
“And they (the believers) do not kill a soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right… except those who repent, believe, and do righteous deeds, for them Allah will change their evil deeds into good deeds.”
Also, Allah says:
وَمَن يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُّتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَاؤُهُ جَهَنَّمُ [Al-Nisā’: 93]
“And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell.”
Clarification
The meaning of this verse is that the punishment of this sin is indeed Hellfire, but if the murderer repents sincerely, then based on other evidences, this punishment will be forgiven.
