And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide therein; and the wrath and the curse of Allah are upon him, and a great punishment is prepared for him.
This Ayah carries a stern warning and promise for those who commit so grave a sin that it is mentioned along with Shirk in several Ayat of Allah's Book. For instance, in Surah Al-Furqan, Allah said,
وَالَّذِينَ لاَ يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَـهَا ءَاخَرَ وَلاَ يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِى حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ
And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah, nor kill such person as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause. (25:68)
Allah said,
قُلْ تَعَالَوْاْ أَتْلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَلاَّ تُشْرِكُواْ بِهِ شَيْياً
Say: "Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not anything in worship with Him. (6:151)
There are many Ayat and Hadiths that prohibit murder.
In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that Ibn Mas`ud said that the Messenger of Allah said,
أَوَّلُ مَا يُقْضَى بَيْنَ النَّاسِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِي الدِّمَاء
Blood offenses are the first disputes to be judged between the people on the Day of Resurrection.
In a Hadith that Abu Dawud recorded, Ubadah bin As-Samit states that the Messenger of Allah said,
لاَا يَزَالُ الْمُوْمِنُ مُعْنِقًا صَالِحًا مَا لَمْ يُصِبْ دَمًا حَرَامًا فَإِذَا أَصَابَ دَمًا حَرَامًا بَلَّح
The believer will remain unburdened in righteousness as long as he does not shed prohibited blood. When he sheds forbidden blood, he will become burdened.
Another Hadith, states,
لَزَوَالُ الدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ عِنْدَ اللهِ مِنْ قَتْلِ رَجُلٍ مُسْلِم
The destruction of this earthly life is less significant before Allah than killing a Muslim man (or woman).
Will the Repentance of those who Commit Intentional Murder, be Accepted
Ibn Abbas held the view that;
the repentance of one who intentionally murders a believer, will not be accepted.
Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn Jubayr said,
"The people of knowledge of Al-Kufah differed on this subject, I traveled to Ibn Abbas to ask him about it.
He said, `This Ayah,
وَمَن يَقْتُلْ مُوْمِنًا مُّتَعَمِّدًا
فَجَزَاوُهُ جَهَنَّمُ
(And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell) was the last revealed (on this subject) and nothing abrogated it."'
Muslim and An-Nasa'i also recorded it.
However, the majority of scholars of the earlier and later generations said that;
the killer's repentance can be accepted. If he repents, and goes back to Allah humbly, submissively, and performing righteous deeds, then Allah will change his evil deeds into good deeds and compensate the deceased for his loss by rewarding him for his suffering.
Allah said,
وَالَّذِينَ لاَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهًا اخَرَ
(And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah), until,
إِلاَّ مَن تَابَ وَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلً صَالِحًا
(Except those who repent and believe, and do righteous deeds). (25:68-70)
The Ayah we just mentioned should not be considered abrogated or only applicable to the disbelievers (who become Muslim), for this contradicts the general, encompassing indications of the Ayah and requires evidence to support it. Allah knows best.
Allah said,
قُلْ يعِبَادِىَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُواْ عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لاَ تَقْنَطُواْ مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ
Say: "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Despair not of the mercy of Allah. (39:53)
This Ayah is general, covering all types of sins, including Kufr, Shirk, doubt, hypocrisy, murder, sin, and so forth. Therefore, everyone who repents sincerely from any of these errors, then Allah will forgive him.
Allah said,
إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاء
Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills. (4:48)
This Ayah is general and includes every sin except Shirk, and it has been mentioned in this Surah, both after this Ayah and before it, in order to encourage hope in Allah, and Allah knows best.
It is confirmed in the Two Sahihs, that;
an Israeli killed one hundred people then he asked a scholar, "Is it possible for me to repent?"
So he replied, "What is there that would prevent you from repentance?"
So he told him to go to another land where Allah was worshipped. He began to emigrate to it but died on the way, and the angel of mercy was the one to take him.
Although this Hadith is about an Israeli, it is even more suitable for the Muslim community that their repentance be accepted.
Indeed, Allah relieved Muslims from the burdens and restrictions that were placed on the Jews, and He sent our Prophet with the easy Hanifiyyah way (Islamic Monotheism).
As for the honorable Ayah,
وَمَن يَقْتُلْ مُوْمِنًا مُّتَعَمِّدًا
(And whoever kills a believer intentionally), Abu Hurayrah and several among the Salaf said that;
this is his punishment, if Allah decides to punish him. And this is the case with every threat that is issued for every sin.
For instance, there could be good deeds that this person has done that would prevent him from being punished for that, and Allah knows best.
Even if the murderer inevitably enters the Fire -- as Ibn Abbas stated because his repentance was not accepted, or he did not have good deeds to save him, he will not remain there for eternity, but only for a long time.
There are Mutawatir Hadiths stating that the Messenger of Allah said,
إِنَّهُ يَخْرُجُ مِنَ النَّارِ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ أَدْنَى ذَرَّةٍ مِنْ إِيمَان
Whoever has the least speck of faith in his heart shall ultimately depart the Fire.
