The Hadith

Abdullah ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah said:

“The blood of a Muslim who testifies that none deserves to be worshipped except Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah is not lawful except in three cases: a married person who commits adultery, a life for a life, and one who abandons his religion and separates from the community.”  

Reference

Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim.  

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Explanation (From Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan)

In this hadith the Prophet explained that the life of a Muslim is sacred and protected, and it is not lawful to shed the blood of a Muslim except in specific cases established by Islamic law.  

The Prophet mentioned three situations in which the blood of a Muslim may become lawful.

The first case is:

“a married person who commits adultery.”

This refers to a person who was previously married and commits adultery after marriage. In Islamic law this crime carries a severe punishment because it violates the sanctity of marriage and harms society.  

The second case is:

“a life for a life.”

This refers to retaliation (qisas) for murder. If a person intentionally kills another person, then the law allows retaliation according to the legal rulings of Islam.  

The third case is:

“one who abandons his religion and separates from the community.”

This refers to apostasy from Islam accompanied by leaving the Muslim community.  

This hadith shows that the default ruling regarding the life of a Muslim is protection and sanctity, and it cannot be violated except in cases established by the law of Islam.  

The implementation of these rulings is not left to individuals but belongs to the lawful authority that establishes justice according to Islamic law.  

References

The Explanation of Imam an-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith: Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan. Dar Makkah International.

Verified on 2026-10-21 against: The Explanation of Imam an-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith (Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan), Hadith 14.