Killing a Believer

Moving on, there is a whole discussion about killing: that people may not simply be killed. Subḥān Allāh — that is not to be misunderstood from the Qur'an. Allah says that the only way one muʾmin could come to kill another believer is by mistake; there is no other way. And even then, a slave must be freed and a ransom paid; and there is a whole treatment of the procedure to be followed even when someone is killed by mistake. Then Allah says, very strongly:

That is verse 93. Whoever kills a believer deliberately, with premeditation and purpose — there is nothing for him but Jahannam. Meaning that the acceptance of his tawbah will be very difficult. The ʿulamāʾ do hold that if he makes a sincere — truly sincere — tawbah, Allah could forgive him; but the verse shows that he will be in the Hellfire for a very long time, that Allah is angry with him, that Allah curses him, and that Allah has prepared for him a mighty punishment. It is simply not a thing one does. And subḥān Allāh, there are people claiming to be the Islamic State — giving themselves that name — and killing primarily Muslims. Primarily Muslims. And destroying everything.