Can a person who kills somebody be forgiven if he repents?

- How does he repay the person he killed and did not ask for forgiveness?

Dear Brother / Sister,

According to the majority of the salaf and khalaf scholars, if a person who kills somebody, even intentionally, repents and does good deeds, his repentance will be accepted and Allah will replace his bad deeds with good deeds. He will also compensate the victim for the injustice he has suffered by granting him favors and making him feel satisfied.

“Say: ‘O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah. for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful’.” (az-Zumar, 39/53)

The verse above is a declaration that all sins, including polytheism (shirk), are forgiven. The word “Jami’an” includes all sins. However, the following verse excludes polytheism (shirk) from forgiveness:

“Allah forgiveth not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgiveth anything else, to whom He pleaseth.” (an-Nisa, 4/48)

Since Allah Almighty forgives every sin except polytheism, He will also forgive a person who kills someone deliberately if He wishes.

“If a man kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, to abide therein (For ever).” (an-Nisa, 4/93)

The verse above informs us about the punishment for killing a believer deliberately. However, if that person repents, Allah will forgive him if He wishes. He does what He wishes. The one who kills a believer deliberately will be saved even if he stays in Hell for a long time because there are mutawatir hadiths stating that even a person who has the slightest belief in his heart will exit Hell. (Bukhari, Tawhid 24, 36; Muslim, Iman, h.no. 81, 82, 83)

As for the victim demanding his rights from the murderer on the Day of Judgment, “deliberate killing” is a violation of human rights. A violation of human rights cannot be removed by repentance alone; the usurped right must be returned. There is ijma (consensus) that the rights that have been usurped and taken away by aggression cannot be removed by repentance until they are returned to their owners. If it is not possible to return the usurped right, the person whose right has been violated should demand his right. Not every claim must necessarily result in punishment. It may happen that the murderer has good deeds, some or all of which may be given to the murdered person in order to appease him. Or, if Allah wishes, He will give the victim the blessings and high degrees in Paradise in return for the injustice he suffered. And He forgives the murderer for his repentance and good deeds and lets him enter Paradise.

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