Whoever kills a mu‘āhad (a non-Muslim who is granted the pledge of protection by the Muslims) shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise, though its fragrance can be smelt at a distance of forty years
Chapter: The sin of one who kills an innocent person having a treaty with the Muslims
Authentic
hadith of Sahih al-Bukhari
Sahih al-Bukhari 3166
حَدَّثَنَا قَيْسُ بْنُ حَفْصٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، حَدَّثَنَا مُجَاهِدٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ "
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"Whoever kills a mu‘āhad (a non-Muslim who is granted the pledge of protection by the Muslims) shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise, though its fragrance can be smelt at a distance of forty years."
Reported by Al-Bukhari (No. 3166, 6914), An-Nasa’i (No. 4749, 4750), Ibn Majah (No. 2611, 2686) and Ahmad (No. 6304, 6457, 6540, 15995, 17378, 22047, 22095).
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrates the stern warning to anyone who kills a mu‘āhad - a non-Muslim who comes from the land of disbelievers to the abode of Islam and receives the pledge of protection and security - that he will not smell the fragrance of Paradise, though its fragrance can be smelt at a distance of forty years journey.
Lessons
It is prohibited to kill a mu‘āhad, a dhimmi, or a musta’man. This is a major sin.
Mu‘āhad: He is a disbeliever with whom a covenant was made while he lives in his land and does not fight the Muslims, nor do they fight him. Dhimmi: He is a non-Muslim who comes to live in the Muslim land and pays tribute. Musta’man: He is a non-Muslim who enters the land of the Muslims under a covenant and pledge of protection for a certain period of time.
It warns against the betrayal of covenants with non-Muslims.
Explanation in Arabic
يُبَيِّنُ النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم الوعيدَ الشديدَ على أنَّ مَن قَتَلَ مُعاهَدًا -وهو مَن دخل من الكفار إلى دار الإسلام بِعَهْدٍ وأمان- بأنه لن يَشمَّ رائحةَ الجنة، وإنَّ ريحَها يكون على بُعدِ مسيرة أربعين عامًا.
تحريم قتل المُعاهَد والذِّمِّي والمُستأمَن من الكفار، وأنه كبيرة من كبائر الذنوب.
المعاهد: هو مَن أُخِذَ عليه العهد من الكفار وهو يقيم في بلاده لا يحارب المسلمين ولايحاربونه، والذِّمِّي: هو من استوطن دارَ المسلمين ودفع الجزية، والمستأمَن: هو مَن دخل دار المسلمين بعهد وأمان لوقت محدد.