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Renew the life of the heart with the Quran, so that the soul may find tranquility in faith. Recite it at all times and seek its blessings of contentment and clouds of forgiveness.
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.
Today, we are discussing the fifth commandment. Allah the Almighty says: "And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed] except by right."
Killing the soul that Allah has forbidden includes both Muslims and non-Muslims, those under protection or in a treaty, and those not engaged in combat. What a grave crime it is! To kill a soul that Allah has honored and created to worship Him. Killing is an aggression against the right of Allah, who created this human soul to worship Him. Yet, the killer ends this soul's life, heedless of the purpose for which it was created.
What a grave crime it is to deprive children of their father's embrace and tender kisses, to deprive a woman of her husband and his affection, to deprive a mother of her child and his service and kindness. "Daddy, where are you? Mommy?" You will feel pain at that moment because your child will spend that night away from her mother.
Imagine then the children in the afflicted Muslim lands, deprived of their fathers or mothers in an instant by the hands of aggressors, and this deprivation will not be for one night but for a lifetime.
"And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed] except by right." Therefore, there are specific circumstances in which killing is permissible, and it is for the life of the community. "And there is for you in legal retribution life, O you of understanding, that you may become righteous."
My brother, my sister, you may think you are far removed from this crime, the crime of killing. However, our Messenger, peace be upon him, warned of forms of aggression that are as evil as the crime of killing. He said in the hadith narrated by Bukhari: "Cursing a believer is like killing him, and whoever accuses a believer of disbelief is like killing him."
Therefore, do not take lightly the act of cursing a believer, for cursing is the expulsion from the mercy of Allah. Whoever curses a believer is as if he has stripped him of the mercy of Allah, which he lives for.
And do not take lightly the act of describing a believer as disbeliever. Allah the Almighty described the disbelievers as being dead. He said: "Or is one who was dead and We gave him life." And this one who was a disbeliever but Allah guided him to faith. Whoever accuses a believer of disbelief is as if he has killed him.
Therefore, avoid all that our religion has described as akin to killing, lest you contradict the commandment of our Lord, Glorified and Exalted be He, who said: "And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed] except by right."
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.