Hawzah News Agency – Men and women in humanity are equal. Blood Money, known as دیه (Diya), does not represent the “value” of a human being, but rather it makes up for financial losses. If someone kills a man, they have hurt the bread winner and economic source and so the penalty is higher.

If it is to be based on personality, then the punishment for the murder of someone with knowledge and moral status needs to be higher. On the contrary, the Blood Money of murder for one who is plain and simple relative to one who is most outstanding is, in the eyes of Rights, equal.

In terms of Rights, Imam Ali AS and Ibn Muljim (may he be cursed) 1 are equal, and it is because of this that Imam Ali AS said, with regards to his murderer;

“فاضربوه ضربةً بضربة”

So strike him once as he struck me once, no more. 2

If Blood Money has anything to do with the value of a person or individual, all of the wealth and money of the world cannot ever recompense for a single atom from the personality of Imam Ali AS.

Yes, the accounting of Blood Money is not a consideration of ones’ worth for if we imagine that it is, then because Blood Money for women is half of that of men, then their value is less than men, and that is not the case.

1. Nahjul Balagha Letter 47.

2. Imam Ali AS was struck on the head with a poisoned sword and passed away three days later.

Taken from "Parables: Important questions & Simple answers" written by Muhsin Qara'ati