Do Hadith say a murderer takes a victim’s sins?

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer:

No, the narration saying the murderer takes all of the victim’s sins is baseless. It is not permitted to attribute such narrations to the blessed Prophet ﷺ.

Classical Scholars:

وَأَمَّا الْحَدِيثُ الَّذِي يُورِدُهُ بَعْضُ مَنْ لَا يَعْلَمُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ مَا تَرَكَ الْقَاتِلُ عَلَى الْمَقْتُولِ مِنْ ذَنْبٍ فَلَا أَصْلَ لَهُ وَلَا يُعْرَفُ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنْ كُتُبِ الْحَدِيثِ بِسَنَدٍ صَحِيحٍ وَلَا حَسَنٍ وَلَا ضَعِيفٍ أَيْضًا. (البداية والنهاية)

As for the Hadith that some of those with no knowledge narrate from the Prophet ﷺ: The killer leaves no sin upon the victim, it is baseless. It is not mentioned in the books of Hadith with a Sahih, Hasan or even weak chain (Sanad). (Imam Abu al-Fida ibn al-Kathir, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihaayah).

As seen in the Nass above, the Hadith saying ‘the murderer takes all the victim’s sins’ is baseless. This was mentioned by Imam Ibn Kathir in al-Bidayah wa al-Nihaayah. Further, many of the Hadith scholars who discussed this narration after Imam Ibn Kathir simply referred to his ruling on the Hadith.

الحَدِيث التَّاسِع حَدِيث مَا ترك الْقَاتِل على الْمَقْتُول من ذَنْب. قَالَ ابْن كثير فِي تَارِيخه هُوَ حَدِيث لَا يعرف اصلا وَلَا بِإِسْنَاد ضَعِيف وَمَعْنَاهُ صَحِيح. (اللآلئ المنثورة في الأحاديث المشهورة المعروف بـالتذكرة في الأحاديث المشتهرة)

The Hadith: The killer leaves no sin upon the victim. In his book of history, Imam Ibn Katheer said: it is a Hadith without a known basis not even with a weak narration. The meaning is sound. (Imam al-Zarkashi, al-Tadhkirah).

حَدِيث: مَا تَرَكَ الْقَاتِلُ عَلَى الْمَقْتُولِ مِنْ ذَنْبٍ، قال ابن كثير في تاريخه: إنه لا يعرف له أصلا، ومعناه صحيح. (المقاصد الحسنة)

The Hadith: The killer leaves no sin upon the victim. In his book of history, Imam Ibn Katheer said: no source is known for it but the meaning is sound. (Imam al-Sakhaawi, al-Maqaasid al-Hasanah).

مَا تَرَكَ الْقَاتِلُ عَلَى المَقْتُولِ مِنْ ذَنْبٍ. قال ابن كثير: لا أصل له. (الدرر المنتثرة في الأحاديث المشتهرة)

The killer leaves no sin upon the victim. Imam Ibn Katheer: said it is baseless. (Imam al-Sakhaawi, al-Maqaasid al-Hasanah).(Imam Jalal al-Deen al-Sayuti).

In the Nass below, Imam Badr al-Deen al-Ayni is quoting an even earlier scholar of Hadith. He quotes Imam al-Khattabi when declaring the narration about ‘the murderer taking all of the victim’s sins’ to be baseless.

قد روى مَا ترك الْقَاتِل على الْمَقْتُول من ذَنْب؟ قلت: هَذَا الحَدِيث لَا أصل لَهُ. قَالَه الْخطابِيّ من الْمُحدثين. (عمدة القاري شرح صحيح البخاري)

‘The killer leaves no sin upon the victim’ has been narrated. I say, this Hadith has no basis. (Imam) al-Khattabi, who was from among the Hadith scholars (also) said this. (Imam Badr al-Deen al-Ayni, Umdatu al-Qari).

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (30.08.23)