Grand Ayatollah Shirazi Discusses Taqiyyah in Relation to Murder During Daily Scholarly Session

The daily scholarly session of Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq al-Hosseini al-Shirazi was held on Tuesday, the 9th of Jumada al-Awwal, in his honourable residence in Qom. In this session, as in previous meetings, the Supreme Marja answered attendees’ questions regarding various jurisprudential issues.

Regarding intentional murder, Grand Ayatollah Shirazi stated: In cases of intentional murder, if the perpetrator is rational and has the capacity to choose, they are considered the murderer, while the one who ordered the murder is deemed the instigator.

His Eminence further explained that the act of murder is realized through the presence of the perpetrator, and in all instances, the act’s realization is a prerequisite.

He also emphasized that the instigator must face punishment in this world and will suffer Divine retribution in the hereafter for committing an unlawful act; however, they are not the murderer. If the murder is intentional, there is no retribution (Qisas) required, nor is blood money (Diyah) owed by them.

Grand Ayatollah Shirazi clarified that if a person is threatened with death and coerced into killing another, it is not permissible to kill that individual, as Taqiyyah does not allow for the shedding of blood, and coercion does not serve as justification for murder.