What is the ruling on a third person who, unintentionally, caused a non-Muslim to kill a Muslim, while feeling guilty because he is ill and his illness affects his thinking? Is he considered a killer or a cause of killing, and does this entail blood money or expiation?

A person who reported something without intending to incite murder is not considered a murderer or an accomplice. The blood money (diyah) and the crime of murder are incumbent upon the one who directly committed the killing, not upon the one who slandered or caused it.

However, if the slander was a false testimony that led to murder, then the witness is liable for blood money or retribution (qisas). Al-Dasuqi stated in his commentary: "And blood money if they testified to a killing, even if they intentionally committed perjury in their testimony according to Ibn al-Qasim. Ashhab said: 'They should be executed by retribution in cases of intentional killing.' The author said: 'This is closer, because they killed a soul without any ambiguity.'"

Ibn Asim mentioned in "Tuhfat al-Hukkam": "And the perjurer, by consensus, is made to pay in all circumstances; punishment is incumbent upon him." He explained that Ibn al-Qasim holds the view that the perjurer should pay blood money, while Ashhab believes in retribution (qisas) for the witness if he falsely testified to murder or intentional injury, and this is subsequently proven.