What is the religious ruling on the death of a girl who was run over by two cars, the first of which was driven by someone driving correctly, and the second caused her death?

If the first impact from the driver resulted from negligence, he bears responsibility. In the event of two impacts, the ruling differs based on whether both impacts contributed to the death or if one acted independently, and whether each impact was independently fatal.

If one of them was fatal, its perpetrator bears the expiation (kaffarah) and blood money (diyah).

If both were fatal: - If they occurred simultaneously, each driver owes expiation and they share the blood money equally. - If they occurred sequentially, the offense falls upon the first driver because his injury was fatal. If the death was caused by the combined effect of the two impacts, rather than by each individually, then both drivers share the blood money according to their percentage of involvement in the accident.

Ibn Qudamah said: If two individuals commit two offenses: if the first offense removes the victim from the state of life, then the first is the killer, and he is liable for retaliation (qisas) or blood money. If the first offense does not remove the victim from the state of life, then the second is the killer, and he is liable for qisas or diyah.

It states in a research paper by the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta': - If a car hits a person, whether intentionally or by mistake, and another passing car hits him at the same time and he dies: - If the injury from each vehicle would have been fatal independently, then qisas is due from both, or diyah is owed by both equally. - If the injuries occurred sequentially, and the first was fatal, then qisas or diyah is due from the driver of the first car, and the driver of the second car is subject to discretionary punishment (ta'zeer). If the first was not fatal, and death resulted from the second injury, then qisas or diyah is due from the driver of the second car, and the driver of the first car is liable for the injury he caused.

The application of these rulings to real-life situations should be referred to experts and specialists.