Is There Any Atonement Incumbent Upon Me For This Accident?

Question :

Allah, Most Glorified, Most High decreed for me an accident in which my car overturned when I was driving. My family was with me in the car, and my wife died as a result of the car being overturned, and I suffered compound fractures. I request you to deliver a legal verdict for me: Is there any atonement incumbent upon me, such as fasting or charity or anything else, due to the death of my wife in this accident?

Answer:

If you were not negligent in your driving or in anything required by your car, and the accident happened while the condition of your car was normal, and you were driving normally, then there is nothing incumbent upon you, since it is not confirmed that you did anything to cause the accident.

However, if it happened because of one of the things we have mentioned, then you must make atonement. That atonement is to free a believing slave; and if you do not find one, then you must fast for two consecutive months, according to the Words of Allah, Most High:

"It is not for a believer to kill a believer except (that it be) by mistake; and whosoever kills a believer by mistake, (it is ordained that) he must set free a believing slave and a compensation (blood money, i.e. Diya) be given to the deceased's family unless they remit it. If the deceased belonged to a people at war with you and he was a believer, the freeing of a believing slave (is prescribed); and if he belonged to a people with whom you have a treaty of mutual alliance, compensation (blood money - Diya) must be paid to his family, and a believing slave must be freed. And whoso finds this (the penance of freeing a slave) beyond his means, he must fast for two consecutive months in order to seek repentance from Allah. And Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise."

It is not sufficient to feed (the poor) for it.

Allah is the Granter of success. And may peace and blessings be upon Muhammad and upon his family and the Companions.

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