What is the required *Diyah* (blood money) for injuring the eye of a person who is already blind in the other eye (an one-eyed person)?
Chapter on Diyat (Blood Money) for Wounds
Al-Mughni
Book of Blood-Money (Diyyāt)
Primary text
The full *diyah* is mandatory for injuring the eye of a person already blind in the other eye. This is the opinion held by Al-Zuhri, Malik, Al-Layth, Qatadah, and Ishaq. The primary evidence rests on the consensus (*Ijma*) established by the rulings of Umar, Uthman, Ali, and Ibn Umar, who ruled the full *diyah* in such cases. Furthermore, removing the eye of a one-eyed person results in the complete loss of sight, necessitating the full *diyah*, just as if both eyes were removed. The remaining single eye retains functions like perceiving distant objects, discerning fine details, enabling the person to act as a judge or witness, and fulfilling requirements for atonement (*kaffarah*) or sacrifice (*udhiyah*), thus justifying the full *diyah* for the lost sight.
Supporting text
A dissenting opinion holds that only half the *diyah* is required. This view is supported by Masruq, Abdullah ibn Mughaffal, Al-Nakha'i, Al-Thawri, Abu Hanifa, and Al-Shafi'i. Their evidence is based on the Prophet's statements: 'And for the eye is fifty camels' and 'And for the two eyes is the full *diyah*,' which they interpret to mean the maximum liability for one eye is half the total *diyah*, regardless of whether the victim was already one-eyed. They further argue analogously to the ear, where loss of one ear results in half the *diyah* even if the other remains, suggesting the same logic applies to the eye.