What is the ruling on the compensation for a blackened tooth (*al-sinn al-sawdā'*)?
Chapter on Diyat (Blood Money) for Wounds
Al-Mughni
Book of Blood-Money (Diyyāt)
Primary text
The correct view, aligning with the apparent meaning of the narrations and the ruling of Umar ibn al-Khattab, holds that if a tooth becomes blackened due to harm, resulting in the loss of its aesthetic quality and causing it to lose the ability to bite or crumbling, the compensation due from the wrongdoer is one-third of its *diyah*. This is analogous to the crippled hand, as its beauty is marred, resulting in a fixed proportion of compensation.
Supporting text
A secondary interpretation suggests that if the tooth's utility (ability to bite) remains intact and only its color is lost, then the full *diyah* is due, similar to other limbs retaining their function. Furthermore, if the tooth remains functionally capable even if the utility is slightly diminished (such as inability to bite hard objects), the full *diyah* is still due. However, if only the color is lost, some scholars, including Qadi and followers of al-Shafi'i, concede that the full *diyah* is not due if the tooth turns black due to disease after replacement.