Is retaliation for an eye injury restricted by the characteristics of the injured party or the assailant?

Chapter on Retaliation (Qawad)

Al-Mughni

Book of Wounds

Book 47 · Issue 3 · Bab 2

Open in Qurani

Primary text

Retaliation for an eye injury involves equality in effect but not necessarily in physical state or age. The eye of a young man can be exacted in retribution for the eye of an old, ailing man, and the eye of an old person in exchange for the eye of a young or blind person. However, a sound eye may not be taken in retribution for an eye that is completely destroyed (Qa'imah), because doing so would involve taking more than what is due as compensation.