Resolution No. (260) (13/2018) by the Board of Iftaa`, Research and Islamic Studies:
"Liability in Run-Over Accidents"
Date: (8/Ramadan/1439 AH), corresponding to (24/5/2018).
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds, and may His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
During its eighth session held on the above date, the Board reviewed the question sent by one of the citizens and it read as follows:
Should the driver, who is observing lane discipline and moving within the assigned speed limit, be held liable for running over a child who popped up from between cars or from the sidewalk?
After deliberating, the Board decided the following:
Islamic jurisprudence has addressed the issue of liability in traffic accidents with a spectrum of generally agreed upon rules. One of these is that when initiation and cause of damage are combined, the person causing the accident shouldn`t be held liable unless there is misconduct/transgression on his/her part. "The initiator should bear liability in case he/she has or hasn`t transgressed." {Al-Enayah Shareh Al-Hidayah, vol.10/pp.325}. Moreover, "The initiator is liable even if he/she hasn`t transgressed while the person causing the accident isn`t unless he/she has transgressed." {Maj`ma` Ad-Damanat, 146}.
In principle, rulings on traffic accidents depend on the traffic sketch issued by the appropriate departments based on what has actually happened, and so this report determinesliability or non-liability and its percentage.
As for accidents in which the driver is free from liability: abided by traffic regulations, speed limit and paid attention to the road, the situation of the person who has been run over is checked in terms of being negligent or not. Based on this, there are two case scenarios:
Either the driver or the victim initiated the collision. If the initiation was accompanied by some kind of negligence on the part of the driver then the latter should be held liable.
However, if the driver hasn`t committed any act of negligence or violation that could make him bear part of the liability, there was no chance that he could avoid the accident, and the victim (Person run over) was fully negligent, then the formeris neither held liable nor pays an expiation, as determined by the Sharia maxim: "Permissibility eliminates liability." Resolution (71/1993) by the International Islamic Fiqh Academy stated: "Car accidents undergo the rulings of criminology stipulated in Sharia……freedom from liability is granted only in the following situations: (One of them): The accident was due to the victim`s negligence and transgression, so it is his/her liability."
In conclusion, liability in run-over accidents should be borne by the negligent party. And Allah Knows Best.
The Iftaa` Board (2017)
Chairperson: Dr Mohammad al-Khalayleh, Grand Mufti of Jordan
Sheikh AbdulkareemKhasawneh/ Member
Prof. Abdullah Al-Fawaz
Dr. Ahmad Al-Hasanat/ Member
Dr. Moh. Khair Al-Esa/ Member
Dr. Majid Drawsheh/ Member
Sheikh Sa`eidHijawi/ Member
Judge Khalid Woraikat/ Member
Dr. Mohammad Al-Zou`bi/ Member