diyāt] Blood money, indemnity or compensation diya as a

Diya (Ar.) [pl. diyāt] Blood money, indemnity or compensation for injury or death. The Qur'ān, in v.45 of Sūrat al-Mā'ida (q.v.), draws attention to the Judaic law which is stated to have enjoined a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and retaliation for inflicted wounds. (The verse also indicates that the wronged party could forego what was due.) Islam continued the Arabs' substitution of money, or goods which could, for example, be camels, in place of any rigid application of a lex talionis. Today, in those areas where Islamic law prevails, modern practice defines the diya as a variable quantity of money. (See Qisās.) Doctrine See 'Aqīda; Arkān; Dīn; Islām.