1 Answers
Diya in Islamic law, is the financial compensation paid to the victim or heirs of a victim in the cases of accidental murder, bodily harm or property damage. It is an alternative punishment to qisas. In Arabic, the word means both blood money and ransom, and it is spelled sometimes as diyah or diyeh.
It only applies when victim's family want to compromise with the guilty party; otherwise qisas applies.
Diya compensation rates have historically varied based on the gender and religion of the victim. In the modern era, diya plays a role in the legal system of Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In Iran and Pakistan, the diya is the same for Muslims and non-Muslims, while in Saudi Arabia it differs depending on the religion of the victim.