An Islamic Jurisprudential Assessment of the Challenges in Determining the Reparations for Partial Loss of Speech

The injury to speech without damage to the physical structure of the tongue represents a significant issue within expert evaluations and judicial proceedings. The determination of diyah (reparations) for such injuries, from the perspective of Islamic jurisprudence and traditions, is based on the twenty-eight letters of the Arabic alphabet. There are several challenges and ambiguities regarding this ruling that require thorough examination. The applicability of Arabic letters as a standard for all languages, the total number of Arabic letters, the role of non-verbal elements, and the criteria for speech impairment or the loss of letters all contribute to the complexities of this issue. This study analyzes the existing challenges and provides conclusions. Accordingly, in all languages, the twenty-eight letters of the Arabic alphabet serve as the standard for determining blood money, except in languages where this metric cannot be applied; in such cases, the injury will be categorized as a subject of arsh (compensation). While the actual number of Arabic letters is twenty-nine, according to the traditions, the letter "alif" and the hamzah should be considered as one letter, resulting in the division of diyah into twenty-eight parts. There is no distinction between linguistic and non-linguistic letters in determining diyah and arsh for partial loss of speech; all letters equally contribute to the diyah. The criterion for the loss of speech is the ability to articulate letters, and diyah is determined based on this capacity, rather than the ability to produce speech.