Surah Al-Baqarah (البقرة) • The Cow

Quran 2:178

2:178

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْقِصَاصُ فِى ٱلْقَتْلَى ۖ ٱلْحُرُّ بِٱلْحُرِّ وَٱلْعَبْدُ بِٱلْعَبْدِ وَٱلْأُنثَىٰ بِٱلْأُنثَىٰ ۚ فَمَنْ عُفِىَ لَهُۥ مِنْ أَخِيهِ شَىْءٌ فَٱتِّبَاعٌۢ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَأَدَآءٌ إِلَيْهِ بِإِحْسَـٰنٍ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ تَخْفِيفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۗ فَمَنِ ٱعْتَدَىٰ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَلَهُۥ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū kutiba ʿalaykumu l-qiṣāṣu fī l-qatlā l-ḥuru bil-ḥuri wal-ʿabdu bil-ʿabdi wal-unthā bil-unthā faman ʿufiya lahu min akhīhi shayon fa-ittibāʿun bil-maʿrūfi wa-adāon ilayhi bi-iḥ'sānin dhālika takhfīfun min rabbikum waraḥmatun famani iʿ'tadā baʿda dhālika falahu ʿadhābun alīmun

O you who have believed, prescribed for you is legal retribution for those murdered - the free for the free, the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. But whoever overlooks from his brother [i.e., the killer] anything, then there should be a suitable follow-up and payment to him [i.e., the deceased's heir or legal representative] with good conduct. This is an alleviation from your Lord and a mercy. But whoever transgresses after that will have a painful punishment.

— Saheeh International

You who believe, fair retribution is prescribed for you in cases of murder: the free man for the free man, the slave for the slave, the female for the female. But if the culprit is pardoned by his aggrieved brother, this shall be adhered to fairly, and the culprit shall pay what is due in a good way. This is an alleviation from your Lord and an act of mercy. If anyone then exceeds these limits, grievous suffering awaits him.

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

O you who believe! Al-Qisâs (the Law of Equality in punishment) is prescribed for you in case of murder: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. But if the killer is forgiven by the brother (or the relatives, etc.) of the killed against blood-money, then adhering to it with fairness and payment of the blood-money to the heir should be made in fairness. This is an alleviation and a mercy from your Lord. So after this whoever transgresses the limits (i.e. kills the killer after taking the blood-money), he shall have a painful torment.

— Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

Juz 2Page 27medinan

Word by Word

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَاyāayyuhāO you
ٱلَّذِينَalladhīnawho
ءَامَنُوا۟āmanūbelieve[d]
كُتِبَkutibaPrescribed
عَلَيْكُمُʿalaykumufor you
ٱلْقِصَاصُl-qiṣāṣu(is) the legal retribution
فِىfīin
ٱلْقَتْلَىۖl-qatlā(the matter of) the murdered
ٱلْحُرُّl-ḥuruthe freeman
بِٱلْحُرِّbil-ḥurifor the freeman
وَٱلْعَبْدُwal-ʿabduand the slave
بِٱلْعَبْدِbil-ʿabdifor the slave
وَٱلْأُنثَىٰwal-unthāand the female
بِٱلْأُنثَىٰۚbil-unthāfor the female
فَمَنْfamanBut whoever
عُفِىَʿufiyais pardoned
لَهُۥlahu[for it]
مِنْminfrom
أَخِيهِakhīhihis brother
شَىْءٌۭshayonanything
فَٱتِّبَاعٌۢfa-ittibāʿunthen follows up
بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِbil-maʿrūfiwith suitable
وَأَدَآءٌwa-adāon[and] payment
إِلَيْهِilayhito him
بِإِحْسَـٰنٍۢۗbi-iḥ'sāninwith kindness
ذَٰلِكَdhālikaThat (is)
تَخْفِيفٌۭtakhfīfuna concession
مِّنminfrom
رَّبِّكُمْrabbikumyour Lord
وَرَحْمَةٌۭۗwaraḥmatunand mercy
فَمَنِfamaniThen whoever
ٱعْتَدَىٰiʿ'tadātransgresses
بَعْدَbaʿdaafter
ذَٰلِكَdhālikathat
فَلَهُۥfalahuthen for him
عَذَابٌʿadhābun(is) a punishment
أَلِيمٌۭalīmunpainful