Quran 2:178 — Al-Baqara, verse 178
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
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.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِصَاصُ فِي الْقَتْلَى ۖ الْحُرُّ بِالْحُرِّ وَالْعَبْدُ بِالْعَبْدِ وَالْأُنْثَىٰ بِالْأُنْثَىٰ ۚ فَمَنْ عُفِيَ لَهُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ شَيْءٌ فَاتِّبَاعٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَأَدَاءٌ إِلَيْهِ بِإِحْسَانٍ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ تَخْفِيفٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۗ فَمَنِ اعْتَدَىٰ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَلَهُ 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
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- O believers, prescribed for you is retaliation, touching the slain; freeman for freeman, slave for slave, female for female. But if aught is pardoned a man by his brother, let the pursuing be honourable, and let the payment be with kindliness. That is a lightening granted you by your Lord, and a mercy; and for him who commits aggression after that -- for him there awaits a painful chastisement.
- Muhammad Asad
- O YOU who have attained to faith! Just retribution is ordained for you in cases of killing: the free for the free, and the slave for the slave, and the woman for the woman. And if something [of his guilt] is remitted to a guilty person by his brother, this [remission] shall be adhered to with fairness, and restitution to his fellow-man shall be made in a goodly manner. This is an alleviation from your Sustainer, and an act of His grace. And for him who, none the less, wilfully transgresses the bounds of what is right, there is grievous suffering in store:
- Sahih International
- 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.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | يَـٰٓأَيُّهَاyāayyuhā | O you | — |
| 2 | ٱلَّذِينَalladhīna | who | — |
| 3 | ءَامَنُوا۟āmanū | believe[d] | أمن |
| 4 | كُتِبَkutiba | Prescribed | كتب |
| 5 | عَلَيْكُمُʿalaykumu | for you | — |
| 6 | ٱلْقِصَاصُl-qiṣāṣu | (is) the legal retribution | قصص |
| 7 | فِىfī | in | — |
| 8 | ٱلْقَتْلَى ۖl-qatlā | (the matter of) the murdered | قتل |
| 9 | ٱلْحُرُّl-ḥuru | the freeman | حرر |
| 10 | بِٱلْحُرِّbil-ḥuri | for the freeman | حرر |
| 11 | وَٱلْعَبْدُwal-ʿabdu | and the slave | عبد |
| 12 | بِٱلْعَبْدِbil-ʿabdi | for the slave | عبد |
| 13 | وَٱلْأُنثَىٰwal-unthā | and the female | أنث |
| 14 | بِٱلْأُنثَىٰ ۚbil-unthā | for the female | أنث |
| 15 | فَمَنْfaman | But whoever | — |
| 16 | عُفِىَʿufiya | is pardoned | عفو |
| 17 | لَهُۥlahu | [for it] | — |
| 18 | مِنْmin | from | — |
| 19 | أَخِيهِakhīhi | his brother | أخو |
| 20 | شَىْءٌۭshayon | anything | شيأ |
| 21 | فَٱتِّبَاعٌۢfa-ittibāʿun | then follows up | تبع |
| 22 | بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِbil-maʿrūfi | with suitable | عرف |
| 23 | وَأَدَآءٌwa-adāon | [and] payment | أدي |
| 24 | إِلَيْهِilayhi | to him | — |
| 25 | بِإِحْسَـٰنٍۢ ۗbi-iḥ'sānin | with kindness | حسن |
| 26 | ذَٰلِكَdhālika | That (is) | — |
| 27 | تَخْفِيفٌۭtakhfīfun | a concession | خفف |
| 28 | مِّنmin | from | — |
| 29 | رَّبِّكُمْrabbikum | your Lord | ربب |
| 30 | وَرَحْمَةٌۭ ۗwaraḥmatun | and mercy | رحم |
| 31 | فَمَنِfamani | Then whoever | — |
| 32 | ٱعْتَدَىٰiʿ'tadā | transgresses | عدو |
| 33 | بَعْدَbaʿda | after | بعد |
| 34 | ذَٰلِكَdhālika | that | — |
| 35 | فَلَهُۥfalahu | then for him | — |
| 36 | عَذَابٌʿadhābun | (is) a punishment | عذب |
| 37 | أَلِيمٌۭalīmun | painful | ألم |