وَلَكُمْ فِى ٱلْقِصَاصِ حَيَوٰةٌ يَـٰٓأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ 179
Translations
And there is for you in legal retribution [saving of] life, O you [people] of understanding, that you may become righteous.
Transliteration
Wa lakum fil-qisāsi ḥayawatun yā ʾulī al-albāb laʿallakum tattaqūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that in the law of retaliation (qisāṣ) there is life and preservation for society, addressing those of understanding and intellect. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain that the deterrent effect of capital punishment for murder prevents people from committing such crimes, thereby preserving the lives of the community as a whole. Al-Qurṭubī emphasizes that this is a merciful divine law, as the fear of proportional punishment restrains the transgressor and protects the innocent.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the section of Surah Al-Baqarah (verses 178-179) that details laws of retaliation and justice in Islamic jurisprudence. The Medinan context reflects the establishment of formal legal systems in the Muslim community, with these verses providing the foundation for criminal justice principles in Islam.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely' (Quran 5:32, related in spirit to this ayah). Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet emphasized the sanctity of life and the gravity of murder as one of the greatest sins.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that strict justice systems serve humanitarian purposes by deterring crime and preserving community life, not merely as punishment but as a merciful preservation of society. For modern readers, it emphasizes that accountability and consequences, when applied fairly and proportionally, ultimately protect the vulnerable and maintain social stability rooted in the fear and consciousness of Allah.