وَكَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهَآ أَنَّ ٱلنَّفْسَ بِٱلنَّفْسِ وَٱلْعَيْنَ بِٱلْعَيْنِ وَٱلْأَنفَ بِٱلْأَنفِ وَٱلْأُذُنَ بِٱلْأُذُنِ وَٱلسِّنَّ بِٱلسِّنِّ وَٱلْجُرُوحَ قِصَاصٌ ۚ فَمَن تَصَدَّقَ بِهِۦ فَهُوَ كَفَّارَةٌ لَّهُۥ ۚ وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ 45
Translations
And We ordained for them therein a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and for wounds is legal retribution. But whoever gives [up his right as] charity, it is an expiation for him. And whoever does not judge by what Allāh has revealed - then it is those who are the wrongdoers [i.e., the unjust].
Transliteration
Wa katabna 'alayhim feeha anna an-nafsa bi-an-nafsi wa-al-'aina bi-al-'ayni wa-al-anfa bi-al-anfi wa-al-udhuna bi-al-udhuni wa-as-sinna bi-as-sinni wa-al-jurooha qisasun. Faman tasaddaqa bihi fahuwa kaffaratun lahu. Wa man lam yahkum bima anzala Allahu fa-ula'ika humu adh-dhalimun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes the principle of Qisas (just retaliation) prescribed in the Torah for the Children of Israel, stipulating equivalence in retribution for injuries: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, and other injuries in kind. However, the ayah emphasizes the merciful option of forgiveness and compensation as an expiation of sins for the victim who chooses clemency. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that this verse also condemns those who reject Allah's prescribed law in favor of their own desires, categorizing them among the oppressors (dhalimuun).
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Ma'idah, revealed in Medina during the later Meccan period, addressing the Muslim community's legal and ethical responsibilities. The verse references the Torah's law of retaliation, contextualizing Islamic jurisprudence within the Abrahamic legal tradition while emphasizing the superiority of mercy and forgiveness as higher moral virtues.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever shows mercy will be shown mercy by Allah. Show mercy to those on earth, and the One in the heavens will show mercy to you.' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1924). Additionally, the principle of Qisas is detailed in hadith collections regarding the rights of the victim and the conditions for its application (Sahih Bukhari, Book of Diyat).
Themes
Key Lesson
While justice demands accountability for wrongdoing, Islam elevates mercy and forgiveness as a path to spiritual purification and divine favor. Believers are encouraged to seek justice through the legal system while recognizing that pardoning others—especially when they have wronged us—is a noble act that brings us closer to Allah's attributes of mercy.
Related Ayahs
وَلْيَحْكُمْ أَهْلُ ٱلْإِنجِيلِ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فِيهِ ۚ وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ
And let the People of the Gospel judge by what Allāh has revealed therein. And whoever does not judge by what Allāh has revealed - then it is those who are the defiantly disobedient.
فَطَوَّعَتْ لَهُۥ نَفْسُهُۥ قَتْلَ أَخِيهِ فَقَتَلَهُۥ فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ
And his soul permitted to him the murder of his brother, so he killed him and became among the losers.
يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْضَ ٱلْمُقَدَّسَةَ ٱلَّتِى كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَرْتَدُّوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا۟ خَـٰسِرِينَ
O my people, enter the blessed land [i.e., Palestine] which Allāh has assigned to you and do not turn back [from fighting in Allāh's cause] and [thus] become losers."
۞ جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْكَعْبَةَ ٱلْبَيْتَ ٱلْحَرَامَ قِيَـٰمًا لِّلنَّاسِ وَٱلشَّهْرَ ٱلْحَرَامَ وَٱلْهَدْىَ وَٱلْقَلَـٰٓئِدَ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِتَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
Allāh has made the Kaʿbah, the Sacred House, standing for the people and [has sanctified] the sacred months and the sacrificial animals and the garlands [by which they are identified]. That is so you may know that Allāh knows what is in the heavens and what is in the earth and that Allāh is Knowing of all things.