2. Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 178

O you who believe, equivalent execution in warfare has been decreed for you in the case of mass killings; the free for the free, and the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. Whoever is forgiven anything by his brother, then it is to be followed with good deeds and kindness towards him; that is an alleviation from your Lord, and a mercy. Whoever transgresses after that, he will have a painful retribution.

(Security of life is the cornerstone of a civilized society. ) O You who have chosen to be graced with belief! QISAAS (The Law of Just Recompense) has been prescribed for you in dealing with murder. If a free person has committed murder, that free person will face the Law. If a slave has committed murder, that slave will face the Law. And if a woman has committed murder, that woman will face the Law. (The status of the victim or that of the offender, whether they are free men and women or those in bondage, will have no bearing before the Justice System). If the victim's kin pardons the guilty, he must be appreciative and pay an equitable compensation to the kin in handsome gratitude. This pardon is a concession from your Lord and Mercy. Whoever, after this, trespasses this Law will have a painful doom (through the court of law and in the Court of Allah). (For full aspects please see (4:92-93), (5:32), (17:33), (42:40)).

O you who heed warning: just requital is ordained for you concerning those killed: the freeman for the freeman, and the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. But whoso is pardoned anything by his brother, let the pursuance be according to what is fitting and the payment to him with good conduct; that is an alleviation and mercy from your Lord. And whoso transgresses after that, he has a painful punishment.

O you who believe, equivalence has been decreed for you in the case of those who are slain; the free for the free, and the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. Whoever is forgiven anything by his brother, then it is to be followed with kindness and goodness towards him; that is an alleviation from your Lord, and a mercy. Whoever transgresses after that, he will have a painful retribution.

O you who acknowledge, equivalent execution has been decreed for you in the cases of killings: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. Whoever is forgiven anything by his brother, then it is to be followed with good deeds and kindness towards him; that is alleviation from your Lord, and a mercy. Whoever transgresses after that, he will have a painful retribution.

You who have iman! retaliation is prescribed for you in the case of people killed: free man for free man, slave for slave, female for female. But if someone is absolved by his brother, blood-money should be claimed with correctness and paid with good will. That is an easement and a mercy from your Lord. Anyone who goes beyond the limits after this will receive a painful punishment.

O you who believe, equivalence is the law decreed for you when dealing with murder - the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the female for the female. If one is pardoned by the victim's kin, an appreciative response is in order, and an equitable compensation shall be paid. This is an alleviation from your Lord and mercy. Anyone who transgresses beyond this incurs a painful retribution.

O believers, ordained for you is retribution for the murdered, (whether) a free man (is guilty) of (the murder of) a free man, or a slave of a slave, or a woman of a woman. But he who is pardoned some of it by his brother should be dealt with equity, and recompense (for blood) paid with a grace. This is a concession from your Lord and a kindness. He who transgresses in spite of it shall suffer painful punishment.

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 anything, then there should be a suitable follow-up and payment to him with good conduct. This is an alleviation from your Lord and a mercy. But whoever transgresses after that will have a painful punishment.

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:

O ye who believe! Retaliation is prescribed for you in the matter of the murdered; the freeman for the freeman, and the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. And for him who is forgiven somewhat by his (injured) brother, prosecution according to usage and payment unto him in kindness. This is an alleviation and a mercy from your Lord. He who transgresseth after this will have a painful doom.

O you who believe with faithful hearts, a prescriptive rule for retaliation is decreed for you to observe in the case of wilful murder as thus: a free man enjoying civil liberty for a free man enjoying civil liberty, a servant divested of freedom and personal rights for a slave with identical circumstances, a woman for a woman of the same social position. But if a brother (co-religionist) is in a position to forgive, then forgiveness should go hand in hand with sound Judgement and the demands should be agreeable to reason as judged appropriate to the circumstances. And the blood guilty should answer the demand in good will, with liberality and generosity. This is an admission of relaxation advanced by Allah, your Creator, in mercy to you. But he who transgresses thereafter shall be put to the torment.

The capital punishment is hereby declared as a law for you the believers. The man or the woman who has committed the murder, regardless of his/her social status, should face the death. The victim’s kin, however, may pardon the murderer. An appreciative response, in the form of blood money, will be then in order. This leniency (turning the criminal case into a civil case) indicates how merciful God is [the State, therefore, does not have any right to prosecute the murderer on criminal basis.] Once the blood money is paid, those who recourse to retaliation (the relatives, state or any interested party) should know that they are invoking God’s anger.

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.

O ye who believe! the law of equality is prescribed to you in cases of murder: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the woman for the woman. But if any remission is made by the brother of the slain, then grant any reasonable demand, and compensate him with handsome gratitude, this is a concession and a Mercy from your Lord. After this whoever exceeds the limits shall be in grave penalty.

O believers! ˹The law of˺ retaliation is set for you in cases of murder—a free man for a free man, a slave for a slave, and a female for a female.[1] But if the offender is pardoned by the victim’s guardian,[2] then blood-money should be decided fairly[3] and payment should be made courteously. This is a concession and a mercy from your Lord. But whoever transgresses after that will suffer a painful punishment.

O you who believe, QiSāS has been prescribed for you in the case of murdered people: The freeman (will be killed) for the freeman, the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. However, if one is somewhat forgiven by his brother, the recourse (of the latter) is to pursue the former (for blood money) with fairness, and the obligation (of the former) is to pay (it) to the latter in a nice way. That is a relief from your Lord, and a mercy. So, whoever transgresses after all that will have a painful punishment.

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.

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.

O ye who believe! Retaliation is prescribed for you for the slain: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the female for the female; yet he who is pardoned at all by his brother, must be prosecuted in reason, and made to pay with kindness. That is an alleviation from your Lord, and a mercy; and he who transgresses after that for him is grievous woe.

O you who believe! Retaliation (or the Law of Equivalence) is prescribed for you. In cases of murder: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the female for the female; yet he who is pardoned at all by the brother of the slain, then grant any reasonable demand and compensate him with kindness. That is a concession and a mercy from your Lord; and he who transgresses after that for him is grievous woe.

O you who have believed, prescribed for you is retaliation concerning (the ones) killed: the freeman for the freeman, and the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. Yet whoever is offered anything in clemency by his brother, then the close following after should be with beneficence, and the payment back to him should be with fairness. This (Literally: That) is a lightening from your Lord and a mercy; then, he who transgresses after that, then he will have a painful torment.

O true believers, the law of retaliation is ordained you for the slain: The free shall die for the free, and the servant for the servant, and a woman for a woman: But he whom his brother shall forgive, may be prosecuted, and obliged to make satisfaction according to what is just, and a fine shall be set on him with humanity. This is indulgence from your Lord, and mercy. And he who shall transgress after this, by killing the murderer, shall suffer a grievous punishment.

O you who believe! The Law of Equality is to be followed by you, in cases of murder: The free for the free, the slave for the slave, the woman for the woman. But if any remission is made by the brother of the slain, then grant any reasonable demand, and compensate him with handsome gratitude. This is a concession and a Mercy from your Lord. After this whoever exceeds the limits shall be in grave penalty.

O you who believe! equitable retaliation has been ordained for you in (the matter of) the slain. (Everyone shall pay for his own crime, ) the freeman (murderer) for the freeman (murdered), and the slave (murderer) for the slave (murdered), and the female (murderer) for the female (murdered), but who has been granted any remission by his (aggrieved) brother (or family) then pursuing (of the matter) shall be done with equity and fairness, and the payment (of the blood money) to him (the heir) should be made in a handsome manner. This is an alleviation from your Lord and a mercy. But he who exceeds the limits after this (commandment), for him is a grievous punishment.

O you who have faith! Retribution is prescribed for you regarding the slain: freeman for freeman, slave for slave, and female for female. But if one is granted any extenuation by his brother, let the follow up [for the blood-money] be honourable, and let the payment to him be with kindness. That is a remission from your Lord and a mercy; and should anyone transgress after that, there shall be a painful punishment for him.