وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهًا ءَاخَرَ وَلَا يَقْتُلُونَ ٱلنَّفْسَ ٱلَّتِى حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا يَزْنُونَ ۚ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَامًا 68
Translations
And those who do not invoke with Allāh another deity or kill the soul which Allāh has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse. And whoever should do that will meet a penalty.
Transliteration
Wa alladhīna lā yad'ūna ma'a Allāhi ilāhan ākhara wa lā yaqtulūna an-nafsa allatī harrama Allāhu illā bi-al-haqq wa lā yaznūn; wa man yaf'al dhālika yalqa athāmā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the characteristics of the righteous servants of Allah ('ibād ar-Rahmān), emphasizing three major prohibitions: not associating partners with Allah (shirk), not unlawfully taking human life, and avoiding fornication/adultery. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, these represent fundamental violations of Allah's laws, and whoever commits these sins will face severe punishment ('athām - sin and its consequences). The ayah establishes that obedience to Allah encompasses both theological monotheism and moral rectitude in action.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Furqan (Chapter 25), revealed in Mecca during a period of intense persecution of Muslims. The surah contrasts the attributes of the righteous believers with the arrogance and sins of the disbelievers. This specific passage (25:63-77) forms a cohesive section describing the noble characteristics ('ibād ar-Rahmān - servants of the Most Merciful), establishing ethical standards for the Muslim community.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The greatest sins are: to associate partners with Allah, to disobey parents, and to kill a soul which Allah has forbidden to be killed.' (Sahih Bukhari 6811). Additionally, the Prophet emphasized: 'Whoever commits fornication has not believed at that moment' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3175).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that true faith in Allah must be accompanied by ethical conduct; avoiding the major sins (shirk, unlawful killing, and fornication) reflects genuine submission to Allah's will and demonstrates the inseparability of creed from righteous action in Islamic life.
Related Ayahs
ٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ ضَرَبُوا۟ لَكَ ٱلْأَمْثَـٰلَ فَضَلُّوا۟ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ سَبِيلًا
Look how they strike for you comparisons; but they have strayed, so they cannot [find] a way.
وَلَقَدْ أَتَوْا۟ عَلَى ٱلْقَرْيَةِ ٱلَّتِىٓ أُمْطِرَتْ مَطَرَ ٱلسَّوْءِ ۚ أَفَلَمْ يَكُونُوا۟ يَرَوْنَهَا ۚ بَلْ كَانُوا۟ لَا يَرْجُونَ نُشُورًا
And they have already come upon the town which was showered with a rain of evil [i.e., stones]. So have they not seen it? But they are not expecting resurrection.
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ خِلْفَةً لِّمَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يَذَّكَّرَ أَوْ أَرَادَ شُكُورًا
And it is He who has made the night and the day in succession for whoever desires to remember or desires gratitude.
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ مِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلَّآ إِنَّهُمْ لَيَأْكُلُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ وَيَمْشُونَ فِى ٱلْأَسْوَاقِ ۗ وَجَعَلْنَا بَعْضَكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ فِتْنَةً أَتَصْبِرُونَ ۗ وَكَانَ رَبُّكَ بَصِيرًا
And We did not send before you, [O Muḥammad], any of the messengers except that they ate food and walked in the markets. And We have made some of you [people] as trial for others - will you have patience? And ever is your Lord, Seeing.