وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلنَّفْسَ ٱلَّتِى حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ ۗ وَمَن قُتِلَ مَظْلُومًا فَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا لِوَلِيِّهِۦ سُلْطَـٰنًا فَلَا يُسْرِف فِّى ٱلْقَتْلِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ مَنصُورًا 33
Translations
And do not kill the soul [i.e., person] which Allāh has forbidden, except by right. And whoever is killed unjustly - We have given his heir authority, but let him not exceed limits in [the matter of] taking life. Indeed, he has been supported [by the law].
Transliteration
Wa lā taqtulū an-nafsa allati harrama Allāhu illā bil-haqq, wa man qutila mazlūman faqad ja'alnā li-waliyyihi sultānan falā yusrif fī al-qatl, innahu kāna mansūrā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah prohibits unlawful killing of human beings, which Allah has declared sacred, except with right cause (such as just punishment or lawful self-defense). It then addresses the guardian or heir of a murdered person, granting them the right of qisas (retaliation) but commanding them not to exceed bounds in killing, warning against excessive vengeance. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that while the murdered person's family has the right to seek justice, they must remain within the limits set by Islamic law and may choose diya (blood money) or pardon instead.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Isra (a Meccan surah), which addresses fundamental moral laws and commandments. It appears within a series of prohibitions and obligations establishing the pillars of Islamic ethics. The broader context emphasizes the inviolability of human life as a principle established from the time of the Children of Israel, connecting it to Islamic jurisprudence on homicide.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever kills a person without right, it is as if he has killed all of mankind' (Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:32, also referenced in hadiths). Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet emphasized that the killer in a qisas case must not torture or mutilate the body, reinforcing the prohibition against excess.
Themes
Key Lesson
While Islamic law grants the right to seek justice for murder through retaliation, it simultaneously restrains excess and encourages mercy, reflecting Islam's balance between justice and compassion. Modern believers should recognize that legitimate grievances must be pursued through lawful channels with moderation, never allowing personal vengeance to override Islamic ethical boundaries.
Related Ayahs
وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَٱلْبَصَرَ وَٱلْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْـُٔولًا
And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned.
عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يَرْحَمَكُمْ ۚ وَإِنْ عُدتُّمْ عُدْنَا ۘ وَجَعَلْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ حَصِيرًا
[Then Allāh said], "It is expected, [if you repent], that your Lord will have mercy upon you. But if you return [to sin], We will return [to punishment]. And We have made Hell, for the disbelievers, a prison-bed."
وَكُلَّ إِنسَـٰنٍ أَلْزَمْنَـٰهُ طَـٰٓئِرَهُۥ فِى عُنُقِهِۦ ۖ وَنُخْرِجُ لَهُۥ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ كِتَـٰبًا يَلْقَىٰهُ مَنشُورًا
And [for] every person We have imposed his fate upon his neck, and We will produce for him on the Day of Resurrection a record which he will encounter spread open.
وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلَّيْلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ ءَايَتَيْنِ ۖ فَمَحَوْنَآ ءَايَةَ ٱلَّيْلِ وَجَعَلْنَآ ءَايَةَ ٱلنَّهَارِ مُبْصِرَةً لِّتَبْتَغُوا۟ فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَلِتَعْلَمُوا۟ عَدَدَ ٱلسِّنِينَ وَٱلْحِسَابَ ۚ وَكُلَّ شَىْءٍ فَصَّلْنَـٰهُ تَفْصِيلًا
And We have made the night and day two signs, and We erased the sign of the night and made the sign of the day visible that you may seek bounty from your Lord and may know the number of years and the account [of time]. And everything We have set out in detail.