وَمَن يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُّتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَآؤُهُۥ جَهَنَّمُ خَـٰلِدًا فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُۥ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُۥ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا 93
Translations
But whoever kills a believer intentionally - his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allāh has become angry with him and has cursed him and has prepared for him a great punishment.
Transliteration
Wa man yaqtul mu'minan mutamassidan fa jazā'uhu jahannamu khālidān fīhā wa ghadiba Allāhu alayhi wa la'anahu wa a'adda lahu 'adhāban 'adhīmā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that whoever intentionally kills a believer faces the severe punishment of eternal hellfire, Allah's wrath, and curse. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that the qualifier 'mutammadan' (intentionally) is crucial—it distinguishes premeditated murder from unintentional killing, which has different legal consequences in Islamic law. The severity of the punishment reflects the sanctity of a believer's life in Islam and the gravity of this transgression.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah An-Nisa's broader discussion of rights and prohibitions in the Islamic community. It follows verses concerning inheritance and women's rights, and precedes verse 4:94 which warns against hasty judgments in killing. The context emphasizes the protection of life as a fundamental principle in Islamic law.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever kills a mu'min intentionally, his recompense is Hell-fire, to abide therein; and the Wrath and the Curse of Allah are upon him, and a dreadful chastisement is prepared for him' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1395). Also relevant: 'The greatest sins are to associate partners with Allah, to disobey parents, to commit murder...' (Sahih Bukhari 2653).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that taking an innocent believer's life is among the gravest sins, emphasizing the inviolable sanctity of human life in Islam and the certainty of divine justice for such transgressions. For modern readers, it reinforces personal responsibility and the weightiness of our actions, especially regarding harm to others.
Related Ayahs
وَٱلَّـٰتِى يَأْتِينَ ٱلْفَـٰحِشَةَ مِن نِّسَآئِكُمْ فَٱسْتَشْهِدُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةً مِّنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن شَهِدُوا۟ فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ فِى ٱلْبُيُوتِ حَتَّىٰ يَتَوَفَّىٰهُنَّ ٱلْمَوْتُ أَوْ يَجْعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لَهُنَّ سَبِيلًا
Those who commit immorality [i.e., unlawful sexual intercourse] of your women - bring against them four [witnesses] from among you. And if they testify, confine them [i.e., the guilty women] to houses until death takes them or Allāh ordains for them [another] way.
وَإِذَا حَضَرَ ٱلْقِسْمَةَ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينُ فَٱرْزُقُوهُم مِّنْهُ وَقُولُوا۟ لَهُمْ قَوْلًا مَّعْرُوفًا
And when [other] relatives and orphans and the needy are present at the [time of] division, then provide for them [something] out of it [i.e., the estate] and speak to them words of appropriate kindness.
وَيَسْتَفْتُونَكَ فِى ٱلنِّسَآءِ ۖ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِيهِنَّ وَمَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ فِى يَتَـٰمَى ٱلنِّسَآءِ ٱلَّـٰتِى لَا تُؤْتُونَهُنَّ مَا كُتِبَ لَهُنَّ وَتَرْغَبُونَ أَن تَنكِحُوهُنَّ وَٱلْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ ٱلْوِلْدَٰنِ وَأَن تَقُومُوا۟ لِلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۚ وَمَا تَفْعَلُوا۟ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمًا
And they request from you, [O Muḥammad], a [legal] ruling concerning women. Say, "Allāh gives you a ruling about them and [about] what has been recited to you in the Book concerning the orphan girls to whom you do not give what is decreed for them - and [yet] you desire to marry them - and concerning the oppressed among children and that you maintain for orphans [their rights] in justice." And whatever you do of good - indeed, Allāh is ever Knowing of it.
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ نَصِيبًا مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْجِبْتِ وَٱلطَّـٰغُوتِ وَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ أَهْدَىٰ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ سَبِيلًا
Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture, who believe in jibt [superstition] and ṭāghūt [false objects of worship] and say about the disbelievers, "These are better guided than the believers as to the way"?