Skip to content
Assabile
English

Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 178

سورة البقرة، الآية ١٧٨

2:178 Juz 2 Hizb 3 Page 27 of the mushaf Medinan surah

Text of verse 2:178

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْقِصَاصُ فِى ٱلْقَتْلَى ٱلْحُرُّ بِٱلْحُرِّ وَٱلْعَبْدُ بِٱلْعَبْدِ وَٱلْأُنثَىٰ بِٱلْأُنثَىٰ فَمَنْ عُفِىَ لَهُۥ مِنْ أَخِيهِ شَىْءٌ فَٱتِّبَاعٌۢ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَأَدَآءٌ إِلَيْهِ بِإِحْسَٰنٍ ذَٰلِكَ تَخْفِيفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ فَمَنِ ٱعْتَدَىٰ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَلَهُۥ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ۝١٧٨

Transliteration

yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū kutiba ʿalaykumu l-qiṣāṣu fī l-qatlā l-ḥuru bil-ḥuri wal-ʿabdu bil-ʿabdi wal-unthā bil-unthā faman ʿufiya lahu min akhīhi shayon fa-ittibāʿun bil-maʿrūfi wa-adāon ilayhi bi-iḥ'sānin dhālika takhfīfun min rabbikum waraḥmatun famani iʿ'tadā baʿda dhālika falahu ʿadhābun alīmun

Translation

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.61 But whoever overlooks from his brother [i.e., the killer] anything,62 then there should be a suitable follow-up and payment to him [i.e., the deceased's heir or legal representative] with good conduct. This is an alleviation from your Lord and a mercy. But whoever transgresses after that63 will have a painful punishment.

Notes

[61] No one else should be executed in place of the killer.
[62] By accepting compensation payment rather than execution.
[63] After acceptance of compensation.

Translation in another language
Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary Read in the surah

Verse 178 of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:178), a Medinan surah, is in juz 2, on page 27 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 69 reciters.

Listen to verse 178 of Surah Al-Baqarah

75 recitations by 69 reciters: pick one and it plays in the player.

All voices (75)

Tafsir of verse 178

Al-Mukhtasar

O you who have faith in Allah and follow His Messenger, it is decreed for you that in cases where someone deliberately attacks and kills someone, the punishment for the murderer should be the same as their crime: the freeman killed for the freeman; the slave for the slave; and the female for the female. If the person killed had forgiven before his death, or his guardian has forgiven in return for the payment of blood money (a sum of money paid by the murderer in return for being pardoned), then the person who forgives should ask for the sum of money fairly, and not follow that up with insult or injury, and the murderer should pay the sum of money in a good way, without hesitation or delay. In allowing this forgiveness and the payment of the blood money your Lord makes things easier for you, and this is a mercy for the Muslim nation. Whoever attacks the murderer after his pardon and the acceptance of the blood money will receive a painful punishment from Allah.

Tafsir of the whole Surah Al-Baqarah

Other translations of verse 178

O you who believe, legal retribution is prescribed for you in cases of murder – a free for a free, a slave for a slave, and a female for a female. But if one is pardoned by the victim’s guardian, then a fair ransom of blood money should be set and paid in the best way. This is a concession and a mercy from your Lord. But whoever transgresses the limits afterward, will have a painful punishment.

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! 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 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 you who believe! retaliation is prescribed for you in the matter of the slain, the free for the free, and the slave for the slave, and the female for the female, but if any remission is made to any one by his (aggrieved) brother, then prosecution (for the bloodwit) should be made according to usage, and payment should be made to him in a good manner; this is an alleviation from your Lord and a mercy; so whoever exceeds the limit after this he shall have a painful chastisement.

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.

Verse 178 word by word

  1. يَٰٓأَيُّهَا yāayyuhā O you أ ي ي
  2. ٱلَّذِينَ alladhīna who
  3. ءَامَنُوا۟ āmanū believe[d] أ م ن
  4. كُتِبَ kutiba Prescribed ك ت ب
  5. عَلَيْكُمُ ʿalaykumu for you
  6. ٱلْقِصَاصُ l-qiṣāṣu (is) the legal retribution ق ص ص
  7. فِى fī in
  8. ٱلْقَتْلَى l-qatlā (the matter of) the murdered ق ت ل
  9. ٱلْحُرُّ l-ḥuru the freeman ح ر ر
  10. بِٱلْحُرِّ bil-ḥuri for the freeman ح ر ر
  11. وَٱلْعَبْدُ wal-ʿabdu and the slave ع ب د
  12. بِٱلْعَبْدِ bil-ʿabdi for the slave ع ب د
  13. وَٱلْأُنثَىٰ wal-unthā and the female أ ن ث
  14. بِٱلْأُنثَىٰ bil-unthā for the female أ ن ث
  15. فَمَنْ faman But whoever
  16. عُفِىَ ʿufiya is pardoned ع ف و
  17. لَهُۥ lahu [for it]
  18. مِنْ min from
  19. أَخِيهِ akhīhi his brother أ خ و
  20. شَىْءٌ shayon anything ش ي أ
  21. فَٱتِّبَاعٌۢ fa-ittibāʿun then follows up ت ب ع
  22. بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ bil-maʿrūfi with suitable ع ر ف
  23. وَأَدَآءٌ wa-adāon [and] payment أ د ي
  24. إِلَيْهِ ilayhi to him
  25. بِإِحْسَٰنٍ bi-iḥ'sānin with kindness ح س ن
  26. ذَٰلِكَ dhālika That (is)
  27. تَخْفِيفٌ takhfīfun a concession خ ف ف
  28. مِّن min from
  29. رَّبِّكُمْ rabbikum your Lord ر ب ب
  30. وَرَحْمَةٌ waraḥmatun and mercy ر ح م
  31. فَمَنِ famani Then whoever
  32. ٱعْتَدَىٰ iʿ'tadā transgresses ع د و
  33. بَعْدَ baʿda after ب ع د
  34. ذَٰلِكَ dhālika that
  35. فَلَهُۥ falahu then for him
  36. عَذَابٌ ʿadhābun (is) a punishment ع ذ ب
  37. أَلِيمٌ alīmun painful أ ل م

Hadiths that cite this verse

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 4498

The law of Qisas (i.e. equality in punishment) was prescribed for the children of Israel, but the Diya (i.e. blood money was not ordained for them). So Allah said to this Nation (i.e. Muslims): "O you who believe! The law of Al-Qisas (i.e. equality in punishment) is prescribed for you in cases of…

كَانَ فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ الْقِصَاصُ، وَلَمْ تَكُنْ فِيهِمُ الدِّيَةُ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى لِهَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ ‏‏‏{‏كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِصَاصُ فِي الْقَتْلَى الْحُرُّ بِالْحُرِّ وَالْعَبْدُ بِالْعَبْدِ…

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās + 2 other versions

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 6881

For the children of Israel the punishment for crime was Al-Qisas only (i.e., the law of equality in punishment) and the payment of Blood money was not permitted as an alternate. But Allah said to this nation (Muslims): 'O you who believe! Qisas is prescribed for you in case of murder, .....(up to)…

كَانَتْ فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قِصَاصٌ، وَلَمْ تَكُنْ فِيهِمُ الدِّيَةُ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ لِهَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ ‏‏{‏كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِصَاصُ فِي الْقَتْلَى‏}‏ إِلَى هَذِهِ الآيَةِ ‏‏{‏فَمَنْ عُفِيَ لَهُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ…

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās + 2 other versions

Authentic Sunan an-Nasa'i 4781

"There was Qisas among the Children of Israel, but Diyah was unknown among them. Then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed: "Al-Qisas (the law of equality in punishment) is prescribed for your in case of murder: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, and the female for the female." Up…

كَانَ فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ الْقِصَاصُ وَلَمْ تَكُنْ فِيهِمُ الدِّيَةُ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ‏‏{‏ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِصَاصُ فِي الْقَتْلَى الْحُرُّ بِالْحُرِّ وَالْعَبْدُ بِالْعَبْدِ وَالأُنْثَى…

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās + 2 other versions

Differing grades Sunan an-Nasa'i 4782

"Al-Qisas (the Law of Equality in punishment) is prescribed for you in case of murder: the free for the free[2] The rule for the Children of Israel was Qisas, and not Diyah. Then Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, revealed the Diyah to them, and He revealed this ruling to this Ummah as an alleviation…

كَانَ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقِصَاصُ وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِمُ الدِّيَةَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الدِّيَةَ فَجَعَلَهَا عَلَى هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ تَخْفِيفًا عَلَى مَا كَانَ عَلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ…

Authentic Muwatta Malik 1587

Malik said that Ibn Shihab said, "The precedent of the sunna in the intentional murder is that when the relatives of the murdered person relinquish retaliation, the blood-money is owed by the murderer from his own property unless the tribe helps him with it willingly." Malik said, "What is done in…

قَالَ مَالِكٌ إِنَّ ابْنَ شِهَابٍ قَالَ مَضَتِ السُّنَّةُ فِي قَتْلِ الْعَمْدِ حِينَ يَعْفُو أَوْلِيَاءُ الْمَقْتُولِ أَنَّ الدِّيَةَ تَكُونُ عَلَى الْقَاتِلِ فِي مَالِهِ خَاصَّةً إِلاَّ أَنْ تُعِينَهُ الْعَاقِلَةُ عَنْ…

Weak Muwatta Malik 1596

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Marwan ibn al-Hakam wrote to Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan to mention to him that a drunkard was brought to him who had killed a man. Muawiya wrote to him to kill him in retaliation for the dead man. Yahya said that Malik said, "The best of what I have…

حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّهُ بَلَغَهُ أَنَّ مَرْوَانَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ، كَتَبَ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ يَذْكُرُ أَنَّهُ أُتِيَ بِسَكْرَانَ قَدْ قَتَلَ رَجُلاً فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ مُعَاوِيَةُ أَنِ…

Other hadiths (2)

Verses related to verse 178

Cited by Ibn Kathir in his explanation of this verse

  • Al-Ma’idah 5:45

    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 فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ

    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].

Verses with similar wording

They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.

  • Al-Baqarah 2:183

    يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

    O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous -

  • Al-Ma’idah 5:94

    يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَيَبْلُوَنَّكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنَ ٱلصَّيْدِ تَنَالُهُۥٓ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَرِمَاحُكُمْ لِيَعْلَمَ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَخَافُهُۥ بِٱلْغَيْبِ فَمَنِ ٱعْتَدَىٰ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَلَهُۥ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

    O you who have believed, Allāh will surely test you through something of the game that your hands and spears [can] reach, that Allāh may make evident those who fear Him unseen. And whoever transgresses after that - for him is a painful punishment.

  • Al-Ahzab 33:41

    يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا

    O you who have believed, remember Allāh with much remembrance

  • At-Tawbah 9:119

    يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَكُونُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ

    O you who have believed, fear Allāh and be with those who are true.

  • Al-Ahzab 33:70

    يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَقُولُوا۟ قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا

    O you who have believed, fear Allāh and speak words of appropriate justice.

  • As-Saf 61:2

    يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ

    O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?

All similar verses of Surah Al-Baqarah

Go further

English
Wednesday, October 28, 2026 17 جمادى الأولى 1448 هـ

About Privacy