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Surah 2. Al-Baqara

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2:161
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَمَاتُوا۟ وَهُمْ كُفَّارٌ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ لَعْنَةُ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ Inna alla th eena kafaroo wam a too wahum kuff a run ol a ika AAalayhim laAAnatu All a hi wa a lmal a ikati wa al nn a si ajmaAAeen a
Behold, as for those who are bent on denying the truth and die as deniers of the truth - their due is rejection by God, and by the angels, and by all [righteous] men.
  - Mohammad Asad
Surely those who are unbelievers and die while they are unbelievers, they are the ones on whom is the curse of Allah, the angels and all mankind,
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Surely those who disbelieve and die as disbelievers are condemned by Allah, the angels, and all of humanity.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Lo! those who disbelieve, and die while they are disbelievers; on them is the curse of Allah and of angels and of men combined.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Those who reject faith and die rejecting on them is Allah's curse and the curse of angels and of all mankind.
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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2:162
خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا ۖ لَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ وَلَا هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ Kh a lideena feeh a l a yukhaffafu AAanhumu alAAa tha bu wal a hum yun th aroon a
In this state shall they abide; [and] neither will their suffering be lightened, nor will they be granted respite.
  - Mohammad Asad
they will live in it forever; neither their punishment shall be lightened nor shall they be given respite.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
They will be in Hell forever. Their punishment will not be lightened, nor will they be delayed 'from it'.
  - Mustafa Khattab
They ever dwell therein. The doom will not be lightened for them, neither will they be reprieved.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
They will abide therein: Their penalty will not be lightened nor will respite be their (lot). 164
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Therein - in the curse. A curse is not a matter of words: it is a terrible spiritual state, opposite to the state of Grace. Can man curse? Not of course in the same sense in which we speak of the curse of God. A mere verbal curse is of no effect. Hence the English saying: "A causeless curse will not come." But if men are oppressed or unjustly treated, their cries can ascend to God in prayer, and then it becomes God's "wrath" or curse, the deprivation of God's Grace as regards the wrong-doer.

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2:163
وَإِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ ۖ لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ Wail a hukum il a hun w ah idun l a il a ha ill a huwa a l rra h m a nu a l rra h eem u
AND YOUR GOD is the One God: there is no deity save Him, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace.
  - Mohammad Asad
Your God is one God; there is no one worthy of worship except Him, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Your God is 'only' One God. There is no god 'worthy of worship' except Him- the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Your God is One God; there is no God save Him, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And your Allah is one Allah; there is no god but He Most Gracious Most Merciful. 165
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Where the terrible consequences of Evil, i.e., the rejection of God, are mentioned, there is always stress laid on God's attributes of Grace and Mercy. In this case Unity is also stressed, because we have just been told about the Qibla symbol of unity and are about to pass the theme of unity in diversity, in Nature and in the social laws of human society.

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2:164
إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَٱلْفُلْكِ ٱلَّتِى تَجْرِى فِى ٱلْبَحْرِ بِمَا يَنفَعُ ٱلنَّاسَ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن مَّآءٍ فَأَحْيَا بِهِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَآبَّةٍ وَتَصْرِيفِ ٱلرِّيَـٰحِ وَٱلسَّحَابِ ٱلْمُسَخَّرِ بَيْنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ Inna fee khalqi a l ssam a w a ti wa a lar d i wa i khtil a fi allayli wa al nnah a ri wa a lfulki allatee tajree fee alba h ri bim a yanfaAAu a l nn a sa wam a anzala All a hu mina a l ssam a i min m a in faa h y a bihi alar d a baAAda mawtih a wabaththa feeh a min kulli d a bbatin wata s reefi a l rriy ah i wa al ssa ha bi almusakhkhari bayna a l ssam a i wa a lar d i la a y a tin liqawmin yaAAqiloon a
Verily, in the creation of the heavens and of the earth, and the succession of night and day: and in the ships that speed through the sea with what is useful to man: and in the waters which God sends down from the sky, giving life thereby to the earth after it had been lifeless, and causing all manner of living creatures to multiply thereon: and in the change of the winds, and the clouds that run their appointed courses between sky and earth: [in all this] there are messages indeed for people who use their reason.130
  - Mohammad Asad

This passage is one of the many in which the Qur'an appeals to "those who use their reason" to observe the daily wonders of nature, including the evidence of man's own ingenuity ("the ships that speed through the sea"), as so many indications of a conscious, creative Power pervading the universe.

Surely, In the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of the night and the day, in the sailing of the ships through the ocean for the profit of mankind; in the rain which Allah sends down from the skies, with which He revives the earth after its death and spreads in it all kinds of animals, in the change of the winds and the clouds between the sky and the earth that are made subservient, there are signs for rational people.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth; the alternation of the day and the night; the ships that sail the sea for the benefit of humanity; the rain sent down by Allah from the skies, reviving the earth after its death; the scattering of all kinds of creatures throughout; the shifting of the winds; and the clouds drifting between the heavens and the earth- 'in all of this' are surely signs for people of understanding.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Lo! in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of night and day, and the ships which run upon the sea with that which is of use to men, and the water which Allah sendeth down from the sky, thereby reviving the earth after its death, and dispersing all kinds of beasts therein, and (in) the ordinance of the winds, and the clouds obedient between heaven and earth: are signs (of Allah's sovereignty) for people who have sense.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of the night and the day; in the sailing of the ships through the ocean for the profit of mankind; in the rain which Allah sends down from the skies and the life which He gives therewith to an earth that is dead; in the beasts of all kinds that He scatters through the earth; in the change of the winds and the clouds which they trail like their slaves between the sky and the earth; (here) indeed are signs for a people that are wise. 166
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

This magnificent Nature passage stands out like a hill in a landscape, enhancing the beauty of our view, and preparing us for the every-day laws and ordinances which follow.

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2:165
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَندَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلَّهِ ۗ وَلَوْ يَرَى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓا۟ إِذْ يَرَوْنَ ٱلْعَذَابَ أَنَّ ٱلْقُوَّةَ لِلَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعَذَابِ Wamina a l nn a si man yattakhi th u min dooni All a hi and a dan yu h ibboonahum ka h ubbi All a hi wa a lla th eena a manoo ashaddu h ubban lill a hi walaw yar a alla th eena th alamoo i th yarawna alAAa tha ba anna alquwwata lill a hi jameeAAan waanna All a ha shadeedu alAAa tha b i
And yet there are people who choose to believe in beings that allegedly rival God,131 loving them as [only] God should be loved: whereas those who have attained to faith love God more than all else. If they who are bent on evildoing could but see - as see they will when they are made to suffer132 [on Resurrection Day] - that all might belongs to God alone, and that God is severe in [meting out] punishment!
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "there are among the people such as take [to worshipping] compeers beside God". Regarding the term andad, see note [13] on verse {22} of this surah.

Lit., "when they see the suffering" (or "chastisement").

There are some who worship other deities besides Allah (mushrikin), they love them as they should love Allah, whereas the believers are strong in love for Allah. If those who are unjust could visualize (the Day of Judgement) when they will see the chastisement, they would come to know for sure that all powers belong to Allah and that Allah is stern in retribution.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Still there are some who take others as Allah's equal- they love them as they should love Allah- but the 'true' believers love Allah even more. If only the wrongdoers could see the 'horrible' punishment 'awaiting them', they would certainly realize that all power belongs to Allah and that Allah is indeed severe in punishment.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Yet of mankind are some who take unto themselves (objects of worship which they set as) rivals to Allah, loving them with a love like (that which is the due) of Allah (only)--Those who believe are stauncher in their love for Allah--Oh, that those who do evil had but known, (on the day) when they behold the doom, that power belongeth wholly to Allah, and that Allah is severe in punishment!
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Yet there are men who take (for worship) others besides Allah as equal (with Allah); they love them as they should love Allah. But those of faith are overflowing in their love for Allah. If only the unrighteous could see behold they would see the penalty that to Allah belongs all power and Allah will strongly enforce the penalty. 167
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Everything around and within us points to unity of purpose and design, - points to God. Yet there are foolish persons (unrighteous - those who deliberately use the choice given them to go wrong). They think something else is equal to God. Perhaps they even do lip service to God. If only the unrighteous could see the consequences, they would see the terrible Penalty, and that all Power is in God's hands, not in that of any one else. Who are these others who are used as fetishes by the misguided? It may be: (1) creatures of their own imagination, or of their faculties misused; the idea lying behind Idols is akin to this, for no intelligent idol-worshipper owns to worshipping stocks and stones; or (2) good leaders whose names have been misused out of perversity to erect them to a position of equality with God; or (3) Powers of evil that deliberately mislead. When it comes to the inevitable consequences of blasphemy and the rejection of God, the eyes of all are opened and these false and artificial relations dissolve. The idea which was created into a fetish disowns its follower, i.e. is seen to have no reasonable basis in the life of the follower, and the follower is forced to renounce it as false. The good ones would take an unholy delight in exposing the facts. The Reality is now irresistible but alas! at what cost?

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2:166
إِذْ تَبَرَّأَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتُّبِعُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوا۟ وَرَأَوُا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ وَتَقَطَّعَتْ بِهِمُ ٱلْأَسْبَابُ I th tabarraa alla th eena ittubiAAoo mina alla th eena ittabaAAoo waraawoo alAAa tha ba wataqa tt aAAat bihimu alasb a b u
[On that Day] it will come to pass that those who had been [falsely] adored133 shall disown their followers, and the latter shall see the suffering [that awaits them], with all their hopes134 cut to pieces!
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "followed" - i.e., as saints or alleged "divine personalities".

Asbab (sing. sabab) denotes, in its primary meaning, "ties" or "attachments", and in a tropical sense, "means [towards any end]" (cf. Lisan al-'Arab, and Lane IV, 1285). In the above context, asbab obviously refers to means of salvation, and may thus be rendered as "hopes".

On that Day those leaders who were being followed, when faced with their punishment, will renounce those who followed them and the bonds which united them will break asunder.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
'Consider the Day' when those who misled others will disown their followers- when they face the torment- and the bonds that united them will be cut off.
  - Mustafa Khattab
(On the day) when those who were followed disown those who followed (them), and they behold the doom, and all their aims collapse with them.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Then would those who are followed clear themselves of those who follow (them); they would see the penalty and all relations between them would be cut off.
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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2:167
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوا۟ لَوْ أَنَّ لَنَا كَرَّةً فَنَتَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُمْ كَمَا تَبَرَّءُوا۟ مِنَّا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُرِيهِمُ ٱللَّهُ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ حَسَرَٰتٍ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ وَمَا هُم بِخَـٰرِجِينَ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ Waq a la alla th eena ittabaAAoo law anna lan a karratan fanatabarraa minhum kam a tabarraoo minn a ka tha lika yureehimu All a hu aAAm a lahum h asar a tin AAalayhim wam a hum bikh a rijeena mina a l nn a r i
And then those followers shall say: "Would that we had a second chance [in life],135 so that we could disown them as they have disowned us!" Thus will God show them their works [in a manner that will cause them] bitter regrets; but they will not come out of the fire.136
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "Would that there were a return for us".

Sc., back to the life of this world, with a second chance before them (Manar II, 81).

The followers will say: "If it could be possible for us to live again, we would renounce them as they have renounced us today." Thus Allah will show them the fruits of their deeds. They will sigh with regret, and shall not be able to come out of the Hell fire.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
The 'misled' followers will cry, 'If only we could have a second chance, we would disown them as they disowned us.' And so Allah will make them remorseful of their misdeeds. And they will never 'be able to' leave the Fire.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And those who were but followers will say: If a return were possible for us, we would disown them even as they have disowned us. Thus will Allah show them their own deeds as anguish for them, and they will not emerge from the Fire.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
And those who followed would say: "If only we had one more chance we would clear ourselves of them as they have cleared themselves of us." Thus will Allah show them (the fruits of) their deeds as (nothing but) regrets nor will there be a way for them out of the fire. 168
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Our deeds are irrevocable and we must pass through the Fire of repentance and regrets.

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2:168
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ كُلُوا۟ مِمَّا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ حَلَـٰلًا طَيِّبًا وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ Y a ayyuh a a l nn a su kuloo mimm a fee alar d i h al a lan t ayyiban wal a tattabiAAoo khu t uw a ti a l shshay ta ni innahu lakum AAaduwwun mubeen un
O MANKIND! Partake of what is lawful and good on earth, and follow not Satan's footsteps: for, verily, he is your open foe,
  - Mohammad Asad
O Mankind! Eat of what is lawful and clean on the earth and do not follow the footsteps of Shaitan, surely he is your open enemy.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
O humanity! Eat from what is lawful and good on the earth and do not follow Satan's footsteps. He is truly your sworn enemy.
  - Mustafa Khattab
O mankind! Eat of that which is lawful and wholesome in the earth, and follow not the footsteps of the devil. Lo! he is an open enemy for you.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
O ye people! eat of what is on earth lawful and good; and do not follow the footsteps of the evil one for he is to you an avowed enemy. 169
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We now come to the regulations about food. First (ii. 168-71) we have an appeal to all people, Muslims, Pagans, as well as the People of the Book; then (ii. 172-73) to the Muslims specially; then (ii 174-76) to the sort of men who then (as some do now) either believe in too much formalism or believe in no restrictions at all. Islam follows the Golden Mean. All well-regulated societies lay down reasonable limitations. These become incumbent on all loyal members of any given society, and show what is "lawful" in that society. But if the limitations are reasonable, as they should be, the "lawful" will also coincide more and more with what is "good."

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2:169
إِنَّمَا يَأْمُرُكُم بِٱلسُّوٓءِ وَٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَأَن تَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ Innam a yamurukum bi al ssooi wa a lfa h sh a i waan taqooloo AAal a All a hi m a l a taAAlamoon a
and bids you only to do evil, and to commit deeds of abomination, and to attribute unto God something of which you have no knowledge.137
  - Mohammad Asad

This refers to an arbitrary attribution to God of commandments or prohibitions in excess of what has been clearly ordained by Him (Zamakhshari). Some of the commentators (e.g., Muhammad 'Abduh in Manar II, 89 f.) include within this expression the innumerable supposedly "legal" injunctions which, without being clearly warranted by the wording of the Qur'an or an authentic Tradition, have been obtained by individual Muslim scholars through subjective methods of deduction and then put forward as "God's ordinances". The connection between this passage and the preceding ones is obvious. In verses {165-167} the Qur'an speaks of those "who choose to believe in beings that supposedly rival God": and this implies also a false attribution, to those beings, of a right to issue quasi-religious ordinances of their own, as well as an attribution of religious validity to customs sanctioned by nothing but ancient usage (see next verse).

He enjoins you to commit evil and indecency and to say certain things against Allah about which you have no knowledge.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
He only incites you to commit evil and indecency, and to claim against Allah what you do not know.
  - Mustafa Khattab
He enjoineth upon you only the evil and the foul, and that ye should tell concerning Allah that which ye know not.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
For he commands you what is evil and shameful and that ye should say of Allah that of which ye have no knowledge.
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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2:170
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُوا۟ بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ مَآ أَلْفَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَآ ۗ أَوَلَوْ كَانَ ءَابَآؤُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ Wai tha qeela lahumu ittabiAAoo m a anzala All a hu q a loo bal nattabiAAu m a alfayn a AAalayhi a b a an a awalaw k a na a b a ohum l a yaAAqiloona shayan wal a yahtadoon a
But when they are told, "Follow what God has bestowed from on high," some answer, "Nay, we shall follow [only] that which we found our forefathers believing in and doing." Why, even if their forefathers did not use their reason at all, and were devoid of all guidance?
  - Mohammad Asad
When it is said to them: "Follow what Allah has revealed." They reply: "Nay! We will follow what our forefathers practiced." Well! Even if their forefathers had no sense at all and lacked guidance?
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
When it is said to them, 'Follow what Allah has revealed,' they reply, 'No! We 'only' follow what we found our forefathers practicing.' 'Would they still do so,' even if their forefathers had 'absolutely' no understanding or guidance?
  - Mustafa Khattab
And when it is said unto them: Follow that which Allah hath revealed, they say: We follow that wherein we found our fathers. What! Even though their fathers were wholly unintelligent and had no guidance?
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
When it is said to them: "Follow what Allah hath revealed" they say: "Nay! we shall follow the ways of our fathers." What! even though their fathers were void of wisdom and guidance?
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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2:171
وَمَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِى يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لَا يَسْمَعُ إِلَّا دُعَآءً وَنِدَآءً ۚ صُمٌّۢ بُكْمٌ عُمْىٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ Wamathalu alla th eena kafaroo kamathali alla th ee yanAAiqu bim a l a yasmaAAu ill a duAA a an wanid a an s ummun bukmun AAumyun fahum l a yaAAqiloon a
And so, the parable of those who are bent on denying the truth is that of the beast which hears the shepherd's cry, and hears in it nothing but the sound of a voice and a call.138 Deaf are they, and dumb, and blind: for they do not use their reason.
  - Mohammad Asad

This is a very free rendering of the elliptic sentence which, literally, reads thus: "The parable of those who are bent on denying the truth is as that of him who cries unto what hears nothing but a cry and a call." The verb na'qa is mostly used to describe the inarticulate cry with which the shepherd drives his flock.

The parable of those who reject faith is like the cattle which, call out to them as one may, hear nothing but a shout and a cry since they are unable to understand; they are deaf, dumb and blind, and understand nothing.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
The example of the disbelievers 'not responding to the Messenger's warning' is like a flock not comprehending the calls and cries of the shepherd. 'They are wilfully' deaf, dumb and blind so they have no understanding.
  - Mustafa Khattab
The likeness of those who disbelieve (in relation to the messenger) is as the likeness of one who calleth unto that which heareth naught except a shout and cry. Deaf, dumb, blind, therefore they have no sense.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
The parable of those who reject faith is as if one were to shout like a goat-herd to things that listen to nothing but calls and cries; deaf dumb and blind they are void of wisdom. 170 171
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

If you reject all faith, the highest wisdom and the most salutary regulations are lost on you. You are like "dumb driven cattle" who can merely hear calls, but cannot distinguish intelligently between shades of meaning or subtle differences of values.

Cf ii. 18, where we are told that the rejectors of faith are "deaf, dumb and blind: they will not return to the path." Here the consequence of their not using their senses is that they have no wisdom. In each context there is just the appropriate deduction.

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2:172
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُلُوا۟ مِن طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَا رَزَقْنَـٰكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لِلَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ Y a ayyuh a alla th eena a manoo kuloo min t ayyib a ti m a razaqn a kum wa o shkuroo lill a hi in kuntum iyy a hu taAAbudoon a
O you who have attained to faith! Partake of the good things which We have provided for you as sustenance, and render thanks unto God, if it is [truly] Him that you worship.
  - Mohammad Asad
O believers! Eat the clean things which We have provided you and give thanks to Allah, if you worship only Him.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
O believers! Eat from the good things We have provided for you. And give thanks to Allah if you 'truly' worship Him 'alone'.
  - Mustafa Khattab
O ye who believe! Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you, and render thanks to Allah if it is (indeed) He whom ye worship.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
O ye who believe! eat of the good things that We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah if it is Him ye worship. 172
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Gratitude for God's gifts is one form of worship.

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2:173
إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَيْتَةَ وَٱلدَّمَ وَلَحْمَ ٱلْخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ بِهِۦ لِغَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَمَنِ ٱضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلَا عَادٍ فَلَآ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ Innam a h arrama AAalaykumu almaytata wa al ddama wala h ma alkhinzeeri wam a ohilla bihi lighayri All a hi famani i dt urra ghayra b a ghin wal a AA a din fal a ithma AAalayhi inna All a ha ghafoorun ra h eem un
He has forbidden to you only carrion, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that over which any name other than God's has been invoked;139 but if one is driven by necessity - neither coveting it nor exceeding his immediate need - no sin shall be upon him: for, behold, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., all that has been dedicated or offered in sacrifice to an idol or a saint or a person considered to be "divine". For a more comprehensive enumeration of the forbidden kinds of flesh, see 5:3 .

He has forbidden you to eat dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which any name other than Allah has been invoked; but if someone is compelled by absolute necessity, intending neither to sin nor to transgress, he shall incur no sin. Surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
He has only forbidden you 'to eat' carrion, blood, swine,1 and what is slaughtered in the name of any other than Allah. But if someone is compelled by necessity- neither driven by desire nor exceeding immediate need- they will not be sinful. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 Eating pork is forbidden in the Old Testament in Leviticus 11:7-8 and Deuteronomy 14:8.

He hath forbidden you only carrion, and blood, and swineflesh, and that which hath been immolated to (the name of) any other than Allah. But he who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
He hath only forbidden you dead meat and blood and the flesh of swine and that on which any other name hath been invoked besides that of Allah but if one is forced by necessity without wilful disobedience nor transgressing due limits then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful. 173 174
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Dead meat: maitat: carrion; animal that dies of itself; the original Arabic has a slightly wider meaning given to it in Fiqh (Religious Law); anything that dies of itself and is not expressly killed for food with the Takbir duly pronounced on it. But there are exceptions, e.g., fish and locusts are lawful, though they have not been made specially halal with the Takbir. But even fish or locusts as carrion would be obviously ruled out.

For prohibited foods, cf. also Q. v. 4-5; vi. 121, 138-146; etc. The teachers of Fiqh (Religious Law) work out the details with great elaboration. My purpose is to present general principles, not technical details. Carrion or dead meat and blood as articles of food would obviously cause disgust to any refined person. So would swine's flesh where the swine live on offal. Where swine are fed artifically on clean food, the objections remain: (1) that they are filthy animals in other respects, and the flesh of filthy animals taken as food affects the eater; (2) that swine's flesh has more fat than muscle-building material; and (3) that it is more liable to disease than other kinds of meat; e.g., trichinosis, characterised by hair-like worms in the muscular tissue. As to food dedicated to idols or false gods, it is obviously unseemly for the Children of Unity to partake of it.

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2:174
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَيَشْتَرُونَ بِهِۦ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا ۙ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ مَا يَأْكُلُونَ فِى بُطُونِهِمْ إِلَّا ٱلنَّارَ وَلَا يُكَلِّمُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ وَلَا يُزَكِّيهِمْ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ Inna alla th eena yaktumoona m a anzala All a hu mina alkit a bi wayashtaroona bihi thamanan qaleelan ol a ika m a yakuloona fee bu t oonihim ill a a l nn a ra wal a yukallimuhumu All a hu yawma alqiy a mati wal a yuzakkeehim walahum AAa tha bun aleem un
VERILY, as for those who suppress aught of the revelation140 which God has bestowed from on high, and barter it away for a trifling gain - they but fill their bellies with fire. And God will not speak unto them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He cleanse them [of their sins]; and grievous suffering awaits them.
  - Mohammad Asad

This term is used here in its generic sense, comprising both the Qur'an and the earlier revelations.

Surely those who conceal any part of the Book which Allah has revealed and sell His revelations for petty price (material gain), shall swallow nothing but fire into their bellies. On the Day of Resurrection Allah will neither speak to them nor purify them and they shall have painful punishment.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Indeed, those who hide Allah's revelations, trading them for a fleeting gain consume nothing but fire into their bellies. Allah will neither speak to them on the Day of Judgment, nor will He purify them. And they will suffer a painful punishment.
  - Mustafa Khattab
Lo! those who hide aught of the Scripture which Allah hath revealed, and purchase a small gain therewith, they eat into their bellies nothing else than fire. Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He make them grow. Theirs will be a painful doom.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
Those who conceal Allah's revelations in the Book and purchase for them a miserable profit they swallow into themselves naught but fire; Allah will not address them on the Day of Resurrection nor purify them; grievous will be their penalty . 175
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"They eat nothing but fire into their bellies" is a literal translation that produces an effect of rude inelegance which is not in the Arabic words. Even in the matter of food and drinks, the mission of Islam is to avoid the extremes of lawlessness on the one hand and extreme formalism on the other. It has laid down a few simple and very reasonable rules. Their infraction causes loss of health or physical powers in any case. But if there is further a spirit of subjective rebellion or fraud - passing off in the name of religion something which is far from the purpose - the consequences become also moral and spiritual. Then it becomes a sin against Faith and Spirit. Continuing the physical simile, we actually swallow fire into ourselves. Imagine the torments which we should have if we swallowed fire into our physical body! They would be infinitely worse in our spiritual state, and they would go on to the Day of Resurrection, when we shall be deprived even of the words which the Judge speaks to a reasonable culprit, and we shall certainly not win His Grace and Mercy.

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2:175
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱشْتَرَوُا۟ ٱلضَّلَـٰلَةَ بِٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْعَذَابَ بِٱلْمَغْفِرَةِ ۚ فَمَآ أَصْبَرَهُمْ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ Ol a ika alla th eena ishtarawoo a l dd al a lata bi a lhud a wa a lAAa tha ba bi a lmaghfirati fam a a s barahum AAal a a l nn a r i
It is they who take error in exchange for guidance, and suffering in exchange for forgiveness: yet how little do they seem to fear the fire!
  - Mohammad Asad
These are the kind of people who barter guidance for error and forgiveness for punishment. How stubborn are they to encounter Hell fire!
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
They are the ones who trade guidance for misguidance and forgiveness for punishment. How persistent are they in pursuit of the Fire!
  - Mustafa Khattab
Those are they who purchase error at the price of guidance, and torment at the price of pardon. How constant are they in their strife to reach the Fire!
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
They are the ones who buy error in place of guidance and torment in place of forgiveness. Ah! what boldness (they show) for the Fire!
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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2:176
ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ نَزَّلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَفِى شِقَاقٍۭ بَعِيدٍ Tha lika bianna All a ha nazzala alkit a ba bi a l h aqqi wainna alla th eena ikhtalafoo fee alkit a bi lafee shiq a qin baAAeed in
Thus it is: since it is God who bestows141 the divine writ from on high, setting forth the truth, all those who set their own views against the divine writ142 are, verily, most deeply in the wrong.
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "has been bestowing". Since the form nazzala implies gradualness and continuity in the process of revelation, it can best be rendered by the use of the present tense.

Lit., "who hold discordant views about the divine writ" - i.e., either suppressing or rejecting parts of it, or denying its divine origin altogether (Razi).

Their doom is because Allah has revealed the Book with the truth; surely those who seek causes of dispute in the Book (The Qur'an) are in extreme schism (divergence).
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
That is because Allah has revealed the Book in truth. And surely those who differ regarding it are totally engrossed in opposition.
  - Mustafa Khattab
That is because Allah hath revealed the Scripture with the truth. Lo! those who find (a cause of) disagreement in the Scripture are in open schism.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
(Their doom is) because Allah sent down the Book in truth but those who seek causes of dispute in the Book are in a schism far (from the purpose). 176
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

From the mere physical regulation we are at once lifted up into the sphere of morals and faith. For the one acts and reacts on the other. If we are constantly carping at wholesome regulations, we shall do nothing but cause division and schisms among the people, and ordered society would tend to break up.

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2:177
لَّيْسَ ٱلْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ ٱلْمَشْرِقِ وَٱلْمَغْرِبِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلْبِرَّ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ وَٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَءَاتَى ٱلْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ ذَوِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينَ وَٱبْنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَٱلسَّآئِلِينَ وَفِى ٱلرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَى ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَـٰهَدُوا۟ ۖ وَٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ فِى ٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَحِينَ ٱلْبَأْسِ ۗ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ ۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ Laysa albirra an tuwalloo wujoohakum qibala almashriqi wa a lmaghribi wal a kinna albirra man a mana bi A ll a hi wa a lyawmi al a khiri wa a lmal a ikati wa a lkit a bi wa al nnabiyyeena wa a t a alm a la AAal a h ubbihi th awee alqurb a wa a lyat a m a wa a lmas a keena wa i bna alssabeeli wa al ss a ileena wafee a l rriq a bi waaq a ma a l ss al a ta wa a t a a l zzak a ta wa a lmoofoona biAAahdihim i tha AA a hadoo wa al ssa bireena fee albas a i wa al dd arr a i wa h eena albasi ol a ika alla th eena s adaqoo waol a ika humu almuttaqoon a
True piety does not consist in turning your faces towards the east or the west143 - but truly pious is he who believes in God, and the Last Day, and the angels, and revelation,144 and the prophets; and spends his substance - however much he himself may cherish it - upon his near of kin, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer,145 and the beggars, -and for the freeing of human beings from bondage;146 and is constant in prayer, and renders the purifying dues; and [truly pious are] they who keep their promises whenever they promise, and are patient in misfortune and hardship and in time of peril: it is they that have proved themselves true, and it is they, they who are conscious of God.
  - Mohammad Asad

Thus, the Qur'an stresses the principle that mere compliance with outward forms does not fulfil the requirements of piety. The reference to the turning of one's face in prayer in this or that direction flows from the passages which dealt, a short while ago, with the question of the qiblah.

In this context, the term "revelation" (al-kitab) carries, according to most of the commentators, a generic significance: it refers to the fact of divine revelation as such. As regards belief in angels, it is postulated here because it is through these spiritual beings or forces (belonging to the realm of al-ghayb, i.e., the reality which is beyond the reach of human perception) that God reveals His will to the prophets and, thus, to mankind at large.

The expression ibn as-sabil (lit., "son of the road") denotes any person who is far from his home, and especially one who, because of this circumstance, does not have sufficient means of livelihood at his disposal (cf. Lane IV, 1302). In its wider sense it describes a person who, for any reason whatsoever, is unable to return home either temporarily or permanently: for instance, a political exile or refugee.

Ar-raqabah (of which ar-riqab is the plural) denotes, literally, "the neck", and signifies also the whole of a human person. Metonymically, the expression fi 'r-riqab denotes "in the cause of freeing human beings from bondage", and applies to both the ransoming of captives and the freeing of slaves. By including this kind of expenditure within the essential acts of piety, the Qur'an implies that the freeing of people from bondage - and, thus, the abolition of slavery - is one of the social objectives of Islam. At the time of the revelation of the Qur'an, slavery was an established institution throughout the world, and its sudden abolition would have been economically impossible. In order to obviate this difficulty, and at the same time to bring about an eventual abolition of all slavery, the Qur'an ordains in 8:67 that henceforth only captives taken in a just war (jihad) may be kept as slaves. But even with regard to persons enslaved in this or - before the revelation of 8:67 - in any other way, the Qur'an stresses the great merit inherent in the freeing of slaves, and stipulates it as a means of atonement for various transgressions (see, e.g., 4:92 , 5:89 , 58:3 ). In addition, the Prophet emphatically stated on many occasions that, in the sight of God, the unconditional freeing of a human being from bondage is among the most praiseworthy acts which a Muslim could perform. (For a critical discussion and analysis of all the authentic Traditions bearing on this problem, see Nayl al-Awtar VI, 199 ff.)

Righteousness is not whether you turn your face towards East or West; but the righteousness is to believe in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Books and the Prophets, and to spend wealth out of love for Him on relatives, orphans, helpless, needy travellers, those who ask for and on the redemption of captives; and to establish Salah (prayers), to pay Zakah (alms), to fulfill promises when made, to be steadfast in distress, in adversity, and at the time of war. These people are the truthful and these are the pious.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Righteousness is not in turning your faces towards the east or the west. Rather, the righteous are those who believe in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Books, and the prophets; who give charity out of their cherished wealth to relatives, orphans, the poor, 'needy' travellers, beggars, and for freeing captives; who establish prayer, pay alms-tax, and keep the pledges they make; and who are patient in times of suffering, adversity, and in 'the heat of' battle. It is they who are true 'in faith', and it is they who are mindful 'of Allah'.
  - Mustafa Khattab
It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces to the East and the West; but righteous is he who believeth in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and the Scripture and the Prophets; and giveth his wealth, for love of Him, to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask, and to set slaves free; and observeth proper worship and payeth the poor due. And those who keep their treaty when they make one, and the patient in tribulation and adversity and time of stress. Such are they who are sincere. Such are the God fearing.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces toward East or West; but it is righteousness to believe in Allah and the Last Day and the Angels and the Book and the Messengers; to spend of your substance out of love for Him for your kin for orphans for the needy for the wayfarer for those who ask and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer and practice regular charity; to fulfil the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient in pain (or suffering) and adversity and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth the Allah-fearing. 177 178 179 180 181
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

As if to emphasise again a warning against deadening formalism, we are given a beautiful description of the righteous and God-fearing man. He should obey salutary regulation, but he should fix his gaze on the love of God and the love of his fellow-men. We are given four heads: (1) our faith should be true and sincere; (2) we must be prepared to show it in deeds of charity to our fellowmen; (3) we must be good citizens, supporting social organisation; and (4) our own individual soul must be firm and unshaken in all circumstances. They are interconnected, and yet can be viewed separately.

Faith is not merely a matter of words. We must realise the presence and goodness of God. When we do so, the scales fall from our eyes: all the falsities and fleeting nature of the Present cease to enslave us, for we see the Last Day as if it were today. We also see God's working in His world and in us; His Powers (angels), His Messengers and His Message are no longer remote from us, but come within our experience.

Practical deeds of charity are of value when they proceed from love, and from no other motive. In this respect, also, our duties take various forms, which are shown in reasonable gradation: our kith and kin; orphans (including any persons who are without support or help); people who are in real need but who never ask (it is our duty to find them out, and they come before those who ask); the stranger, who is entitled to laws of hospitality; the people who ask and are entitled to ask, i.e., not merely lazy beggars, but those who seek our assistance in some form or another (it is our duty to respond to them); and the slaves (we must do all we can to give or buy their freedom). Slavery has many insidious forms, and all are included.

Charity and piety in individual cases do not complete our duties. In prayer and charity, we must also look to our organised efforts: where there is a Muslim State, these are made through the State, in facilities for public prayer, and public assistance, and for the maintenance of contracts and fair dealing in all matters.

Then come the Muslim virtues of firmness and patience. They are to "preserve the dignity of man, with soul erect" (Burns). Three sets of circumstances are specially mentioned for the exercise of this virtue: (1) bodily pain or suffering, (2) adversities or injuries of all kinds, deserved and underserved and (3) periods of public panic, such as war, violence, pestilence, etc.

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2:178
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْقِصَاصُ فِى ٱلْقَتْلَى ۖ ٱلْحُرُّ بِٱلْحُرِّ وَٱلْعَبْدُ بِٱلْعَبْدِ وَٱلْأُنثَىٰ بِٱلْأُنثَىٰ ۚ فَمَنْ عُفِىَ لَهُۥ مِنْ أَخِيهِ شَىْءٌ فَٱتِّبَاعٌۢ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَأَدَآءٌ إِلَيْهِ بِإِحْسَـٰنٍ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ تَخْفِيفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۗ فَمَنِ ٱعْتَدَىٰ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَلَهُۥ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ Y a ayyuh a alla th eena a manoo kutiba AAalaykumu alqi sas u fee alqatl a al h urru bi a l h urri wa a lAAabdu bi a lAAabdi wa a lonth a bi a lonth a faman AAufiya lahu min akheehi shayon fa i ttib a AAun bi a lmaAAroofi waad a on ilayhi bii h s a nin tha lika takhfeefun min rabbikum wara h matun famani iAAtad a baAAda tha lika falahu AAa tha bun aleem un
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.147 And if something [of his guilt] is remitted to a guilty person by his brother,148 this [remission] shall be adhered to with fairness, and restitution to his fellow-man shall be made in a goodly manner.149 This is an alleviation from your Sustainer, and an act of His grace. And for him who, nonetheless,150 wilfully transgresses the bounds of what is right, there is grievous suffering in store:
  - Mohammad Asad

After having pointed out that true piety does not consist in mere adherence to outward forms and rites, the Qur'an opens, as it were, a new chapter relating to the problem of man's behaviour. Just as piety cannot become effective without righteous action, individual righteousness cannot become really effective in the social sense unless there is agreement within the community as to the social rights and obligations of its members: in other words, as to the practical laws which should govern the behaviour of the individual within the society and the society's attitude towards the individual and his actions. This is the innermost reason why legislation plays so great a role within the ideology of Islam, and why the Qur'an consistently intertwines its moral and spiritual exhortation with ordinances relating to practical aspects of social life. Now one of the main problems facing any society is the safeguarding of the lives and the individual security of its members: and so it is understandable that laws relating to homicide and its punishment are dealt with prominently at this place. (It should be borne in mind that "The Cow" was the first surah revealed in Medina, that is, at the time when the Muslim community had just become established as an independent social entity.) As for the term qisas occurring at the beginning of the above passage, it must be pointed out that - according to all the classical commentators - it is almost synonymous with musawah, i.e., "making a thing equal [to another thing]": in this instance, making the punishment equal (or appropriate) to the crime - a meaning which is best rendered as "just retribution" and not (as has been often, and erroneously, done) as "retaliation". Seeing that the Qur'an speaks here of "cases of killing" (fi 'l-qatla, lit., "in the matter of the killed") in general, and taking into account that this expression covers all possible cases of homicide - premeditated murder, murder under extreme provocation, culpable homicide, accidental manslaughter, and so forth - it is obvious that the taking of a life for a life (implied in the term "retaliation") would not in every case correspond to the demands of equity. (This has been made clear, for instance, in 4:92 , where legal restitution for unintentional homicide is dealt with.) Read in conjunction with the term "just retribution" which introduces this passage, it is clear that the stipulation "the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the woman for the woman" cannot - and has not been intended to - be taken in its literal, restrictive sense: for this would preclude its application to many cases of homicide, e.g., the killing of a free man by a slave, or of a woman by a man, or vice-versa. Thus, the above stipulation must be regarded as an example of the elliptical mode of expression (ijaz) so frequently employed in the Qur'an, and can have but one meaning, namely: "if a free man has committed the crime, the free man must be punished; if a slave has committed the crime...", etc. - in other words, whatever the status of the guilty person, he or she (and he or she alone) is to be punished in a manner appropriate to the crime.

Lit., "and he to whom [something] is remitted by his brother". There is no linguistic justification whatever for attributing - as some of the commentators have done - the pronoun "his" to the victim and, thus, for assuming that the expression "brother" stands for the victim's "family" or "blood relations". The pronoun "his" refers, unquestionably, to the guilty person; and since there is no reason for assuming that by "his brother" a real brother is meant, we cannot escape the conclusion that it denotes here "his brother in faith" or "his fellow-man" - in either of which terms the whole community is included. Thus, the expression "if something is remitted to a guilty person by his brother" (i.e., by the community or its legal organs) may refer either to the establishment of mitigating circumstances in a case of murder, or to the finding that the case under trial falls within the categories of culpable homicide or manslaughter - in which cases no capital punishment is to be exacted and restitution is to be made by the payment of an indemnity called diyyah (see 4:92 ) to the relatives of the victim. In consonance with the oft-recurring Qur'anic exhortation to forgiveness and forbearance, the "remission" mentioned above may also (and especially in cases of accidental manslaughter) relate to a partial or even total waiving of any claim to indemnification.

Lit., "and restitution to him in a goodly manner", it being understood that the pronoun in ilayhi ("to him") refers to the "brother in faith" or "fellow-man" mentioned earlier in this sentence. The word ada' (here translated as "restitution") denotes an act of acquitting oneself of a duty or a debt (cf. Lane I, 38), and stands here for the act of legal reparation imposed on the guilty person. This reparation or restitution is to be made "in a goodly manner" - by taking into account the situation of the accused and, on the latter's part, by acquitting himself of his obligation willingly and sincerely (cf. Manar II, 129).

Lit., "after this" - i.e., after the meaning of what constitutes "just retribution" (qisas) has been made clear in the above ordinance (Razi).

O believers! Retaliation is prescribed for you in the cases of murder: a free man for a free man, a slave for a slave, and a female for a female. But if anyone is pardoned by his aggrieved brother, then bloodwit (a ransom for manslaughter) should be decided according to the common law and payment should be made with gratitude. This is a concession and a mercy from your Rabb. Now, whoever exceeds the limits after this, shall have a painful punishment.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
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 fairly3 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.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 No one else should be executed in place of the killer. This verse was revealed regarding a particular incident. Nevertheless, the killer is killed regardless of the difference in gender or status, unless the victim’s family opts for blood money.

 The guardian is the victim’s closest heir—male or female.

 Or according to common law.

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.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
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. 182 183 184 185
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Note first that this verse and the next make it clear that Islam has much mitigated the horrors of the pre-Islamic custom of retaliation. In order to meet the strict claims of justice, equality is prescribed, with a strong recommendation for mercy and forgiveness. To translate qisas, therefore, by retaliation, is I think incorrect. The Latin legal term Lex Talionsis may come near it, but even that is modified here. In any case it is best to avoid technical terms for things that are very different. "Retaliation" in English has a wider meaning, equivalent almost to returning evil for evil, and would more fitly apply to the blood-feuds of the Days of Ignorance. Islam says: if you must take a life for a life, at least there should be some measure of equality in it; the killing of the slave of a tribe should not involve a blood feud where many free men would be killed; but the law of mercy, where it can be obtained by consent, with reasonable compensation, would be better.

The jurists have carefully laid down that the law of qisas refers to murder only. Qisas is not applicable to manslaughter, due to a mistake or an accident. There, there would be no capital punishment.

The brother: the term is perfectly general; all men are brothers in Islam. In this, and in all questions of inheritance, females have similar rights to males, and therefore the masculine gender imports both sexes. Here we are considering the rights of the heirs in the light of the larger brotherhood. In ii. 178-79 we have the rights of the heirs to life (as it were): in ii. 180-82 we proceed to the heirs to property.

The demand should be such as can be met by the party concerned, i.e., within his means, and reasonable according to justice and good conscience. For example, a demand could not be made affecting the honour of a woman or a man. The whole penalty can be remitted if the aggrieved party agrees, out of brotherly love. In meeting that demand the culprit or his friends should equally be generous and recognise the good-will of the other side. There should be no subterfuges, no bribes, no unseemly by-play: otherwise the whole intention of mercy and peace is lost.

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2:179
وَلَكُمْ فِى ٱلْقِصَاصِ حَيَوٰةٌ يَـٰٓأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ Walakum fee alqi sas i h ay a tun y a olee alalb a bi laAAallakum tattaqoon a
for, in [the law of] just retribution, O you who are endowed with insight, there is life for you, so that you might remain conscious of God!151
  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., "there is a safeguard for you, as a community, so that you might be able to live in security, as God wants you to live". Thus, the objective of qisas is the protection of the society, and not "revenge".

O men of understanding! There is security of life for you in the law of retaliation, so that you may learn self-restraint.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
There is 'security of' life for you in 'the law of' retaliation, O people of reason, so that you may become mindful 'of Allah'.
  - Mustafa Khattab
And there is life for you in retaliation, O men of understanding, that ye may ward off (evil).
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
In the law of equality there is (saving of) life to you O ye men of understanding! that ye may restrain yourselves.
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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2:180
كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ إِن تَرَكَ خَيْرًا ٱلْوَصِيَّةُ لِلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبِينَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۖ حَقًّا عَلَى ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ Kutiba AAalaykum i tha h a d ara a h adakumu almawtu in taraka khayran alwa s iyyatu lilw a lidayni wa a laqrabeena bi a lmaAAroofi h aqqan AAal a almuttaqeen a
IT IS ordained for you, when death approaches any of you and he is leaving behind much wealth, to make bequests in favour of his parents and [other] near of kin in accordance with what is fair:152 this is binding on all who are conscious of God.
  - Mohammad Asad

The word khayr occurring in this sentence denotes "much wealth" and not simply "property": and this explains the injunction that one who leaves much wealth behind should make bequests to particularly deserving members of his family in addition to - and preceding the distribution of - the legally-fixed shares mentioned in {4:11-12}. This interpretation of khayr is supported by sayings of 'A'ishah and 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, both of them referring to this particular verse (cf. Zamakhshari and Baydawi).

The will is made obligatory before the death of anyone of you who is leaving some property behinds to bequest it equitably to his parents and relatives. This is a duty incumbent on the righteous.
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
It is prescribed that when death approaches any of you- if they leave something of value- a will should be made in favour of parents and immediate family with fairness.1 'This is' an obligation on those who are mindful 'of Allah'.
  - Mustafa Khattab

 This ruling should be understood in light of the inheritance laws in 4:11-12, which give specific shares to parents and close relatives. Relatives who do not have a share may get a bequest up to one third of the estate.

It is prescribed for you, when one of you approacheth death, if he leave wealth, that he bequeath unto parents and near relatives in kindness. (This is) a duty for all those who ward off (evil).
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
It is prescribed when death approaches any of you if he leave any goods that he make a bequest to parents and next of kin according to reasonable usage; this is due from the Allah-fearing. 186
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

There are rules of course for the disposal of intestate property. But it is a good thing that a dying man or woman should, of his own free-will, think of his parents and his next of kin, not in a spirit of injustice to other, but in a spirit of love and reverence for those who have cherished him. He must, however, do it "according to reasonable usage": the limitations will be seen further on.

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