Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Isra Verse 33

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Do not kill any person the life of whom is sanctified by Allah, except for a just reason. And whoever is killed unjustly, We have invested his heir with authority (of equal retaliation), but he must not cross the limit in the matter of killing. Surely, he will be helped.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Do not take a ˹human˺ life—made sacred by Allah—except with ˹legal˺ right.[[ For example, in retaliation for intentional killing through legal channels. ]] If anyone is killed unjustly, We have given their heirs[[ Here the word wali, “heir,” actually means awliyâ' or “heirs,” which includes the closest relatives, both men and women. ]] the authority, but do not let them exceed limits in retaliation,[[ By killing anyone other than the killer, or killing others with the killer. ]] for they are already supported ˹by law˺.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Do not kill any soul that Allah has forbidden, except in the course of justice. If anyone is killed wrongfully, We have given his heir authority [of compensation], but he should not exceed the bounds in killing, for he is already supported [by law].

A. J. Arberry

And slay not the soul God has forbidden, except by right. Whosoever is slain unjustly, We have appointed to his next-of-kin authority; but let him not exceed in slaying; he shall be helped.

Abdul Haleem

Do not take life, which God has made sacred, except by right: if anyone is killed wrongfully, We have given authority to the defender of his rights, but he should not be excessive in taking life, for he is already aided [by God].

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And slay not anyone whom Allah hath forbidden except for justification; and whosoever is slain wrongfully, We have surely given his next-of-kin authority so let him not be extravagant in slaying; verily he is ever succoured.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Nor take life - which Allah has made sacred - except for just cause. And if anyone is slain wrongfully, we have given his heir authority (to demand qisas or to forgive); but let him not exceed bounds in the matter of taking life; for he is helped (by the Law).

Abul Ala Maududi

(ix) Do not kill any person whom Allah has forbidden to kill, except with right. We have granted the heir of him who has been wrongfully killed the authority to (claim retribution); so let him not exceed in slaying. He shall be helped.

Ahmed Ali

And do not take a life, which God has forbidden, except in a just cause. We have given the right (of redress) to the heir of the person who is killed, but he should not exceed the limits (of justice) by slaying (the killer), for he will be judged (by the same law).

Ahmed Raza Khan

And do not wrongfully kill any living being which Allah has forbidden; and for whoever is slain wrongfully, We have given the authority to his heir, so he should not cross limits in slaying; he will surely be helped.

Ali Quli Qarai

Do not kill a soul [whose life] Allah has made inviolable, except with due cause, and whoever is killed wrongfully, We have certainly given his heir an authority. But let him not commit any excess in killing [the murderer], for he has been assisted [by law].

Ali Ünal

Do not kill any soul, which God has made forbidden, except in just cause. If anyone has been killed wrongfully and intentionally, We have given his heir (as defender of his rights) the authority (to claim retaliation or damages or to forgive outright). But let him (the heir) not exceed the legitimate bounds in (retaliatory) killing. Indeed he has been helped (already and sufficiently by the provisions and procedures of the Law).

Amatul Rahman Omar

And do not kill anyone, the sanctity of which Allâh has upheld (and has forbidden you to slay) except for a just cause. And We have given, of course, to the heir of the person who is killed unjustly the right (to demand retribution or to forgive). But let him not exceed the (prescribed) limits in killing (the murderer) because he is indeed helped (and protected by law).

English Literal

And do not kill the self that God forbade/prohibited except with the truth/right (justice) , and who was killed unjustly/oppressively, so We had made for his guardian a power/authority , so he does not waste/exceed the limit in the killing/murder , that he truly was/is victorious.

Faridul Haque

And do not wrongfully kill any living being which Allah has forbidden; and for whoever is slain wrongfully, We have given the authority to his heir, so he should not cross limits in slaying; he will surely be helped.

Hamid S. Aziz

And slay not the soul that Allah has forbidden you (or made sacred), except for just cause; for he who is slain unjustly We have given authority to his heirs (or kin), yet let him not commit excess in slaying; verily, he will be helped.

Hilali & Khan

And do not kill anyone which Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause. And whoever is killed (intentionally with hostility and oppression and not by mistake), We have given his heir the authority [(to demand Qisas, Law of Equality in punishment or to forgive, or to take Diya (blood money)]. But let him not exceed limits in the matter of taking life (i.e. he should not kill except the killer only). Verily, he is helped (by the Islamic law).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And go not nigh to fornication: surely it is an obscenity. And evil is the way.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And do not kill any one whom Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause, and whoever is slain unjustly, We have indeed given to his heir authority, so let him not exceed the just limits in slaying; surely he is aided.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And slay not the life which Allah hath forbidden save with right. Whoso is slain wrongfully, We have given power unto his heir, but let him not commit excess in slaying. Lo! he will be helped.

Muhammad Sarwar

Do not kill a respectable soul without a just cause. If anyone is wrongfully killed, we have given the heirs of that person the right (to demand satisfaction or to forgive). He must not exceed the law in having vengeance; his victim shall also be assisted (by law).

Qaribullah & Darwish

Do not kill the soul whom Allah has forbidden except by right. If he is slain unjustly, We have given his heir authority. But let him not exceed the limit in slaying, for he will be helped.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And do not kill anyone whose killing Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause. And whoever is killed wrongfully (not by mistake), We have given his heir the authority. But let him not exceed limits in the matter of taking life. Verily, he is helped.

Wahiduddin Khan

Do not take life which God has made inviolate -- except by right. If anyone is killed wrongfully, We have given authority to his heirs to demand retribution, but let them not transgress the prescribed limits in exacting retribution; for then he will be assisted [by the law].

Talal Itani

And do not kill the soul which God has made sacred, except in the course of justice. If someone is killed unjustly, We have given his next of kin certain authority. But he should not be excessive in killing, for he will be supported.

Tafsir jalalayn

And do not slay the soul [whose life] God has made inviolable, except with due cause. Whoever is slain wrongfully, We have certainly given his heir, the one inheriting from him, a warrant, a sanction [to retaliate] against the slayer; but let him not commit excess, [let him not] overstep the bounds, in slaying, by slaying other than the killer [of the one slain], or by other than that [instrument] with which he [the slain] was killed; for he is supported [by the Law].

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Prohibition of Unlawful Killing

Allah forbids killing with no legitimate reason.

وَلَا تَقْتُلُواْ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللّهُ إِلاَّ بِالحَقِّ

And do not kill anyone whose killing Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause.

It was reported in the Two Sahihs that the Messenger of Allah said;

لَاا يَحِلُّ دَمُ امْرِىءٍ مُسْلِمٍ يَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَاا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللهِ إِلاَّ بِإِحْدَى ثَلَاثٍ

النَّفْسُ بِالنَّفْسِ

وَالزَّانِي الْمُحْصَنُ

وَالتَّارِكُ لِدِينِهِ الْمُفَارِقُ لِلْجَمَاعَة

The blood of a Muslim who bears witness to La ilaha illallah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, is not permissible (to be shed) except in three cases;

a soul for a soul (i.e., in the case of murder),

an adulterer who is married, and

a person who leaves his religion and deserts the Jama'ah.

The following is recorded in the books of the Sunan;

لَزَوَالُ الدُّنْيَا عِنْدَ اللهِ أَهْوَنُ مِنْ قَتْلِ مُسْلِم

If the world were to be destroyed, it would be of less importance to Allah than the killing of a Muslim.

وَمَن قُتِلَ مَظْلُومًا فَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا لِوَلِيِّهِ سُلْطَانًا

And whoever is killed wrongfully, We have given his heir the authority.

The authority is over the killer. The heir has the choice;

if he wishes, he may have him killed in retaliation,

or he may forgive him in return for the payment of the Diyah (blood money),

or he may forgive him with no payment, as is reported in the Sunnah.

The great scholar and Imam Ibn Abbas understood from the general meaning of this Ayah that Mu`awiyah should take power, because he was the heir of `Uthman, who had been killed wrongfully, may Allah be pleased with him, and Mu`awiyah did eventually take power, as Ibn Abbas said on the basis of this Ayah. This is one of the stranger of matters.

فَلَ يُسْرِف فِّي الْقَتْلِ

But let him not exceed limits in the matter of taking life.

They said;this means the heir should not go to extremes in killing the killer, such as mutilating the body or taking revenge on persons other than the killer.

إِنَّهُ كَانَ مَنْصُورًا



Verily, he is helped.

means, the heir is helped against the killer by the Shariah and by divine decree