Verses 92–95
4. An-Nisaa · The Women
Madinan176 verses
وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ أَن يَقْتُلَ مُؤْمِنًا إِلَّا خَطَـًۭٔا ۚ وَمَن قَتَلَ مُؤْمِنًا خَطَـًۭٔا فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍۢ مُّؤْمِنَةٍۢ وَدِيَةٌۭ مُّسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن يَصَّدَّقُوا۟ ۚ فَإِن كَانَ مِن قَوْمٍ عَدُوٍّۢ لَّكُمْ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌۭ فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍۢ مُّؤْمِنَةٍۢ ۖ وَإِن كَانَ مِن قَوْمٍۭ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَٰقٌۭ فَدِيَةٌۭ مُّسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهِۦ وَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍۢ مُّؤْمِنَةٍۢ ۖ فَمَن لَّمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ تَوْبَةًۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًۭا
4:92A believer may not kill another believer, unless it is by mistake. Anyone who kills a believer by mistake should set free a believing slave, and pay blood-money to his family, unless they remit it in charity. If he belongs to a people that are hostile to you but is a believer, then a believing slave is to be set free. And if he belongs to a people with whom you have a treaty, the blood-money is to be paid to his family and a believing slave is to be set free. He who cannot afford [to pay the blood-money], must fast two successive months as a penance from Allah, and Allah is all-knowing, all-wise.1
وَمَن يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًۭا مُّتَعَمِّدًۭا فَجَزَآؤُهُۥ جَهَنَّمُ خَٰلِدًۭا فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُۥ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُۥ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًۭا
4:93Should anyone kill a believer intentionally, his requital shall be hell, to remain in it [forever]; Allah shall be wrathful at him and curse him and He shall prepare for him a great punishment.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَتَبَيَّنُوا۟ وَلَا تَقُولُوا۟ لِمَنْ أَلْقَىٰٓ إِلَيْكُمُ ٱلسَّلَٰمَ لَسْتَ مُؤْمِنًۭا تَبْتَغُونَ عَرَضَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا فَعِندَ ٱللَّهِ مَغَانِمُ كَثِيرَةٌۭ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كُنتُم مِّن قَبْلُ فَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَبَيَّنُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًۭا
4:94O you who have faith! When you issue forth in the way of Allah, try to ascertain: do not say to someone who offers you peace, ‘You are not a believer,’ seeking the transitory wares of the life of this world. Yet with Allah are plenteous gains. You too were such earlier, but Allah did you a favour. Therefore, do ascertain. Allah is indeed well aware of what you do.2
لَّا يَسْتَوِى ٱلْقَٰعِدُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُو۟لِى ٱلضَّرَرِ وَٱلْمُجَٰهِدُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ ۚ فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُجَٰهِدِينَ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ عَلَى ٱلْقَٰعِدِينَ دَرَجَةًۭ ۚ وَكُلًّۭا وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ وَفَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُجَٰهِدِينَ عَلَى ٱلْقَٰعِدِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًۭا
4:95Not equal are those of the faithful who sit back—excepting those who suffer from some disability—and those who wage jihad in the way of Allah with their possession and their persons. Allah has graced those who wage jihad with their possessions and their persons by a degree over those who sit back; yet to each Allah has promised the best reward, and Allah has graced those who wage jihad over those who sit back with a great reward:
Tafsir
Commentary on this passage
Verse 92
1.Islam has considered the life of believers most honourable and does not allow to kill a believer. But it also takes into consideration the Islamic faith of the killer. To be a murderer is one thing and to be an infidel is different. To kill a believer by mistake or by intention is no less in gravity than disbelief. If the person cannot spare the life of believer then what is the value of faith in Allah in his sight? There are two kinds of murderers. (i) To put an end to human life. (ii) To disobey Allah’s commands. Islam has considered both of them deserving of punishment. According to the right of human being, blood money is regarded as obligatory and for disobedience of Allah penitence is obligatory. It is due upon the slayer, he should free a slave or keep 60 fasts and feed 60 beggars and if it is not possible to free a slave he should fast for 60 days if not possible then he should feed 60 beggars. After that, in expiation, blood money takes precautionary measures, if an heir is Muslim or if he is from a tribe hostile to you and if he is a believer, blood money should be paid to him. If he is an infidel, blood money should be paid from Muslim wealth. That is why, anyhow he should free a slave.
Verse 93
2.This is a warning to those people who desire to escape from the sight of law. They think they are safe from worldly punishment. But Islam wants attention to be paid to this point that it is easy to tolerate the worldly punishment but very difficult to bear the chastisement of hereafter. The severe condition therein is hell along with Allah’s wrath and curse and a painful chastisement. Though these are closely related to each other but it is most important for the offender to realize his offense.
Verse 94
3.It is a beautiful way of preaching that man is reminded of his own weakness and that this is a divine favour and not tyranny and oppression upon others.
Verse 95
4.There are some people of different nature who struggle in the way of Allah. (i) Some people demonstrate their strength in a war. (ii) Some people who do not struggle due to their weakness. (iii) Some who do not participate in a struggle due to minor difficulties. The Holy Quran has compared the first type of warriors with disabled persons. Allah’s covenant is for both of them but nonetheless the warrior’s status is high as compared to those who do not participate for a little recompense. Allah will grant them a mighty reward, mercy and protection. After that the Holy Quran has mentioned about those who are lazy, had put up a lame excuse and who have made lame excuse and did not migrate, were unjust to their souls and they will die in the same condition. In the end, the Holy Quran has mentioned about the weak men, their kids and women who were not able to migrate, Allah will abstain them from punishment as Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving.
Footnotes
Explanations of words and phrases in these verses
- 1
Three types of murders are mentioned in Islamic sources, Qatl-e-Amd - intentional Murder, Shibhe-Amd - Unintended Murder where the intention was to just hurt the person and not to kill him, And the third is Khate - accidental murder. In this the victim just comes accidentally and is killed, As for the first type the punishment is Hell in the Hereafter and Qasas (retaliation) or Diyat (Penaltyl blood money) in the world, Diyat is generally equal to 31/2 kg of gold, which should be paid to the heirs of the deceased. As for the second type its punishment is only Diyat and Qasas is not allowed, Diyat is paid by the murderer himself. As for the third type the punishment is Diyat and it should be paid by the relatives of the father, the brothers, paternal uncles and their sons.
- 2
The circumstances of revelation of this verse are as follows: The Holy Prophet (s.a.) had sent a military expedition on the way they found a person having some wealth, They decided to fight him and confiscate his property as war booty. The person did salaam and thus proved that he was a Muslim. Yet the Muslim soldiers killed him and then justified their action to the Prophet (s,a,) saying that the person had recited Kalema only to save his skin. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) asked them if they had dissected his heart and seen that he was really not a Muslim? After this he dissociated from this matter laid the rule that action without investigation is haraam and one should exercise precaution in matters of life, property and honor.