سورة النِّسَاء
Surah Al-Nisâ’ 4:92
The Women · Verse 92 of 176
وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ أَنْ يَقْتُلَ مُؤْمِنًا إِلَّا خَطَأً ۚ وَمَنْ قَتَلَ مُؤْمِنًا خَطَأً فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُؤْمِنَةٍ وَدِيَةٌ مُسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَصَّدَّقُوا ۚ فَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ قَوْمٍ عَدُوٍّ لَكُمْ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُؤْمِنَةٍ ۖ وَإِنْ كَانَ مِنْ قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ مِيثَاقٌ فَدِيَةٌ مُسَلَّمَةٌ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِ وَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُؤْمِنَةٍ ۖ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ فَصِيَامُ شَهْرَيْنِ مُتَتَابِعَيْنِ تَوْبَةً مِنَ اللَّهِ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا
Abdul Mannan Omar
It is not befitting for a believer to kill another believer except (what happens) by mistake; and he who kills a believer by mistake let him set a believing captive of war free and pay blood-money to be handed over to the heirs of the deceased, unless they (- the heirs) forgo it as a free-will offering. But if he (- the slain) is a believer belonging to people hostile to you, then there is still only the (penance of) freeing a believing captive of war; and if he (- the slain) belongs to a people with whom you have a pact, then there is the payment of blood-money, to be handed over to his heirs and (also) the freeing of a believing captive of war; but he who does not find (the means to set free a captive of war,) shall fast two consecutive months, a method of penance (devised) by Allâh. And Allâh is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Never should a believer kill a believer; but (If it so happens) by mistake, (Compensation is due): If one (so) kills a believer, it is ordained that he should free a believing slave, and pay compensation to the deceased's family, unless they remit it freely. If the deceased belonged to a people at war with you, and he was a believer, the freeing of a believing slave (Is enough). If he belonged to a people with whom ye have treaty of Mutual alliance, compensation should be paid to his family, and a believing slave be freed. For those who find this beyond their means, (is prescribed) a fast for two months running: by way of repentance to Allah: for Allah hath all knowledge and all wisdom.
Ahmed Ali
It is not for a believer to take a believer´s life except by mistake; and he who kills a believer by mistake should free a slave who is a believer, and pay blood-money to the victim´s family unless they forego it as an act of charity. If he belonged to a community hostile to you but was himself a believer, then a slave who is a believer should be freed. In case he belonged to a people with whom you have a treaty, then give blood-money to his family and free a believing slave. But he who has no means (to do so) should fast for a period of two months continuously to have his sins forgiven by God, and God is all-knowing and all-wise.
12 more translations
Ali Unal
Yet (be circumspect), it is not for a believer to kill another believer unless it be by mistake. He who has killed a believer by mistake must set free a believing slave, and pay blood-money to his family (legal heirs), unless they forgo it as a freewill offering. If he (the victim), while himself a believer, belonged to a people hostile to you (between whom and you there is no treaty), then (the expiation is to) set free a believing slave. If he (the victim) belonged to a (non-Muslim) people between whom and you there is a treaty, then (the expiation is to) pay blood-money to his heirs, and to set free a believing slave. But he who has no means (to make such expiation), must fast for two consecutive months – a penance from God (a way of repentance). God is All-Knowing (of everything including what is in your bosoms), All-Wise.
Daryabadi
It is not for a believer to slay a believer except by a mischance; and whosoever slayeth a believer by mischance on him is the setting free of a believing bondman and blood-wit to be delivered to his family except that they forego. Then if he be of a people hostile unto you and is himself a believer, then the setting free of a believing bondman; and if he be of a people between man whom and you is a bond, then the bloodwit to be delivered to his family and the setting free of a believing bondman. Then whosoever findeth not the wherewithal, on him is the fasting for two months in succession: a penance from Allah. And Allah is ever Knowing, Wise.
Faridul Haque
It is not rightful for a Muslim to kill another Muslim, unless it occurs by mistake; and the one who mistakenly kills a Muslim must set free a Muslim slave and pay blood-money to the family of the slain, except if they forego it; and if the victim is of a people who are hostile to you, and the killer is a Muslim, then only the setting free of a Muslim slave (is obligatory); and if the victim is from a people between whom and you there is a treaty, then blood-money must be paid to his family and the setting free of a Muslim slave; therefore one who has no means must fast for two consecutive months; this is his penance before Allah; and Allah is All Knowing, Wise.
Maulana Muhammad Ali
And a believer would not kill a believer except by mistake. And he who kills a believer by mistake should free a believing slave, and blood-money should be paid to his people unless they remit it as alms. But if he be from a tribe hostile to you and he is a believer, the freeing of a believing slave (suffices). And if he be from a tribe between whom and you there is a covenant, the blood-money should be paid to his people along with the freeing of a believing slave; but he who has not the means should fast for two months successively: a penance from Allah. And Allah is ever Knowing, Wise.
Maulvi Sher Ali
It does not behove a believer to slay a believer unless it be by mistake. And he who slays a believer by mistake shall free a believing slave, and pay blood-money to be handed over to his heirs, unless they remit it as charity. But if the person slain be of a people hostile to you, and he is a believer, then the penalty is only the freeing of a believing slave, and if he be of a people between whom and you is a pact, then the penalty is blood-money to be handed over to his heirs, and the freeing of a believing slave. But whoso finds not one, then he shall fast for two consecutive months - a mercy from ALLAH. And ALLAH is All-Knowing, Wise.
Muhammad Asad
AND IT IS not conceivable that a believer should slay another believer, unless it be by mistake. And upon him who has slain a believer by mistake there is the duty of freeing a believing soul from bondage and paying an indemnity to the victim's relations, unless they forgo it by way of charity. Now if the slain, while himself a believer, belonged to a people who are at war with you, [the penance shall be confined to] the freeing of a believing soul from bondage; whereas, if he belonged to a people to whom you are bound by a covenant, [it shall consist of] an indemnity to be paid to his relations in addition to the freeing of a believing soul from bondage. And he who does not have the wherewithal shall fast [instead] for two consecutive months. (This is) the atonement ordained by God: and God is indeed all-knowing, wise.
Muhammad Musin Khan
It is not for a believer to kill a believer except (that it be) by mistake, and whosoever kills a believer by mistake, (it is ordained that) he must set free a believing slave and a compensation (blood money, i.e Diya) be given to the deceased's family, unless they remit it. If the deceased belonged to a people at war with you and he was a believer; the freeing of a believing slave (is prescribed), and if he belonged to a people with whom you have a treaty of mutual alliance, compensation (blood money - Diya) must be paid to his family, and a believing slave must be freed. And whoso finds this (the penance of freeing a slave) beyond his means, he must fast for two consecutive months in order to seek repentance from Allah. And Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.
Muhammad Pickthall
It is not for a believer to kill a believer unless (it be) by mistake. He who hath killed a believer by mistake must set free a believing slave, and pay the blood-money to the family of the slain, unless they remit it as a charity. If he (the victim) be of a people hostile unto you, and he is a believer, then (the penance is) to set free a believing slave. And if he cometh of a folk between whom and you there is a covenant, then the blood-money must be paid unto his folk and (also) a believing slave must be set free. And whoso hath not the wherewithal must fast two consecutive months. A penance from Allah. Allah is Knower, Wise.
Muhammad Sarwar
A believer cannot slay another believer except by mistake for which the retaliation is to set free a believing slave and pay the appointed blood money to the relatives of the deceased unless the relatives wave aside the payment. If the person slain is from your enemies but himself is a believer, the penalty is to set free a believing slave. If the person slain is one of those with whom you have a peace treaty, the penalty is the same as that for a slain believer. If this is not possible, the defendant has to fast for two consecutive months, asking God to accept his repentance. He is All-knowing and All-wise.
Muhammed ali Shakir
And it does not behoove a believer to kill a believer except by mistake, and whoever kills a believer by mistake, he should free a believing slave, and blood-money should be paid to his people unless they remit it as alms; but if he be from a tribe hostile to you and he is a believer, the freeing of a believing slave (suffices), and if he is from a tribe between whom and you there is a convenant, the blood-money should be paid to his people along with the freeing of a believing slave; but he who cannot find (a slave) should fast for two months successively: a penance from Allah, and Allah is Knowing, Wise.
Rashad Khalifa
No believer shall kill another believer, unless it is an accident. If one kills a believer by accident, he shall atone by freeing a believing slave, and paying a compensation to the victim's family, unless they forfeit such a compensation as a charity. If the victim belonged to people who are at war with you, though he was a believer, you shall atone by freeing a believing slave. If he belonged to people with whom you have signed a peace treaty, you shall pay the compensation in addition to freeing a believing slave. If you cannot find a slave to free, you shall atone by fasting two consecutive months, in order to be redeemed by GOD. GOD is Knower, Most Wise.
Shabbir Ahmed
It is not conceivable that a believer will slay another believer unless it be by mistake. If one kills a believer by mistake, there is the duty of freeing a believing person from bondage; may it be slavery, extreme poverty, crushing debt or oppression. And pay compensation to the victim's family unless they forgo it by way of charity. In case the victim was a believer, and belonged to a tribe who are at war with you, free a believing person from bondage. If the victim was a believer, and belonged to a tribe with whom you have a peace treaty, you should pay the compensation to his family in addition to freeing a believing person from bondage. For those who find this settlement beyond their means, two consecutive months of ‘Saum’ are ordained by way of repentance from God. God is the Knower, the Wise.
Commentary 4:92 The last portion of this verse relates to cases where the victim is a non-Muslim belonging to a people in alliance with Muslims. In such cases, the…
فَإِن كَانَ مِن قَوْمٍ عَدُوٍّ لَّكُمْ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَتَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ مُّؤْمِنَةٍ ۖ
4:92 The last portion of this verse relates to cases where the victim is a non-Muslim belonging to a people in alliance with Muslims. In such cases, the penalty is the same as that imposed for the killing under similar circumstances of a fellow believer. In case a fellow Muslim is killed, the command relating to the penalty to be paid has been mentioned after the commandment to free a slave; however, in the case where a person belonging to a people to whom Muslims are bound by a covenant is killed, the order has been reversed. This change of order is not without meaning: it has been done to impress the need to pay special attention to the existence of pacts and treaties.