Surah Al-Ma'ida 5:45 — translation and meaning

المائدة · Verse 45 / 120 · Page 115

ۚ ۚ وَكَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهَا أَنَّ النَّفْسَ بِالنَّفْسِ وَالْعَيْنَ بِالْعَيْنِ وَالْأَنفَ بِالْأَنفِ وَالْأُذُنَ بِالْأُذُنِ وَالسِّنَّ بِالسِّنِّ وَالْجُرُوحَ قِصَاصٌ فَمَن تَصَدَّقَ بِهِ فَهُوَ كَفَّارَةٌ لَّهُ وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ

Word by Word

ۚ
ۚ
وَكَتَبْنَا
wakatabna
And We ordained
عَلَيْهِمْ
alayhim
for them
فِيهَا
fiha
in it
أَنَّ
anna
that
النَّفْسَ
al-nafsa
the life
بِالنَّفْسِ
bil-nafsi
for the life
وَالْعَيْنَ
wal-'ayna
and the eye
بِالْعَيْنِ
bil-'ayni
for the eye
وَالْأَنفَ
wal-anfa
and the nose
بِالْأَنفِ
bil-anfi
for the nose
وَالْأُذُنَ
wal-udhuna
and the ear
بِالْأُذُنِ
bil-udhuni
for the ear
وَالسِّنَّ
wal-sina
and the tooth
بِالسِّنِّ
bil-sini
for the tooth
وَالْجُرُوحَ
wal-juruha
and (for) wounds
قِصَاصٌ
qisasun
(is) retribution
فَمَن
faman
But whoever
تَصَدَّقَ
tasaddaqa
gives charity
بِهِ
bihi
with it
فَهُوَ
fahuwa
then it is
كَفَّارَةٌ
kaffaratun
an expiation
لَّهُ
lahu
for him
وَمَن
waman
And whoever
لَّمْ
lam
(does) not
يَحْكُم
yahkum
judge
بِمَا
bima
by what
أَنزَلَ
anzala
has revealed
اللَّهُ
al-lahu
Allah
فَأُولَئِكَ
fa-ulaika
then those
هُمُ
humu
[they]
الظَّالِمُونَ
al-zalimuna
(are) the wrongdoers

Transliteration

Wa katabnaa 'alaihim feehaaa annan nafsa binnafsi wal'aina bil'aini wal anfa bilanfi wal uzuna bil uzuni wassinna bissinni waljurooha qisaas; faman tasaddaqa bihee fahuwa kaffaaratul lah; wa mal lam yahkum bimaaa anzalal laahu fa ulaaa'ika humuz zalimoon

Translation

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 Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

I ordered the Jews in the Torah that if any person deliberately and wrongfully kills another he will be killed in retribution. If any person deliberately removes the eye of another person, his eye will be removed. If any person cuts the nose of another person, his nose will be cut. If any person cuts the ear of another person, his ear will be cut. If any person removes the tooth of another person, his tooth will be removed. I also ordered them with respect to wounds that the offender will be penalised with retribution for his offence. Whoever voluntarily pardons the offender, then such pardon shall be a compensation for their sins, as they have pardoned one who has wronged them. Whoever does not judge according to what Allah has revealed with respect to the law of retribution and other laws, then such person has overstepped Allah’s limits.

Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.

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"And We ordained for them therein a life for a life, an eye for a…" — Al-Ma'ida 5:45 | Al Muslim Plus