Surah An-Nahl 16:126 — translation and meaning

النحل · Verse 126 / 128 · Page 281

ۖ وَإِنْ عَاقَبْتُمْ فَعَاقِبُوا بِمِثْلِ مَا عُوقِبْتُم بِهِ وَلَئِن صَبَرْتُمْ لَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لِّلصَّابِرِينَ

Word by Word

ۖ
وَإِنْ
wa-in
And if
عَاقَبْتُمْ
aqabtum
you retaliate
فَعَاقِبُوا
fa'aqibu
then retaliate
بِمِثْلِ
bimith'li
with the like
مَا
ma
of what
عُوقِبْتُم
uqib'tum
you were afflicted
بِهِ
bihi
with [it]
وَلَئِن
wala-in
But if
صَبَرْتُمْ
sabartum
you are patient
لَهُوَ
lahuwa
surely (it) is
خَيْرٌ
khayrun
better
لِّلصَّابِرِينَ
lilssabirina
for those who are patient

Transliteration

Wa in 'aaqabtum fa'aaqiboo bimisli maa 'ooqibtum bihee wa la'in sabartum lahuwa khairul lissaabireen

Translation

And if you punish [an enemy, O believers], punish with an equivalent of that with which you were harmed. But if you are patient - it is better for those who are patient.

Verse interpretation (Tafsir)

If you want to retaliate against your enemy then retaliate to the same degree that they harmed you and not more. But if you are patient and do not retaliate despite having the ability to do so, then that is better for the patient amongst you than taking revenge by retaliating against them.

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

Read the surah An-Nahlالنحل · 128 verses
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