The Quran

Preface

وَلا تَقتُلُوا النَّفسَ الَّتي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلّا بِالحَقِّ ۗ وَمَن قُتِلَ مَظلومًا فَقَد جَعَلنا لِوَلِيِّهِ سُلطانًا فَلا يُسرِف فِي القَتلِ ۖ إِنَّهُ كانَ مَنصورًا

Yusuf Ali

Nor take life - which God has made sacred - except for just cause. And if anyone is slain wrongfully, we have given his heir authority (to demand Qisas¹ or to forgive): but let him nor exceed bounds in the matter of taking life; for he is helped (by the Law).

On the subject of Qisas see 2:178 and the notes thereto. Under the strict limitations there laid down, a life may be taken for a life. The heir is given the right to demand the life; but he must not exceed due bounds, because he is helped by the Law. Some Commentators understand “he” in “he is helped (by the Law)” to refer to the heir of the person against whom Qisas is sought. He too will be helped by the Law, if the heir of the first slain exceeds the bounds of Law.