Surah 5. Al-Ma'idah

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Verses [Section]: 1-5[1], 6-11 [2], 12-19 [3], 20-26 [4], 27-34 [5], 35-43 [6], 44-50 [7], 51-56 [8], 57-66 [9], 67-77 [10], 78-86 [11], 87-98 [12], 99-100 [13], 101-108 [14], 109-115 [15], 116-120 [16]

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Quran Text of Verse 27-34وَ اتْلُAnd reciteعَلَیْهِمْto themنَبَاَthe storyابْنَیْ(of) two sonsاٰدَمَ(of) Adamبِالْحَقِّ ۘin truthاِذْwhenقَرَّبَاboth offeredقُرْبَانًاa sacrificeفَتُقُبِّلَand it was acceptedمِنْfromاَحَدِهِمَاone of themوَ لَمْand notیُتَقَبَّلْwas acceptedمِنَfromالْاٰخَرِ ؕthe otherقَالَSaid (the latter)لَاَقْتُلَنَّكَ ؕSurely I will kill youقَالَSaid (the former)اِنَّمَاOnlyیَتَقَبَّلُacceptsاللّٰهُ(does) Allahمِنَfromالْمُتَّقِیْنَ the God fearing لَىِٕنْۢIfبَسَطْتَّyou stretchاِلَیَّtowards meیَدَكَyour handلِتَقْتُلَنِیْto kill meمَاۤnotاَنَاwill Iبِبَاسِطٍstretchیَّدِیَmy handاِلَیْكَtowards youلِاَقْتُلَكَ ۚto kill youاِنِّیْۤindeed IاَخَافُfearاللّٰهَAllahرَبَّ(the) Lordالْعٰلَمِیْنَ (of) the worlds اِنِّیْۤIndeed Iاُرِیْدُwishاَنْthatتَبُوْٓءَاۡyou be ladenبِاِثْمِیْwith my sinوَ اِثْمِكَand your sinفَتَكُوْنَso you will beمِنْamongاَصْحٰبِ(the) companionsالنَّارِ ۚ(of) the Fireوَ ذٰلِكَand thatجَزٰٓؤُا(is the) recompenseالظّٰلِمِیْنَۚ(of) the wrong-doers فَطَوَّعَتْThen promptedلَهٗto himنَفْسُهٗhis soulقَتْلَ(to) killاَخِیْهِhis brotherفَقَتَلَهٗso he killed himفَاَصْبَحَand becameمِنَofالْخٰسِرِیْنَ the losers فَبَعَثَThen (was) sentاللّٰهُ(by) Allahغُرَابًاa crowیَّبْحَثُit (was) scratchingفِیinالْاَرْضِthe earthلِیُرِیَهٗto show himكَیْفَhowیُوَارِیْto hideسَوْءَةَ(the) dead bodyاَخِیْهِ ؕ(of) his brotherقَالَHe saidیٰوَیْلَتٰۤیWoe to meاَعَجَزْتُAm I unableاَنْthatاَكُوْنَI can beمِثْلَlikeهٰذَاthisالْغُرَابِ[the] crowفَاُوَارِیَand hideسَوْءَةَ(the) dead bodyاَخِیْۚ(of) my brotherفَاَصْبَحَThen he becameمِنَofالنّٰدِمِیْنَthe regretful 5. Al-Ma'idah Page 113مِنْFromاَجْلِtimeذٰلِكَ ؔۛۚthatكَتَبْنَاWe ordainedعَلٰیonبَنِیْۤ(the) Childrenاِسْرَآءِیْلَ(of) Israelاَنَّهٗthat heمَنْwhoقَتَلَkillsنَفْسًۢاa personبِغَیْرِother thanنَفْسٍ(for) a lifeاَوْorفَسَادٍ(for) spreading corruptionفِیinالْاَرْضِthe earthفَكَاَنَّمَاthen (it) is as ifقَتَلَhe has killedالنَّاسَmankindجَمِیْعًا ؕallوَ مَنْand whoeverاَحْیَاهَاsaves itفَكَاَنَّمَاۤthen (it) is as ifاَحْیَاhe has savedالنَّاسَmankindجَمِیْعًا ؕallوَ لَقَدْAnd surelyجَآءَتْهُمْcame to themرُسُلُنَاOur Messengersبِالْبَیِّنٰتِ ؗwith clear Signsثُمَّyetاِنَّindeedكَثِیْرًاmanyمِّنْهُمْof themبَعْدَafterذٰلِكَthatفِیinالْاَرْضِthe earthلَمُسْرِفُوْنَ (are) surely those who commit excesses اِنَّمَاOnlyجَزٰٓؤُا(the) recompenseالَّذِیْنَ(for) those whoیُحَارِبُوْنَwage warاللّٰهَ(against) Allahوَ رَسُوْلَهٗand His Messengerوَ یَسْعَوْنَand striveفِیinالْاَرْضِthe earthفَسَادًاspreading corruptionاَنْ(is) thatیُّقَتَّلُوْۤاthey be killedاَوْorیُصَلَّبُوْۤاthey be crucifiedاَوْorتُقَطَّعَbe cut offاَیْدِیْهِمْtheir handsوَ اَرْجُلُهُمْand their feetمِّنْofخِلَافٍopposite sidesاَوْorیُنْفَوْاthey be exiledمِنَfromالْاَرْضِ ؕthe landذٰلِكَThatلَهُمْ(is) for themخِزْیٌdisgraceفِیinالدُّنْیَاthe worldوَ لَهُمْand for themفِیinالْاٰخِرَةِthe Hereafterعَذَابٌ(is) a punishmentعَظِیْمٌۙgreat اِلَّاExceptالَّذِیْنَthose whoتَابُوْاrepentمِنْfromقَبْلِbeforeاَنْthatتَقْدِرُوْاyou overpowerعَلَیْهِمْ ۚ[over] themفَاعْلَمُوْۤاthen knowاَنَّthatاللّٰهَAllahغَفُوْرٌ(is) Oft-Forgivingرَّحِیْمٌ۠Most Merciful

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Translation of Verse 27-34

27. Relate to them in truth ˹O Prophet˺ the story of Adam's two sons -how each offered a sacrifice: Abel's offering was accepted while Cain's was not. So Cain threatened, "I will kill you!" His brother replied, "Allah only accepts ˹the offering˺ of the sincerely devout.

28. If you raise your hand to kill me, I will not raise mine to kill you, because I fear Allah-the Lord of all worlds.

29. I want to let you bear your sin against me along with your other sins, then you will be one of those destined to the Fire. And that is the reward of the wrongdoers."

30. Yet Cain convinced himself to kill his brother, so he killed him-becoming a loser.

31. Then Allah sent a crow digging ˹a grave˺ in the ground ˹for a dead crow˺, in order to show him how to bury the corpse of his brother. He cried, "Alas! Have I ˹even˺ failed to be like this crow and bury the corpse of my brother?" So he became regretful. ²⁴⁷

32. That is why We ordained for the Children of Israel that whoever takes a life-unless as a punishment for murder or mischief in the land-it will be as if they killed all of humanity; and whoever saves a life, it will be as if they saved all of humanity. ²⁴⁸ ˹Although˺ Our messengers already came to them with clear proofs, many of them still transgressed afterwards through the land.

33. Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and spread mischief in the land is death, crucifixion, cutting off their hands and feet on opposite sides, or exile from the land. This ˹penalty˺ is a disgrace for them in this world, and they will suffer a tremendous punishment in the Hereafter. ²⁴⁹

34. As for those who repent before you seize them, then know that Allah is All- Forgiving, Most Merciful.

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Commentary

247. In Islam, regret for doing something wrong is essential for repentance. But in the case of Cain, his regret was not for killing his brother, but for failing to bury his corpse to hide the evidence of his crime. Therefore, his regret was not intended as a step towards repentance.

248. Although this is addressed to the Children of Israel, it is applicable to everyone at all times.

249. This ruling (called ḥirâbah ) applies to crimes committed by armed individuals or groups against civilians-Muslim or non-Muslim. Different punishments apply depending on the severity of the crime: