The Life Is In The Retaliation Of Murder

LESSON # 184 FROM HOLY QUR’AN

BAQARAH – 2 (The Cow)

The Life Is In The Retaliation Of Murder

Verse –179  of 286, Section – 22 (Part One-Fourth of 2)

And there is life for you in retaliation, O men of understanding, that ye may ward off (evil).

Wa  lakum  fil-Qisaasi  Ha-yaatuny-yaaa-‘ulil-‘albaabi  la-‘allakum  tattaquun.

Lesson

Apparently it seems that punishment to kill the murderer as retaliation of murder is much heavy and strict, and it is thought that punishing the killer another life is destroyed intentionally. But if it is checked deeply an account about this command’s advisability and philosophy then this fact will be cleared that with it another life is not ruined but the life is gotten.

For example if the punishment of the murder is not fixed murder as retaliation then resultantly value of the human life would not remain. The cruel persons will murder fearless and without hesitation. Because they will know that they will be free after paying some penalty or bearing some imprisonment. Like this the human life will become much cheaper as it was present in the Arab practically during the time of illiteracy.

If the punishment of the murder isn’t murder, every wealthy person will kill the others on also customary matters and paying the penalty, he could be got free himself. But if according to the Islamic method the punishment of murder is fixed as murder means that the lives of all human beings are given equal respect, value of any life is fixed as the life of murderer then quantity of the murders will become very less, because they will know that if any one is killed by them, they won’t be able to get free paying the penalty. And he will be sentenced for the murder. In these situations the incidents of killing will stop and the people will find themselves safe. Though if the punishment of murder is not killing, the lives of the people will be destroyed but while the punishment of killing is killing, the lives of people are safe. This is  fil-Qisaasi  Ha-yaatun (there is life in the retaliation).

The Law of murder in retaliation is the law of justice and equality. It is the best guarantor of discipline, truthfulness and moderateness in all aspects of human life. So that none may tyrannize any other person and the rights of weak and strong become equal. While this law will be followed for some times, its soul will grow in the whole nation and the constitutionalism will become important part of life for mutual national peace.

Islam has fixed apparently severe punishments for the crimes but looking carefully, in fact those crimes deserve even more severe punishments. Less punishment will be cause to make the crime minor. Secondly purpose to punish severely is to stop the crimes not to make the punishment only a funny and enjoyable thing. Now a day this very is happening that the punished criminals commit more crimes. Neither they are corrected, nor do others take it as warning.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Transliteration in Roman Script & English Translation of Holy Qur’an written by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore and Paraphrase collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated by Muhammad Sharif)