Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:32 (part)

Saturday, 17 January 2026

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... مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا ۖ وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَا أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا ...

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"…Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land—it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one—it is as if he had saved mankind entirely…"

…جس نے کسی جان کو قتل کیا بغیر جان کے بدلے یا زمین میں فساد کے، تو گویا اس نے تمام انسانوں کو قتل کیا۔ اور جس نے ایک جان کو بچا لیا تو گویا اس نے تمام انسانوں کو بچا لیا…

Explanation

When one person kills another, he is the killer of not only one person but of all human beings, because he contravenes the law of respect for human life upon which the lives of all human beings depend. Similarly, when someone saves another from oppression, he is not the saviour of just one person but of all human beings, because he is protecting the principle of respect for life of all hman beings, which holds that nobody has the right to raise his hand to another. If one person attacks the honour, property or life of another, it means that abnormal conditions have developed in the society. It is necessary for Muslims to look at even one incident of this nature as if the life, property and honour of all people are in danger. In a society, the tradition of respect for each other’s life is formed as a result of a long history, and once this tradition is violated, it will be a very long time before it can be revived. Those who establish the tradition of violence in a society are the worst enemies of that society.

— Source: Tazkirul Quran (Maulana Wahiduddin Khan) via Quran.com (5:32)

Context

Revealed regarding Bani Israel; its moral principle is universal.

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