5.Surah Al-Maidah

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

إِنَّمَا جَزَاء الَّذِينَ يُحَارِبُونَ اللّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِي الأَرْضِ فَسَادًا...

5: 33. The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is:

C738. For the double crime of treason against the State, combined with treason against Allah, as shown by overt crimes, four alternative punishments are mentioned, any one of which is to be applied according to the crime committed, viz.,

- execution (cutting off of the head),

- crucifixion,

- maiming, or

- exile.

These were features of the Criminal Law then and for centuries afterwards, except that tortures such as "hanging, drawing, and quartering" in English Law, and piercing of eyes and leaving the unfortunate victim exposed to a tropical sun, which was practised in Arabia, and all such tortures were abolished.

In any case sincere repentance before it was too late was recognised as a ground for mercy.

... أَن يُقَتَّلُواْ أَوْ يُصَلَّبُواْ أَوْ تُقَطَّعَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُم مِّنْ خِلافٍ ...

execution, or crucifixion, of the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides,

C739. Understood to mean the right hand and the left foot.

... أَوْ يُنفَوْاْ مِنَ الأَرْضِ...

or exile from the land:

... ذَلِكَ لَهُمْ خِزْيٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَلَهُمْ فِي الآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿٣٣﴾

that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter.

Others version:

5: 33

Asad It is but a just recompense for those who make war on God and his apostle [note 43], and endeavor to spread corruption on earth, that they are being slain in great numbers, or crucified in great numbers, or have, in result of their perverseness, their hands and feet cur of in great numbers [note 44], or are being [entirely] banished from [the face of ] the earth: such is their ignominy in this world [note 45]. But in the life to come [yet more] awesome suffering awaits them-

Pickthall The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His messenger and strive after corruption in the land will be that they will be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet on alternate sides cut off, or will be expelled out of the land. Such will be their degradation in the world, and in the Hereafter theirs will be an awful doom;

Transliteration Innama_ jaza_'ul lazina yuha_ribu_nalla_ha wa rasu_laha_ wa yas'auna fil ardi fasa_dan ay yuqattala_ au yusallabu_ au tuqatta'a aidihim wa arjuluhum min khila_fin au yunfau minal ard(i), zua_lika lahum khizyun fid dunya_ wa lahum fil a_khirati 'aza_bun'azim(un).