O you who believe prescribed for you is retaliation regarding the slain; a free man for a free man and a slave for a slave and a female for a female. But if anything is pardoned anyone in relation to his brother let the pursuit be honorable. And let the payment to him be with kindliness; that is an alleviation given by your Lord and a mercy; and for him who commits aggression after that-his is a painful chastisement. The right to retaliate is prescribed in the law but forgiveness is better so he who inclines to receiving his right in full is one who submits muslim while he who renounces seeking his right is one who acts in a beautiful way muḥsin. The first possesses worship and even servanthood ʿubūdiyya. The second possesses noble-heartedness futuwwa and even freedom ḥurriyya. According to the people of knowledge ahl al-ʿilm retaliation entails bloodshed. According to the allusion of the people of the story ahl al-qiṣṣa their blood goes unavenged and their lives are good for nothing. He said: The heart you caused to tremble gives praise to you and the blood you made spill is proud to have been spilled by you. The blood of the lovers shed over the carpet of nearness is the per- fume of the people of communion. The Prophet ﷺ said “The color is the color of blood and the smell is the smell of musk.”
