A Female for a Female

Last updated on October 1st, 2025 at 05:17 am

وَالْاُنْثىٰ بِالْاُنْثىٰ 

Surah Baqarah, Aayat 178

“[A] female for a female.”

Qisaas

This is part of an Aayat in which some laws pertaining to Qisaas (equal retribution) are mentioned.

In this particular portion, Allah Ta’ala states that if a woman killed another woman, then the killer will be executed for her act of murder.

The condition for the execution, however, is that the killing was premeditated and with a weapon which cuts and bleeds a person to death, such as a firearm, sword, etc.

If the heirs or even one heir pardons the crime, then the execution will fall away. There are many contingent laws in this case. The details are in the Books of Jurisprudence (Fiqh).

(Bayaanul Qur’aan)

Equal Justice

The purport of the Aayat is that one woman is equal to another woman. So, even if the killer happened to be an aristocrat lady who killed a menial working female, the Law of Qisaas will be invoked, and the higher-class lady will have to face the consequences. Her social standing does not absolve her of her act of murder.

(Tafseer-e-Azeezi)