Quranic theme

Revenge

الانتقام

15 verses

When the Quran addresses retribution (intiqam), it immediately removes the settling of ultimate scores from human hands. Instead of outlining personal vengeance, the text repeatedly attaches retribution to God's authority. He is described across multiple passages as "mighty, and capable of retribution," a power directly linked to His role in sending down the Torah, the Gospel, and the final distinction between right and wrong (3:3–4).

Who holds the right to retribution?

Opponents of the Prophet Muhammad threatened him with the idols they worshipped, prompting the text to ask, "Is God not enough for His servant?" (39:36). Because the balance of justice rests with the Creator, believers are not tasked with pursuing ultimate vengeance themselves. The text asserts that if God guides someone, no one can lead them astray, immediately following this with the rhetorical question: "Is God not mighty and capable of retribution?" (39:37). The classical scholar al-Zamakhshari notes (Tafsir al-Kashshaf, 1/ 17) that divine wrath is precisely this will to exact retribution from the disobedient and bring down punishment, acting as a sovereign king does when angered by a transgression against his authority. Therefore, the Prophet is commanded not to think God will break His promises to His messengers regarding this justice (14:47).

What triggers divine punishment?

The severest penalties in the text fall upon those who actively reject clear proofs. The Quran asks, "Who does more wrong than someone who, when messages from his Lord are recited to him, turns away from them?" before promising to "inflict retribution on the guilty" (32:22). This penalty is heavily documented through physical, historical examples. Because past nations paid no heed to divine signs, God "exacted retribution from them: We drowned them in the sea" (7:136). Other destroyed settlements are not framed as abstract myths but as literal geography; their ruins were left "still there on the highway, plain for all to see" (15:79). By punishing evildoers who reject the truth, God fulfills what the text calls a "duty to help the believers" (30:47).

How does retribution apply to earthly laws?

While mostly discussed on a historical or cosmic scale, divine penalty also anchors specific legal boundaries, such as the rules of pilgrimage. If a person intentionally kills game while in the state of consecration, they must provide an equivalent offering of a domestic animal brought to the Kaba, feed the needy, or fast an equivalent number of days to "taste the full gravity of his deed" (5:95). God forgives past mistakes, but the text issues a strict warning regarding repeat offenses: "if anyone re-offends, God will exact the penalty from him: God is mighty, and capable of exacting the penalty" (5:95).

The execution of this justice is an absolute certainty, unconstrained by the lifespans of those who witness the original crimes. God directs the Prophet to think about how past deniers met their end (43:25). Yet the ultimate timing remains God's alone, leaving the Prophet with a firm, unresolved guarantee: "Either We shall take you away and punish them- indeed We will-" (43:41).

Verses

All 15 verses, in mushaf order.

3:3 Ali 'Imran

نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَأَنزَلَ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ وَٱلْإِنجِيلَ

Step by step, He has sent the Scripture down to you [Prophet] with the Truth, confirming what went before: He sent down the Torah and the Gospel

3:4 Ali 'Imran

مِن قَبْلُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَنزَلَ ٱلْفُرْقَانَ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ ذُو ٱنتِقَامٍ

earlier as a guide for people and He has sent down the distinction [between right and wrong]. Those who deny God’s revelations will suffer severe torment: God is almighty and capable of retribution.

5:95 Al-Ma'idah

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَا تَقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلصَّيْدَ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُمٌ ۚ وَمَن قَتَلَهُۥ مِنكُم مُّتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَآءٌ مِّثْلُ مَا قَتَلَ مِنَ ٱلنَّعَمِ يَحْكُمُ بِهِۦ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ مِّنكُمْ هَدْيًۢا بَـٰلِغَ ٱلْكَعْبَةِ أَوْ كَفَّـٰرَةٌ طَعَامُ مَسَـٰكِينَ أَوْ عَدْلُ ذَٰلِكَ صِيَامًا لِّيَذُوقَ وَبَالَ أَمْرِهِۦ ۗ عَفَا ٱللَّهُ عَمَّا سَلَفَ ۚ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَيَنتَقِمُ ٱللَّهُ مِنْهُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ ذُو ٱنتِقَامٍ

You who believe, do not kill game while you are in the state of consecration [for pilgrimage]. If someone does so intentionally the penalty is an offering of a domestic animal brought to the Kaba, equivalent- as judged by two just men among you- to the one he has killed; alternatively, he may atone by feeding the needy or by fasting an equivalent number of days, so that he may taste the full gravity of his deed. God forgives what is past, but if anyone re-offends, God will exact the penalty from him: God is mighty, and capable of exacting the penalty.

7:136 Al-A'raf

فَٱنتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَـٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْيَمِّ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا وَكَانُوا۟ عَنْهَا غَـٰفِلِينَ

And so, because they rejected Our signs and paid them no heed, We exacted retribution from them: We drowned them in the sea

14:47 Ibrahim

فَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِفَ وَعْدِهِۦ رُسُلَهُۥٓ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ ذُو ٱنتِقَامٍ

So do not think [Prophet] that God will break His promise to His messengers: He is mighty, and capable of retribution.

15:79 Al-Hijr

فَٱنتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ وَإِنَّهُمَا لَبِإِمَامٍ مُّبِينٍ

and We took retribution on them; both are still there on the highway, plain for all to see.

30:47 Ar-Rum

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ رُسُلًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِمْ فَجَآءُوهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ فَٱنتَقَمْنَا مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُوا۟ ۖ وَكَانَ حَقًّا عَلَيْنَا نَصْرُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Before you [Muhammad], We sent mes-sengers, each to their own people: they brought them clear proofs and then We punished the evildoers. We make it Our duty to help the believers.

32:22 As-Sajdah

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ ثُمَّ أَعْرَضَ عَنْهَآ ۚ إِنَّا مِنَ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ مُنتَقِمُونَ

Who does more wrong than someone who, when messages from his Lord are recited to him, turns away from them? We shall inflict retribution on the guilty.

39:36 Az-Zumar

أَلَيْسَ ٱللَّهُ بِكَافٍ عَبْدَهُۥ ۖ وَيُخَوِّفُونَكَ بِٱلَّذِينَ مِن دُونِهِۦ ۚ وَمَن يُضْلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُۥ مِنْ هَادٍ

Is God not enough for His servant? Yet they threaten you [Prophet] with those they worship other than Him. If God allows someone to stray he has no one to guide him;

39:37 Az-Zumar

وَمَن يَهْدِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُۥ مِن مُّضِلٍّ ۗ أَلَيْسَ ٱللَّهُ بِعَزِيزٍ ذِى ٱنتِقَامٍ

if God guides someone no one can lead him astray. Is God not mighty and capable of retribution?

43:25 Az-Zukhruf

فَٱنتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ ۖ فَٱنظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلْمُكَذِّبِينَ

We punished them: think about how those who rejected the Truth met their end.

43:41 Az-Zukhruf

فَإِمَّا نَذْهَبَنَّ بِكَ فَإِنَّا مِنْهُم مُّنتَقِمُونَ

Either We shall take you away and punish them- indeed We will-

43:42 Az-Zukhruf

أَوْ نُرِيَنَّكَ ٱلَّذِى وَعَدْنَـٰهُمْ فَإِنَّا عَلَيْهِم مُّقْتَدِرُونَ

or We shall let you witness the punishment We threatened them with; We have full power over them.