—when they count their slain, offset their claims, and reach an equal settlement—no longer have any claim against one another. Thus, lives are preserved on both sides. If, however, they do not offset their claims, they fight one another, and strife erupts between them in which multitudes perish, as is well known from the conflicts of both pre-Islamic times and the Islamic era. Such strife arises only because the two parties fail to deal equitably and fairly with one another. When there is an equitable and fair settlement acceptable to people of understanding, no cause for strife remains.

His words:

“But whoever transgresses after that”

refer to someone who demands money or men from the other party, or harms them on account of the bloodshed between them:

“will suffer a painful punishment.”

This is like His words:

“If two groups of believers fight one another, make peace between them. But if one of them transgresses against the other, fight the transgressing group until it returns to Allah’s command. If it returns, then reconcile them justly and act equitably. Indeed, Allah loves those who act equitably.”

“The believers are but brothers, so make peace between your two brothers.”

“Brotherhood” here has the same meaning as brotherhood in the earlier passage. This concerns those slain in civil strife.

As for a man killing another outside such strife, they already knew that the killer was to be put to death. Yet the stronger group would demand the execution of someone other than the killer, someone of higher standing than the killer, or two men for one. If the killer belonged to their own group, they would not execute him for someone of lower standing, as reportedly happened between Qurayzah and al-Nadīr. However, this did not give rise to civil strife; rather, it involved the stronger group oppressing the weaker. Nor