O you who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and acted by His law, Allah has ordained upon you that you take retaliation (qisas) from the intentional murderer by killing him, on the condition of equality and similarity: the free man is killed for his like, the slave for his like, and the female for her like. So whoever is pardoned by the victim's guardian by forgiving the retaliation from him and sufficing with taking the blood money (diyah)-which is a specified monetary amount paid by the offender in exchange for the pardon-then both parties should adhere to good character, so the guardian should demand the blood money without violence, and the murderer should pay him his right with kindness, without delay or reduction. That pardon along with taking the blood money is a relief from your Lord and a mercy to you; because of what it contains of ease and benefit. So whoever kills the murderer after pardoning him and taking the blood money, then for him is a painful punishment by his being killed in retaliation in this world, or by the Fire in the Hereafter.