The Truth about the Alleged Punishment for Apostasy in Islam — Page 42
42 rightly guided. And remember the time when Moses said to his people: ‘O my people, you have indeed wronged yourselves by taking the calf for worship ; turn you therefore to your Maker, and slay your own selves; that is the best for you with your Maker. ’ Then He turned towards you with compassion. Surely, He is Oft-Returning with compassion, and is Merciful. " 39 In the last verse the part " faqtul u anfusakum " has been wrongly translated, and the wrong translation has been publicized among people. The truth is that, in this context, the word " anfusakum " * , included in the Arabic phrase " faqtul u anfusakum ", refers to the very same " anfusakum " that are, earlier in this context, included in the phrase " z alamtum anfusakum " **. Thus, a reference to the context clarifies the meaning of the commandment, " faqtul u anfusakum " as follows: Everyone (who wronged his soul) must slay his own self +. It is not stated anywhere, in the entire context, that you must kill each other. Rather, only those individuals who had wronged their own souls are addressed here, and they are commanded: You must slay your own, wronged, souls. 39 The Holy Qur’an 2:52-55. [Publisher] * i. e. , 'your own selves' (or, egos). [Publisher] ** i. e. , 'you have wronged your own souls (i. e. , selves)'. [Publisher] + i. e. , the very self (or ego) that incited them to commit evil, in the first place. [Author]