"[O you who have believed, prescribed for you is legal retribution for those murdered] The verse. The interpretation of al-Hasan: The people of the pre-Islamic era (Jahiliyyah) engaged in transgression; if a slave from one of their tribes was killed, other tribes would say: We shall not kill in retaliation for him except a free man. And if a woman from one of their tribes was killed, others would say: We shall not kill in retaliation for her except a man. So Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, revealed this verse and forbade them from transgression. Then, Allah revealed after that in [Surah] al-Ma'idah: {And We ordained for them therein...}"