Home ≫ en ≫ Surah Al Baqarah ≫ ayat 282 ≫ Translation ≫ Tafsir
یٰۤاَیُّهَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْۤا اِذَا تَدَایَنْتُمْ بِدَیْنٍ اِلٰۤى اَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى فَاكْتُبُوْهُؕ-وَ لْیَكْتُبْ بَّیْنَكُمْ كَاتِبٌۢ بِالْعَدْلِ۪-وَ لَا یَاْبَ كَاتِبٌ اَنْ یَّكْتُبَ كَمَا عَلَّمَهُ اللّٰهُ فَلْیَكْتُبْۚ-وَ لْیُمْلِلِ الَّذِیْ عَلَیْهِ الْحَقُّ وَ لْیَتَّقِ اللّٰهَ رَبَّهٗ وَ لَا یَبْخَسْ مِنْهُ شَیْــٴًـاؕ-فَاِنْ كَانَ الَّذِیْ عَلَیْهِ الْحَقُّ سَفِیْهًا اَوْ ضَعِیْفًا اَوْ لَا یَسْتَطِیْعُ اَنْ یُّمِلَّ هُوَ فَلْیُمْلِلْ وَلِیُّهٗ بِالْعَدْلِؕ-وَ اسْتَشْهِدُوْا شَهِیْدَیْنِ مِنْ رِّجَالِكُمْۚ-فَاِنْ لَّمْ یَكُوْنَا رَجُلَیْنِ فَرَجُلٌ وَّ امْرَاَتٰنِ مِمَّنْ تَرْضَوْنَ مِنَ الشُّهَدَآءِ اَنْ تَضِلَّ اِحْدٰىهُمَا فَتُذَكِّرَ اِحْدٰىهُمَا الْاُخْرٰىؕ-وَ لَا یَاْبَ الشُّهَدَآءُ اِذَا مَا دُعُوْاؕ-وَ لَا تَسْــٴَـمُوْۤا اَنْ تَكْتُبُوْهُ صَغِیْرًا اَوْ كَبِیْرًا اِلٰۤى اَجَلِهٖؕ-ذٰلِكُمْ اَقْسَطُ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ وَ اَقْوَمُ لِلشَّهَادَةِ وَ اَدْنٰۤى اَلَّا تَرْتَابُوْۤا اِلَّاۤ اَنْ تَكُوْنَ تِجَارَةً حَاضِرَةً تُدِیْرُوْنَهَا بَیْنَكُمْ فَلَیْسَ عَلَیْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ اَلَّا تَكْتُبُوْهَاؕ-وَ اَشْهِدُوْۤا اِذَا تَبَایَعْتُمْ۪-وَ لَا یُضَآرَّ كَاتِبٌ وَّ لَا شَهِیْدٌ۬ؕ-وَ اِنْ تَفْعَلُوْا فَاِنَّهٗ فُسُوْقٌۢ بِكُمْؕ-وَ اتَّقُوا اللّٰهَؕ-وَ یُعَلِّمُكُمُ اللّٰهُؕ-وَ اللّٰهُ بِكُلِّ شَیْءٍ عَلِیْمٌ(282)
O you who believe! When you mutually agree a loan for a fixed period, record it and a scribe should write ˹the agreement˺ with justice among you. The scribe should not refuse to write, ˹rather,˺ he should write as Allah has taught him. And the one upon whom is the right (debt) should proceed with dictating ˹the agreement˺ and fear Allah, his Lord; and he should not omit anything from it (the debt).[1] Then if the one upon whom is the right (debt) is unintelligent or weak or incapable of dictating, then his guardian should dictate with justice.[2] And make two witnesses from your men, so if you do not have two men, then a man and two women from the witnesses whom you approve of that ˹if˺ one ˹woman˺ of the two forgets, the other should remind her.[3] And the witnesses should not refuse when they are summoned. And do not be averse to writing it (the debt), whether it be small or large, with its term; this is a more just way with Allah and more authentic for the testimony, and nearer to this that you do not doubt; (write every agreement)[4] except if the trade is immediate, from hand to hand between yourselves, then there is no sin on you that you do not write it. And make a witness when you do business, neither scribe nor witness should be harmed (or neither scribe nor witness should cause harm); and if you act in this way ˹of harm˺, this will be your disobedience. And fear Allah; and Allah teaches you.[5] And Allah knows everything.
Commentary
[1]
If there is a matter of debt, whether it is a loan, or trade, or advance payment for goods, or delivery of goods for a deferred payment, or a deposit, or rent, in all such scenarios, the agreement should be documented. This instruction is not necessary (wājib), but complying with it saves one from many difficulties; in our era, abiding by this ruling has become essential.
[2]
If one is unable to write, such as children, very old people, or the blind, someone else can be appointed to record, and the one instructed to do so should not refuse as this is assistance without any loss for the writer; an opportunity to attain free reward should not be neglected.
[3]
After writing the agreement, it should be attested by witnesses who may be summoned if needed. There should be two male witnesses or one male and two females.
[4]
Nothing should be overlooked when recording debt related matters, be it large or small. The amount, nature, and duration should be recorded. A benefit of this documentation is that it is a most just process in the Court of Allah which protects the rights of people. Secondly, this method will aid any testimonies, and thirdly, the matter shall remain clear, saving both parties from harbouring negativity in their hearts.
[5]
In Arabic, the word ‘یُضَآرَّ’ can be interpreted in the transitive (ma‘rūf) or intransitive (majhūl) meaning; the former would mean the writers and witnesses should not harm the agreeing parties, and the latter would mean the writers and witnesses should not be harmed.