The Quran

282

يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا إِذا تَدايَنتُم بِدَينٍ إِلىٰ أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى فَاكتُبوهُ ۚ وَليَكتُب بَينَكُم كاتِبٌ بِالعَدلِ ۚ وَلا يَأبَ كاتِبٌ أَن يَكتُبَ كَما عَلَّمَهُ اللَّهُ ۚ فَليَكتُب وَليُملِلِ الَّذي عَلَيهِ الحَقُّ وَليَتَّقِ اللَّهَ رَبَّهُ وَلا يَبخَس مِنهُ شَيئًا ۚ فَإِن كانَ الَّذي عَلَيهِ الحَقُّ سَفيهًا أَو ضَعيفًا أَو لا يَستَطيعُ أَن يُمِلَّ هُوَ فَليُملِل وَلِيُّهُ بِالعَدلِ ۚ وَاستَشهِدوا شَهيدَينِ مِن رِجالِكُم ۖ فَإِن لَم يَكونا رَجُلَينِ فَرَجُلٌ وَامرَأَتانِ مِمَّن تَرضَونَ مِنَ الشُّهَداءِ أَن تَضِلَّ إِحداهُما فَتُذَكِّرَ إِحداهُمَا الأُخرىٰ ۚ وَلا يَأبَ الشُّهَداءُ إِذا ما دُعوا ۚ وَلا تَسأَموا أَن تَكتُبوهُ صَغيرًا أَو كَبيرًا إِلىٰ أَجَلِهِ ۚ ذٰلِكُم أَقسَطُ عِندَ اللَّهِ وَأَقوَمُ لِلشَّهادَةِ وَأَدنىٰ أَلّا تَرتابوا ۖ إِلّا أَن تَكونَ تِجارَةً حاضِرَةً تُديرونَها بَينَكُم فَلَيسَ عَلَيكُم جُناحٌ أَلّا تَكتُبوها ۗ وَأَشهِدوا إِذا تَبايَعتُم ۚ وَلا يُضارَّ كاتِبٌ وَلا شَهيدٌ ۚ وَإِن تَفعَلوا فَإِنَّهُ فُسوقٌ بِكُم ۗ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۖ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ اللَّهُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيءٍ عَليمٌ

Muhammad Asad

O YOU who have attained to faith! Whenever you give or take credit¹ for a stated term, set it down in writing. And let a scribe write it down equitably between you; and no scribe shall refuse to write as God has taught him:² thus shall he write. And let him who contracts the debt dictate; and let him be conscious of God, his Sustainer, and not weaken anything of his undertaking.³ And if he who contracts the debt is weak of mind or body, or, is not able to dictate himself,⁴ then let him who watches over his interests dictate equitably. And call upon two of your men to act as witnesses; and if two men are not available, then a man and two women from among such as are acceptable to you as witnesses, so that if one of them should make a mistake, the other could remind her.⁵ And the witnesses must not refuse [to give evidence] whenever they are called upon. And be not loath to write down every contractual provision,⁶ be it small or great, together with the time at which it falls due; this is more equitable in the sight of God, more reliable as evidence, and more likely to prevent you from having doubts [later]. If, however, [the transaction] concerns ready merchandise which you transfer directly unto one another, you will incur no sin if you do not write it down. And have witnesses whenever you trade with one another, but neither scribe nor witness must suffer harm;⁷ for if you do [them harm], behold, it will be sinful conduct on your part. And remain conscious of God, since it is God who teaches you [herewith] - and God has full knowledge of everything.

The above phrase embraces any transaction on the basis of credit, be it an outright loan or a commercial deal. It relates (as the grammatical form tadayantum shows) to both the giver and taker of credit, and has been rendered accordingly.
I.e., in accordance with the laws promulgated in the Qur'an.
Lit., "and do not diminish anything thereof". Thus, the formulation of the undertaking is left to the weaker party, i.e., to the one who contracts the debt.
E.g., because he is physically handicapped, or does not fully understand the business terminology used in such contracts, or is not acquainted with the language in which the contract is to be written. The definition "weak of mind or body" (lit.. "lacking in understanding or weak") applies to minors as well as to very old persons who are no longer in full possession of their mental faculties.
The stipulation that two women may be substituted for one male witness does not imply any reflection on woman's moral or intellectual capabilities: it is obviously due to the fact that, as a rule, women are less familiar with business procedures than men and, therefore, more liable to commit mistakes in this respect (see 'Abduh in Manar 111, 124 f.).
Lit., "to write it down" - i.e., all rights and obligations arising from the contract.
E.g., by being held responsible for the eventual consequences of the contract as such, or for the non-fulfilment of any of its provisions by either of the contracting parties.