Sūra II.: Baqara, or the Heifer.

Section 39

282. Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo itha tadayantum bidaynin ila ajalin musamman faoktuboohu walyaktub baynakum katibun bialAAadli wala ya/ba katibun an yaktuba kama AAallamahu Allahu falyaktub walyumlili allathee AAalayhi alhaqqu walyattaqi Allaha rabbahu wala yabkhas minhu shay-an fa-in kana allathee AAalayhi alhaqqu safeehan aw daAAeefan aw la yastateeAAu an yumilla huwa falyumlil waliyyuhu bialAAadli waistashhidoo shaheedayni min rijalikum fa-in lam yakoona rajulayni farajulun waimraatani mimman tardawna mina alshshuhada-i an tadilla ihdahuma fatuthakkira ihdahuma al-okhra wala ya/ba alshshuhadao itha ma duAAoo wala tas-amoo an taktuboohu sagheeran aw kabeeran ila ajalihi thalikum aqsatu AAinda Allahi waaqwamu lilshshahadati waadna alla tartaboo illa an takoona tijaratan hadiratan tudeeroonaha baynakum falaysa AAalaykum junahun alla taktubooha waashhidoo itha tabayaAAtum wala yudarra katibun wala shaheedun wa-in tafAAaloo fa-innahu fusooqun bikum waittaqoo Allaha wayuAAallimukumu Allahu waAllahu bikulli shay-in AAaleemun

282. O ye who believe!
When ye deal with each other,
In transactions involving
Future obligations
In a fixed period of time,
Reduce them to writing
Let a scribe write down
Faithfully as between
The parties: let not the scribe
Refuse to write: as God
Has taught him,
So let him write.
Let him who incurs
The liability dictate,
But let him fear
His Lord God,
And not diminish
Aught of what he owes.
If the party liable
Is mentally deficient,
Or weak, or unable
Himself to dictate,
Let his guardian
Dictate faithfully.
And get two witnesses,
Out of your own men,
And if there are not two men,
Then a man and two women,
Such as ye choose,
For witnesses,
So that if one of them errs,
The other can remind her.
The witnesses
Should not refuse
When they are called on
(For evidence).
Disdain not to reduce
To writing (your contract)
For a future period,
Whether it be small
Or big: it is juster
In the sight of God,
More suitable as evidence,
And more convenient
To prevent doubts
Among yourselves
But if it be a transaction
Which ye carry out
On the spot among yourselves,
There is no blame on you
If ye reduce it not
To writing.
But take witnesses
Whenever ye make
A commercial contract;
And let neither scribe
Nor witness suffer harm.
If ye do (such harm),
It would be wickedness
In you. So fear God;
For it is God
That teaches you.
And God is well acquainted
With all things.

283. Wa-in kuntum AAala safarin walam tajidoo katiban farihanun maqboodatun fa-in amina baAAdukum baAAdan falyu-addi allathee i/tumina amanatahu walyattaqi Allaha rabbahu wala taktumoo alshshahadata waman yaktumha fa-innahu athimun qalbuhu waAllahu bima taAAmaloona AAaleemun

283. If ye are on a journey,
And cannot find
A scribe, a pledge
With possession (may serve
The purpose).
And if one of you
Deposits a thing
On trust with another,
Let the trustee
(Faithfully) discharge
His trust, and let him
Fear his Lord.
Conceal not evidence;
For whoever conceals it,—
His heart is tainted
With sin. And God
Knoweth all that ye do.

Next: Section 40 (284-286)