You who believe, when you contract a debt for a stated term, put it down in writing: have a scribe write it down justly between you. No scribe should refuse to write: let him write as God has taught him, let the debtor dictate, and let him fear God, his Lord, and not diminish [the debt] at all. If the debtor is feeble-minded, weak, or unable to dictate, then let his guardian dictate justly. Call in two men as witnesses. If two men are not there, then call one man and two women out of those you approve as witnesses, so that if one of the two women should forget the other can remind her. Let the witnesses not refuse when they are summoned. Do not disdain to write the debt down, be it small or large, along with the time it falls due: this way is more equitable in God’s eyes, more reliable as testimony, and more likely to prevent doubts arising between you. But if the merchandise is there and you hand it over, there is no blame on you if you do not write it down. Have witnesses present whenever you trade with one another, and let no harm be done to either scribe or witness, for if you did cause them harm, it would be a crime on your part. Be mindful of God, and He will teach you: He has full knowledge of everything.
Juz 3Page 48madinah
Word by Word
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَاyāayyuhāO you
ٱلَّذِينَalladhīnawho
ءَامَنُوٓا۟āmanūbelieve[d]
إِذَاidhāWhen
تَدَايَنتُمtadāyantumyou contract with one another
O you who believe! When you contract a debt for a fixed period, write it down. Let a scribe write it down in justice between you. Let not the scribe refuse to write as Allâh has taught him, so let him write. Let him (the debtor) who incurs the liability dictate, and he must fear Allâh, his Lord, and diminish not anything of what he owes. But if the debtor is of poor understanding, or weak, or is unable to dictate for himself, then let his guardian dictate in justice. And get two witnesses out of your own men. And if there are not two men (available), then a man and two women, such as you agree for witnesses, so that if one of them (two women) errs, the other can remind her. And the witnesses should not refuse when they are called (for evidence). You should not become weary to write it (your contract), whether it be small or big, for its fixed term, that is more just with Allâh; more solid as evidence, and more convenient to prevent doubts among yourselves, save when it is a present trade which you carry out on the spot among yourselves, then there is no sin on you if you do not write it down. But take witnesses whenever you make a commercial contract. Let neither scribe nor witness suffer any harm, but if you do (such harm), it would be wickedness in you. So be afraid of Allâh; and Allâh teaches you. And Allâh is the All-Knower of each and everything.
a term
مُّسَمًّۭىmusammanfixed
فَٱكْتُبُوهُ ۚfa-uk'tubūhuthen write it
وَلْيَكْتُبwalyaktubAnd let write
بَّيْنَكُمْbaynakumbetween you
كَاتِبٌۢkātibuna scribe
بِٱلْعَدْلِ ۚbil-ʿadliin justice
وَلَاwalāAnd not
يَأْبَyaba(should) refuse
كَاتِبٌkātibuna scribe
أَنanthat
يَكْتُبَyaktubahe writes
كَمَاkamāas
عَلَّمَهُʿallamahu(has) taught him
ٱللَّهُ ۚl-lahuAllah
فَلْيَكْتُبْfalyaktubSo let him write
وَلْيُمْلِلِwalyum'liliand let dictate
ٱلَّذِىalladhīthe one
عَلَيْهِʿalayhion whom
ٱلْحَقُّl-ḥaqu(is) the right
وَلْيَتَّقِwalyattaqiand let him fear
ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
رَبَّهُۥrabbahuhis Lord
وَلَاwalāand (let him) not
يَبْخَسْyabkhasdiminish
مِنْهُmin'hufrom it
شَيْـًۭٔا ۚshayananything
فَإِنfa-inThen if
كَانَkānais
ٱلَّذِىalladhīthe one
عَلَيْهِʿalayhion him
ٱلْحَقُّl-ḥaqu(is) the right
سَفِيهًاsafīhan(of) limited understanding
أَوْawor
ضَعِيفًاḍaʿīfanweak
أَوْawor
لَاlānot
يَسْتَطِيعُyastaṭīʿucapable
أَنanthat
يُمِلَّyumilla(can) dictate
هُوَhuwahe
فَلْيُمْلِلْfalyum'lilthen let dictate
وَلِيُّهُۥwaliyyuhuhis guardian
بِٱلْعَدْلِ ۚbil-ʿadliwith justice
وَٱسْتَشْهِدُوا۟wa-is'tashhidūAnd call for evidence
شَهِيدَيْنِshahīdaynitwo witnesses
مِنminamong
رِّجَالِكُمْ ۖrijālikumyour men
فَإِنfa-inAnd if
لَّمْlamnot
يَكُونَاyakūnāthere are
رَجُلَيْنِrajulaynitwo men
فَرَجُلٌۭfarajulunthen one man
وَٱمْرَأَتَانِwa-im'ra-atāniand two women
مِمَّنmimmanof whom
تَرْضَوْنَtarḍawnayou agree
مِنَminaof
ٱلشُّهَدَآءِl-shuhadāi[the] witnesses
أَنan(so) that (if)
تَضِلَّtaḍilla[she] errs
إِحْدَىٰهُمَاiḥ'dāhumāone of the two
فَتُذَكِّرَfatudhakkirathen will remind
إِحْدَىٰهُمَاiḥ'dāhumāone of the two
ٱلْأُخْرَىٰ ۚl-ukh'rāthe other
وَلَاwalāAnd not
يَأْبَyaba(should) refuse
ٱلشُّهَدَآءُl-shuhadāuthe witnesses
إِذَاidhāwhen
مَاmāthat
دُعُوا۟ ۚduʿūthey are called
وَلَاwalāAnd not
تَسْـَٔمُوٓا۟tasamū(be) weary
أَنanthat
تَكْتُبُوهُtaktubūhuyou write it
صَغِيرًاṣaghīransmall
أَوْawor
كَبِيرًاkabīranlarge
إِلَىٰٓilāfor
أَجَلِهِۦ ۚajalihiits term
ذَٰلِكُمْdhālikumThat
أَقْسَطُaqsaṭu(is) more just
عِندَʿindanear
ٱللَّهِl-lahiAllah
وَأَقْوَمُwa-aqwamuand more upright
لِلشَّهَـٰدَةِlilshahādatifor evidence
وَأَدْنَىٰٓwa-adnāand nearer
أَلَّاallāthat not
تَرْتَابُوٓا۟ ۖtartābūyou (have) doubt
إِلَّآillāexcept
أَنanthat
تَكُونَtakūnabe
تِجَـٰرَةًtijāratana transaction
حَاضِرَةًۭḥāḍiratanpresent
تُدِيرُونَهَاtudīrūnahāyou carry out
بَيْنَكُمْbaynakumamong you
فَلَيْسَfalaysathen not
عَلَيْكُمْʿalaykumon you
جُنَاحٌjunāḥunany sin
أَلَّاallāthat not
تَكْتُبُوهَا ۗtaktubūhāyou write it
وَأَشْهِدُوٓا۟wa-ashhidūAnd take witness
إِذَاidhāwhen
تَبَايَعْتُمْ ۚtabāyaʿtumyou make commercial transaction