Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
O YOU who have attained to faith! Whenever you give or take credit 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: 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. And if he who contracts the debt is weak of mind or body, or, is not able to dictate himself, 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. And the witnesses must not refuse [to give evidence] whenever they are called upon. And be not loath to write down every contractual provision, 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; 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
Arthur John Arberry
O believers, when you contract a debt one upon another for a stated term, write it down, and let a writer write it down between you justly, and let not any writer refuse to write it down, as God has taught him; so let him write, and let the debtor dictate, and let him fear God his Lord and not diminish aught of it. And if the debtor be a fool, or weak, or unable to dictate himself, then let his guardian dictate justly. And call in to witness two witnesses, men; or if the two be not men, then one man and two women, such witnesses as you approve of, that if one of the two women errs the other will remind her; and let the witnesses not refuse, whenever they are summoned. And be not loth to write it down, whether it be small or great, with its term; that is more equitable in God's sight, more upright for testimony, and likelier that you will not be in doubt. Unless it be merchandise present that you give and take between you; then it shall be no fault in you if you do not write it down. And take witnesses when you are trafficking one with another. And let not either writer or witness be pressed; or if you do, that is ungodliness in you. And fear God; God teaches you, and God has knowledge of everything
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
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 Allah Has taught him, so let him write. Let him who incurs the liability dictate, but let him fear His Lord Allah, and not diminish aught of what he owes. If they 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 Allah, 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 witness 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 Allah; For it is Good that teaches you. And Allah is well acquainted with all things. 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 Allah knoweth all that ye do
Arabic
یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوۤا۟ إِذَا تَدَایَنتُم بِدَیۡنٍ إِلَىٰۤ أَجَلࣲ مُّسَمࣰّى فَٱكۡتُبُوهُۚ وَلۡیَكۡتُب بَّیۡنَكُمۡ كَاتِبُۢ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِۚ وَلَا یَأۡبَ كَاتِبٌ أَن یَكۡتُبَ كَمَا عَلَّمَهُ ٱللَّهُۚ فَلۡیَكۡتُبۡ وَلۡیُمۡلِلِ ٱلَّذِی عَلَیۡهِ ٱلۡحَقُّ وَلۡیَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ رَبَّهُۥ وَلَا یَبۡخَسۡ مِنۡهُ شَیۡءࣰاۚ فَإِن كَانَ ٱلَّذِی عَلَیۡهِ ٱلۡحَقُّ سَفِیهًا أَوۡ ضَعِیفًا أَوۡ لَا یَسۡتَطِیعُ أَن یُمِلَّ هُوَ فَلۡیُمۡلِلۡ وَلِیُّهُۥ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِۚ وَٱسۡتَشۡهِدُوا۟ شَهِیدَیۡنِ مِن رِّجَالِكُمۡۖ فَإِن لَّمۡ یَكُونَا رَجُلَیۡنِ فَرَجُلࣱ وَٱمۡرَأَتَانِ مِمَّن تَرۡضَوۡنَ مِنَ ٱلشُّهَدَاۤءِ أَن تَضِلَّ إِحۡدَىٰهُمَا فَتُذَكِّرَ إِحۡدَىٰهُمَا ٱلۡأُخۡرَىٰۚ وَلَا یَأۡبَ ٱلشُّهَدَاۤءُ إِذَا مَا دُعُوا۟ۚ وَلَا تَسۡءَمُوۤا۟ أَن تَكۡتُبُوهُ صَغِیرًا أَوۡ كَبِیرًا إِلَىٰۤ أَجَلِهِۦۚ ذَ ٰلِكُمۡ أَقۡسَطُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَأَقۡوَمُ لِلشَّهَـٰدَةِ وَأَدۡنَىٰۤ أَلَّا تَرۡتَابُوۤا۟ إِلَّاۤ أَن تَكُونَ تِجَـٰرَةً حَاضِرَةࣰ تُدِیرُونَهَا بَیۡنَكُمۡ فَلَیۡسَ عَلَیۡكُمۡ جُنَاحٌ أَلَّا تَكۡتُبُوهَاۗ وَأَشۡهِدُوۤا۟ إِذَا تَبَایَعۡتُمۡۚ وَلَا یُضَاۤرَّ كَاتِبࣱ وَلَا شَهِیدࣱۚ وَإِن تَفۡعَلُوا۟ فَإِنَّهُۥ فُسُوقُۢ بِكُمۡۗ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَۖ وَیُعَلِّمُكُمُ ٱللَّهُۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَیۡءٍ عَلِیمࣱ ٢٨٢
Transliteration (2021)
yāayyuhā alladhīna āmanū idhā tadāyantum bidaynin ilā ajalin musamman fa-uk'tubūhu walyaktub baynakum kātibun bil-ʿadli walā yaba kātibun an yaktuba kamā ʿallamahu l-lahu falyaktub walyum'lili alladhī ʿalayhi l-ḥaqu walyattaqi l-laha rabbahu walā yabkhas min'hu shayan fa-in kāna alladhī ʿalayhi l-ḥaqu safīhan aw ḍaʿīfan aw lā yastaṭīʿu an yumilla huwa falyum'lil waliyyuhu bil-ʿadli wa-is'tashhidū shahīdayni min rijālikum fa-in lam yakūnā rajulayni farajulun wa-im'ra-atāni mimman tarḍawna mina l-shuhadāi an taḍilla iḥ'dāhumā fatudhakkira iḥ'dāhumā l-ukh'rā walā yaba l-shuhadāu idhā mā duʿū walā tasamū an taktubūhu ṣaghīran aw kabīran ilā ajalihi dhālikum aqsaṭu ʿinda l-lahi wa-aqwamu lilshahādati wa-adnā allā tartābū illā an takūna tijāratan ḥāḍiratan tudīrūnahā baynakum falaysa ʿalaykum junāḥun allā taktubūhā wa-ashhidū idhā tabāyaʿtum walā yuḍārra kātibun walā shahīdun wa-in tafʿalū fa-innahu fusūqun bikum wa-ittaqū l-laha wayuʿallimukumu l-lahu wal-lahu bikulli shayin ʿalīmu