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Al-Baqarah (The Cow)

Verse 283of 286

۞ وَإِن كُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍۢ وَلَمْ تَجِدُوا۟ كَاتِبًۭا فَرِهَٰنٌۭ مَّقْبُوضَةٌۭ ۖ فَإِنْ أَمِنَ بَعْضُكُم بَعْضًۭا فَلْيُؤَدِّ ٱلَّذِى ٱؤْتُمِنَ أَمَٰنَتَهُۥ وَلْيَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ رَبَّهُۥ ۗ وَلَا تَكْتُمُوا۟ ٱلشَّهَٰدَةَ ۚ وَمَن يَكْتُمْهَا فَإِنَّهُۥٓ ءَاثِمٌۭ قَلْبُهُۥ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ عَلِيمٌۭ﴿٢٨٣

Translation (Sahih International)

And if you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then a security deposit [should be] taken. And if one of you entrusts another, then let him who is entrusted discharge his trust [faithfully] and let him fear Allah, his Lord. And do not conceal testimony, for whoever conceals it - his heart is indeed sinful, and Allah is Knowing of what you do.

Word-by-word meaning

۞ وَإِنwa-inAnd if
كُنتُمْkuntumyou are
عَلَىٰʿalāon
سَفَرٍۢsafarina journey
وَلَمْwalamand not
تَجِدُوا۟tajidūyou find
كَاتِبًۭاkātibana scribe
فَرِهَـٰنٌۭfarihānunthen pledge
مَّقْبُوضَةٌۭ ۖmaqbūḍatunin hand
فَإِنْfa-inThen if
أَمِنَaminaentrusts
بَعْضُكُمbaʿḍukumone of you
بَعْضًۭاbaʿḍan(to) another
فَلْيُؤَدِّfalyu-addithen let discharge
ٱلَّذِىalladhīthe one who
ٱؤْتُمِنَu'tuminais entrusted
أَمَـٰنَتَهُۥamānatahuhis trust
وَلْيَتَّقِwalyattaqiAnd let him fear
ٱللَّهَl-lahaAllah
رَبَّهُۥ ۗrabbahuhis Lord
وَلَاwalāAnd (do) not
تَكْتُمُوا۟taktumūconceal
ٱلشَّهَـٰدَةَ ۚl-shahādatathe evidence
وَمَنwamanAnd whoever
يَكْتُمْهَاyaktum'hāconceals it
فَإِنَّهُۥٓfa-innahuthen indeed he
ءَاثِمٌۭāthimun(is) sinful
قَلْبُهُۥ ۗqalbuhuhis heart
وَٱللَّهُwal-lahuAnd Allah
بِمَاbimāof what
تَعْمَلُونَtaʿmalūnayou do
عَلِيمٌۭʿalīmun(is) All-Knower

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

What is the `Mortgaging' Mentioned in the AyahAllah said,وَإِن كُنتُمْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ(And if you are on a journey) meaning, traveling and some of you borrowed some money to be paid at a later date,وَلَمْ تَجِدُواْ كَاتِبًا(and cannot find a scribe) who would record the debt for you. Ibn `Abbas said, "And even if they find a scribe, but did not find paper, ink or pen." Then,فَرِهَـنٌ مَّقْبُوضَةٌ(let there be a pledge taken (mortgaging)) given to the creditor in lieu of writing the transaction.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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