Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 283

Mufti Taqi Usmani

If you are on a journey, and find no scribe, then (you may have resort to holding something as) mortgage, taken into possession. However, if one of you trusts the other, then the one who has been trusted should fulfill his trust, and should fear Allah, his Lord. Do not conceal testimony. Whoever conceals it, his heart is surely, sinful. Allah is All-Aware of what you do.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

If you are on a journey and a scribe cannot be found, then a security can be taken. If you trust one another, then ˹there is no need for a security, but˺ the debtor should honour this trust ˹by repaying the debt˺—and let them fear Allah, their Lord. And do not conceal the testimony, for whoever conceals it, their hearts are indeed sinful. And Allah ˹fully˺ knows what you do.

Ruwwad Translation Center

If you are on a journey and find no scribe, then something should be taken as a collateral. But if you trust one another, then the debtor should fulfill his trust, and let him fear Allah, his Lord. Do not conceal the testimony, for anyone who conceals it has a sinful heart, and Allah is All-Knowing of what you do.

A. J. Arberry

And if you are upon a journey, and you do not find a writer, then a pledge in hand. But if one of you trusts another, let him who is trusted deliver his trust, and let him fear God his Lord. And do not conceal the testimony; whoso conceals it, his heart is sinful; and God has knowledge of the things you do.

Abdul Haleem

If you are on a journey, and cannot find a scribe, something should be handed over as security, but if you decide to trust one another, then let the one who is trusted fulfil his trust; let him be mindful of God, his Lord. Do not conceal evidence: anyone who does so has a sinful heart, and God is fully aware of everything you do.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And if ye be on a journey and ye find not a scribe, then let there be a pledge taken; then, if one of you entrusteth the other, let the one is trusted discharge his trust, and let him fear Allah, his Lord. And hide not testimony whosoever hideth and it, his heart verily is Knower. Allah is of that which ye work

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

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.

Abul Ala Maududi

If you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe to write the document, then transact your business on the security of a pledge in hand. And, if any one transacts a piece of business with another merely on trust, then the one who is trusted should fulfil his trust and fear Allah, his Lord And never conceal evidence for he who conceals it, has a sinful heart: Allah knows everything that you do.

Ahmed Ali

If you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, pledge your goods (against the Loan); and if one trusts the other, then let him who is trusted deliver the thing entrusted, and have fear of God, his Lord. Do not suppress any evidence, for he who conceals evidence is sinful of heart; and God is aware of all you do.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And if you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then a mortgage (deposit) must be handed over; and if one of you trusts the other, the one who is trusted may return the mortgage entrusted to him and fear Allah, his Lord; and do not hide testimony; and if one hides it, his heart is sinful from within; and Allah knows what you do.

Ali Quli Qarai

If you are on a journey and cannot find a writer, then a retained pledge [shall suffice]. And if one of you entrusts [an asset] to another, let him who is trusted deliver his trust, and let him be wary of Allah, his Lord. And do not conceal your testimony; anyone who conceals it, his heart will indeed be sinful, and Allah knows well what you do.

Ali Ünal

If you are (in circumstances like being) on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then a pledge in hand will suffice. But if you trust one another, let him (the debtor) who is trusted fulfill his trust, and let him act in piety and keep from disobedience to God, his Lord (by fulfilling the conditions of the contract). And do not conceal the testimony; he who conceals it, surely his heart (which is the center of faith) is contaminated with sin. God has full knowledge of what you do.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And if you be on a journey and do not find a scribe, then (let there be) a pledge with possession (of some article to secure your debt). If one of you entrusts something to another let him who is entrusted deliver his trust, and let him take Allâh, his Lord, as a shield. Do not conceal the evidence, for whoso conceals it, his heart is certainly sinful. Allâh is Well-Aware of all that you do.

English Literal

And if you were on (a) journey/trip/voyage and did not find (a) writer/one able to write, so a secured pawn handed over/received , so if some/part of you trusted/entrusted some/part, so who was trusted should discharge/fulfill (E) his deposit/security, and (he) should fear and obey God, his Lord, and do not hide/conceal the testimony/certification and who hides/conceals it, so that he truly his heart/mind is sinning/committing a crime , and God (is) with what you make/do knowledgeable.

Faridul Haque

And if you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then a mortgage (deposit) must be handed over; and if one of you trusts the other, the one who is trusted may return the mortgage entrusted to him and fear Allah, his Lord; and do not hide testimony; and if one hides it, his heart is sinful from within; and Allah knows what you do.

Hamid S. Aziz

But if you are upon a journey, and you cannot find a scribe, then let a pledge be taken. But if one of you trust another, then let him who is trusted surrender his trust, and let him fear Allah his Lord, and conceal not testimony, for he who conceals it, verily, sinful is his heart: Allah is Aware of what you do.

Hilali & Khan

And if you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then let there be a pledge taken (mortgaging); then if one of you entrust the other, let the one who is entrusted discharge his trust (faithfully), and let him be afraid of Allah, his Lord. And conceal not the evidence for he, who hides it, surely his heart is sinful. And Allah is All-Knower of what you do.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And if you are on a journey and you cannot find a scribe, a security may be taken into possession. But if one of you trusts another, then he who is trusted should deliver his trust, and let him keep his duty to Allah, his Lord. And conceal not testimony. And whoever conceals it, his heart is surely sinful. And Allah is Knower of what you do.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And if you are upon a journey and you do not find a scribe, then (there may be) a security taken into possession; but if one of you trusts another, then he who is trusted should deliver his trust, and let him be careful (of his duty to) Allah, his Lord; and do not conceal testimony, and whoever conceals it, his heart is surely sinful; and Allah knows what you do.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

If ye be on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then a pledge in hand (shall suffice). And if one of you entrusteth to another let him who is trusted deliver up that which is entrusted to him (according to the pact between them) and let him observe his duty to Allah his Lord. Hide not testimony. He who hideth it, verily his heart is sinful. Allah is Aware of what ye do.

Muhammad Sarwar

If you are on a journey where you cannot find a scribe, finalize your contract in the form of a deposit in which the goods are already given to the parties. If you trust each other in such a contract, let him pay back what he has entrusted you with and have fear of God, his Lord. Do not refuse to testify to what you bore witness. Whoever does so has committed a sin. God knows what you do.

Qaribullah & Darwish

If you are upon a journey and a scribe cannot be found, then let pledges be taken. If any of you trusts another let the trusted deliver his trust; and let him fear Allah his Lord. And you shall not conceal the testimony. He who conceals it, his heart is sinful. Allah has knowledge of what you do.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And if you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then let there be a pledge taken (mortgaging), then if one of you entrusts the other, let the one who is entrusted discharge his trust, and let him have Taqwa of Allah, his Lord. And conceal not the evidence, for he who hides it, surely, his heart is sinful. And Allah is All-Knower of what you do.

Wahiduddin Khan

If you are on a journey and do not find any literate person, something should be handed over as security. If one of you entrusts another with something, let the trustee restore the pledge to its owner; and let him fear God, his Lord. Do not conceal testimony. If someone does conceal it, in his heart he commits a crime. God knows what you do.

Talal Itani

If you are on a journey, and cannot find a scribe, then a security deposit should be handed over. But if you trust one another, let the trustee fulfill his trust, and let him fear God, his Lord. And do not conceal testimony. Whoever conceals it is sinner at heart. God is aware of what you do.

Tafsir jalalayn

And if you are upon a journey, travelling and you contract a debt, and you do not find a writer, then a pledge (ruhun or rihn, plural of rahn) in hand, as a guarantee for you. The Sunna clarifies the permissibility of making pledges in towns, where writers may be forthcoming; but the stipulation is made in the event of travel because in this case it is more important to have a guarantee; God's reference to it being `in hand' (maqbda) is a condition for the pledge given to be valid, and to satisfy the pledgee or his representative. But if one of you, the creditor, trusts another, the debtor, over the debt and does not require a pledge, let him who is trusted, the debtor, deliver his trust, the debt; and let him fear God his Lord, when delivering it. And do not conceal the testimony, if you are summoned to give it; whoever conceals it, his heart is sinful; the heart is mentioned because it is the locus of the testimony, and because if it sins, there are other sinful consequences, and so the person will be punished as though he were a sinner; and God knows what you do, nothing of which can be hidden from Him.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

What is the `Mortgaging' Mentioned in the Ayah

Allah 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,

فَرِهَانٌ مَّقْبُوضَةٌ

let there be a pledge taken (mortgaging),

given to the creditor in lieu of writing the transaction.

The Two Sahihs recorded that;

Anas said that the Messenger of Allah died while his shield was mortgaged with a Jew in return for thirty Wasq (approximately 180 kg) of barley, which the Prophet bought on credit as provisions for his household.

In another narration, the Hadith stated that this Jew was among the Jews of Al-Madinah.

Allah said,

فَإِنْ أَمِنَ بَعْضُكُم بَعْضًا فَلْيُوَدِّ الَّذِي اوْتُمِنَ أَمَانَتَهُ

then if one of you entrusts the other, let the one who is entrusted discharge his trust (faithfully).

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded, with a sound chain of narration, that Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri said,

"This Ayah abrogated what came before it (i.e. that which required recording the transaction and having witnesses present)."

Ash-Sha`bi said,

"If you trust each other, then there is no harm if you do not write the loan or have witnesses present."

Allah's statement,

وَلْيَتَّقِ اللّهَ رَبَّهُ

And let him have Taqwa of Allah,

means, the debtor.

Imam Ahmad and the Sunan recorded that Qatadah said that Al-Hasan said that Samurah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

عَلَى الْيَدِ مَا أَخَذَتْ حَتَّى تُوَدِّيَه

The hand (of the debtor) will carry the burden of what it took until it gives it back.

Allah's statement,

وَلَا تَكْتُمُواْ الشَّهَادَةَ

And conceal not the evidence,

means, do not hide it or refuse to announce it.

Ibn Abbas and other scholars said,

"False testimony is one of the worst of the major sins, and such is the case with hiding the true testimony.

This is why Allah said,

وَمَن يَكْتُمْهَا فَإِنَّهُ اثِمٌ قَلْبُهُ

For he who hides it, surely, his heart is sinful.

As-Suddi commented,

"Meaning he is a sinner in his heart."

This is similar to Allah's statement,

وَلَا نَكْتُمُ شَهَـدَةَ اللَّهِ إِنَّأ إِذَاً لَّمِنَ الاٌّثِمِينَ

We shall not hide testimony of Allah, for then indeed we should be of the sinful. (5;106)

Allah said,

يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّامِينَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَاءِ للَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَى أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوِ الْوَلِدَيْنِ وَالاٌّقْرَبِينَ إِن يَكُنْ غَنِيّاً أَوْ فَقَيراً فَاللَّهُ أَوْلَى بِهِمَا فَلَ تَتَّبِعُواْ الْهَوَى أَن تَعْدِلُواْ وَإِن تَلْوُواْ أَوْ تُعْرِضُواْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيراً

O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, be he rich or poor, Allah is a better Protector to both (than you).

So follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest you avoid justice; and if you distort your witness or refuse to give it, verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you do. (4;135)

and in this Ayah (2;283) He said,

وَلَا تَكْتُمُواْ الشَّهَادَةَ

وَمَن يَكْتُمْهَا فَإِنَّهُ اثِمٌ قَلْبُهُ

وَاللّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ عَلِيمٌ



And conceal not the evidence, for he who hides it, surely, his heart is sinful. And Allah is All-Knower of what you do.