Quran Garden

Session 313

Chapter 2

Verse 283

a continuation

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 your testimony: anyone who does so has a sinful heart, and God is fully aware of everything you do. (Chapter 2: Verse 283)

Allah advises you: “do not conceal your testimony.“ If you have witnessed something firsthand, then you know it is the truth, and the truth can never change.  Suppose a car accident occurred right in front of you.  No matter how many times you are asked about the accident, your answer would be the same because you are telling the truth as it occurred in front of you.  But if the accident were a lie, then your story would change with time.  You would forget some details that you told a month ago, and when you tell the story a third time, it would be different again.  Isn’t that the same technique investigators use to catch crooks and criminals? They ask a suspect on several occasions about the details of a crime or event.  A person with an ever-changing story is a liar.  The truth never changes.  Thus, we always hear the adage: “No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar.”

This brings us back to the verse; the word ‘testimony’ points to something that has been seen.  It is of our human nature to be eager to tell others if we witness an interesting event.  It takes effort to conceal and lie, because the innate nature of faith pushes the person to share what he or she had witnessed.   

The verse continues: ‘Do not conceal your testimony: anyone who does so has a sinful heart.’  Here you may wonder: Are lying and concealing traits of the heart or traits of the mind? A poet said:

Speech is truly in the heart,

the tongue is merely a display

All your body parts are subject to what is within your heart.  Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: "But there is in the body an organ, if it is upright the whole body is upright, and if it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupted.  That organ is the heart.”  Allah reminds you that regardless of what you say, or you do not say, He ‘is fully aware of everything you do.’ Concealing your testimony will not change anything because Allah is All-Aware; it will only hurt you.  Prophet Muhammad –peace be upon him- asked his companions, "would you like to know about the worst of major sins?” they replied, “tell us, O’ messenger of God.”  He said: “there are three: associating partners with God; defying one’s parents;” then he peace be upon him sat up straight and said, “and giving false testimony; giving false testimony.” He kept repeating it over and over until we wished he would stop.     

All these arrangements, from writing down the loan contract to giving collateral during travel, and the witnesses’ obligation to be truthful are designed to guarantee each hardworking person an honorable and dignified life.  Because if trust is lost, contracts become worthless, then the whole economy grinds to a halt.  What would a person who is unable to provide for his family do if no one helps or lends? He would either cheat, steal, or his heart would fill with hatred towards the rich.  He would resent every bounty other people have, and in return, the bounty itself would resent him.  How? We answer that God’s bounty loves a person who has a thankful heart, not a hate-filled one.  Whoever detests a blessing which is granted to someone else is distancing him or herself even further from this blessing.  In other words, if you hate to see your neighbors enjoying the bounties of God, then the bounties of God would hate to come into your life.  As if God’s bounty says: as long as you resent me, you will never receive any good from me. 

When a poor person is not able to find anyone who would lend a good loan or give Zakat, he or she will resort to an interest-bearing usurious loan.  Such a community lacks solidarity.  When the rich prey on the poor with usury, the society enters into war with the Almighty God, can anyone endure war against God? Never.

Listen to our beloved Prophet Muhammad during the farewell pilgrimage.  He said: “God has forbidden you to take usury; therefore, from this moment on, all interest obligations shall be waived.  Your capital, however, is yours to keep.  You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. God has judged that there shall be no interest.  All interest due to Abbas Ibn Abd al Muttalib shall be waived.”

This is the hallmark of heavenly legislation.  Abbas Ibn Abd al Muttalib was the prophet’s uncle.  Legislators often shield their family, kin, and friends from the law.  They set hidden loopholes to allow their family and friends to amass power and wealth.  Not heavenly legislation!  Allah and the Prophet impose heavenly laws on the family and companions of the prophet first, then on everyone else. 

Take the example of Omar ibn al-Khattab, a close companion and the second Khaliph after the Prophet.  When Omar wanted to announce new legislation, he would gather his family, close friends, and the public.  He would say to his family:  “I will set such and such laws, and I swear by the One in whose hand is my soul, if any of you violates the law, I will make of his punishment an example for all Muslims.”  Why would Omar do such a thing? Because most people are courteous and sometimes afraid of their leaders and their families.  For example, when the son of a city mayor enters a local bank or a government agency, his presence may stir fear and awe in the employees; they may facilitate his affairs or look the other way if he does something wrong.  The mayor may not even be aware of his son’s behavior.

But when the leader declares to the people that his relatives are equal under the law, and may even be under more scrutiny than the general public, everyone respects the law and justice prevails.  No one would dare take advantage of his or her position of authority, and people would have no fear of reporting abuses of power.  A proper Muslim ruler should demonstrate that the laws apply to him first and to his close family and friends second even in matters of life and death. 

In the Battle of Badr, our beloved Prophet Muhammad brought his family and relatives to fight along with him.  Had he not done that, the enemies of Islam would have said: ‘Of course He protects his family! He does not even believe in the reward of martyrdom.  Doesn’t he claim paradise for Muslims who die in battle?’  But the Messenger of God stationed his family next to him on the frontlines.  He, peace be upon him, led by example and knew the Almighty’s reward for martyrdom is a short path to paradise.