سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 108
ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰٓ أَن يَأْتُوا۟ بِٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ عَلَىٰ وَجْهِهَآ أَوْ يَخَافُوٓا۟ أَن تُرَدَّ أَيْمَـٰنٌۢ بَعْدَ أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ ۗ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱسْمَعُوا۟ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ ﴿108﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
That should make it closer (to the fact) that their testimony would be in its true shape (and thus accepted), or else they would fear that (other) oaths would be admitted after their oaths. And fear Allâh and listen (with obedience to Him). And Allâh guides not the people who are Al-Fâsiqûn (the rebellious and disobedient).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That
أَدْنَىٰٓ
adnā
(is) closer
أَن
an
that
يَأْتُوا۟
yatū
they will give
بِٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ
bil-shahādati
the testimony
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
in
وَجْهِهَآ
wajhihā
its (true) form
أَوْ
aw
or
يَخَافُوٓا۟
yakhāfū
they would fear
أَن
an
that
تُرَدَّ
turadda
will be refuted
أَيْمَـٰنٌۢ
aymānun
their oaths
بَعْدَ
baʿda
after
أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ ۗ
aymānihim
their (others) oaths
وَٱتَّقُوا۟
wa-ittaqū
And fear
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
وَٱسْمَعُوا۟ ۗ
wa-is'maʿū
and listen
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
and Allah
لَا
lā
(does) not
يَهْدِى
yahdī
guide
ٱلْقَوْمَ
l-qawma
the people
ٱلْفَـٰسِقِينَ
l-fāsiqīna
the defiantly disobedient
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
18. 1. This mentions the benefit hidden in the command mentioned here, which is that by adopting this method, the executors will give authentic testimony because they will fear that if we commit betrayal, falsehood, or alteration, these actions could turn against us. In the context of the revelation of this incident, the story of Budail bin Abi Maryam is narrated: he went to Syria for trade, became ill there, and was near death. He had a silver cup with him, which he entrusted to two Christians, instructing them to deliver it to his relatives, and then he passed away. When these two executors returned, they sold the cup and divided the money between themselves, delivering the rest of the belongings to the heirs. Among the belongings was a note listing the items, according to which the silver cup was missing. When asked, they swore falsely, but later it was discovered that they had sold the cup to a certain money changer. Thus, the heirs swore oaths against these non-Muslims and recovered the value of the cup from them. This narration is weak in its chain. (Tirmidhi 359, as verified by Ahmad Shakir) However, in another chain, this is also briefly narrated from Ibn Abbas, which has been declared authentic by Al-Albani (Sahih Tirmidhi).
