سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 135
۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ قَوَّٰمِينَ بِٱلْقِسْطِ شُهَدَآءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوِ ٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبِينَ ۚ إِن يَكُنْ غَنِيًّا أَوْ فَقِيرًا فَٱللَّهُ أَوْلَىٰ بِهِمَا ۖ فَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ أَن تَعْدِلُوا۟ ۚ وَإِن تَلْوُۥٓا۟ أَوْ تُعْرِضُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا ﴿135﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allâh, even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, be he rich or poor, Allâh 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, Allâh is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you do.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O you
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believe[d]
كُونُوا۟
kūnū
Be
قَوَّٰمِينَ
qawwāmīna
custodians
بِٱلْقِسْطِ
bil-qis'ṭi
of justice
شُهَدَآءَ
shuhadāa
(as) witnesses
لِلَّهِ
lillahi
to Allah
وَلَوْ
walaw
even if
عَلَىٰٓ
ʿalā
(it is) against
أَنفُسِكُمْ
anfusikum
yourselves
أَوِ
awi
or
ٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ
l-wālidayni
the parents
وَٱلْأَقْرَبِينَ ۚ
wal-aqrabīna
and the relatives
إِن
in
if
يَكُنْ
yakun
he be
غَنِيًّا
ghaniyyan
rich
أَوْ
aw
or
فَقِيرًۭا
faqīran
poor
فَٱللَّهُ
fal-lahu
for Allah
أَوْلَىٰ
awlā
(is) nearer
بِهِمَا ۖ
bihimā
to both of them
فَلَا
falā
So (do) not
تَتَّبِعُوا۟
tattabiʿū
follow
ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ
l-hawā
the desire
أَن
an
lest
تَعْدِلُوا۟ ۚ
taʿdilū
you deviate
وَإِن
wa-in
And if
تَلْوُۥٓا۟
talwū
you distort
أَوْ
aw
or
تُعْرِضُوا۟
tuʿ'riḍū
refrain
فَإِنَّ
fa-inna
then indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
كَانَ
kāna
is
بِمَا
bimā
of what
تَعْمَلُونَ
taʿmalūna
you do
خَبِيرًۭا
khabīran
All-Aware
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
135. O you who believe! Stand firmly for justice as witnesses for Allah, even if it is against yourselves, your parents, or your close relatives [178]. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more of a well-wisher to them than you [179]. So do not follow your desires, lest you deviate from justice. And if you distort your testimony or refuse to give it [180], then surely Allah is aware of what you do.
[178]
The Emphatic Command of Testifying with Justice:
To testify against oneself means to openly confess one's own crime, no matter how much loss one may have to bear, and this is a matter of great courage and reward. After oneself, the closest are the parents, then after them, other relatives. And it is obvious that the person who has the courage to testify against himself will, all the more, be able to show such courage against his parents and relatives. By testifying against oneself and clearly stating the truth, it often has a very pleasant effect on the opposing party, and their heart naturally inclines towards gentleness. [179] False testimony in favor of a wealthy person is given so that the witness may gain some worldly benefit from him. And in favor of a poor person, it is given out of pity and compassion for the poor against the rich, hoping that perhaps some good may come to him. Allah Almighty is saying that both of them have Allah as their guardian, and He is more well-wishing for them than you are. Their, in fact your own, benefit or loss is not in your hands. Therefore, in whatever situation, you must testify with complete justice and with fear of Allah.
[180]
Forms of Tampering in Testimony:
Do not speak ambiguously or evasively at the time of testimony, in a way that may harm any party. There are several forms of this, for example, hiding some part of a rightful testimony and thinking that you did not lie at the time of testimony. This concealment of the truth is an even greater sin than false testimony. Another form is that the witness has full knowledge of the incident but presents it in such a twisted and manipulated order that the matter becomes something else entirely. The purpose of this is to benefit one party, which automatically harms the other, and sometimes the witness does such things for his own personal interest as well. All these forms are against justice, fairness, and piety. It should be clear that if this verse is taken in its apparent meaning, then its meaning is as stated above; however, the words of «كونوا قوامين بالقسط» carry a broader meaning than this. "Qawwam" is an intensive form of "Qa'im," and "Qist" is such a general word that it includes the command to do justice in worldly matters, household affairs, mutual dealings and transactions, with one's own and others, with disbelievers and believers alike, and it is not limited only to giving testimony in court. That is, for Allah, and fearing Him, whatever you say, say it with justice. Call the good as good and the bad as bad. Whatever you say, say it truthfully, even if it causes you personal loss or affects your parents or any close relative. Do not show favor to the rich or the poor, to the disbeliever or the believer, but have regard only for Allah Almighty.
[178]
The Emphatic Command of Testifying with Justice:
To testify against oneself means to openly confess one's own crime, no matter how much loss one may have to bear, and this is a matter of great courage and reward. After oneself, the closest are the parents, then after them, other relatives. And it is obvious that the person who has the courage to testify against himself will, all the more, be able to show such courage against his parents and relatives. By testifying against oneself and clearly stating the truth, it often has a very pleasant effect on the opposing party, and their heart naturally inclines towards gentleness. [179] False testimony in favor of a wealthy person is given so that the witness may gain some worldly benefit from him. And in favor of a poor person, it is given out of pity and compassion for the poor against the rich, hoping that perhaps some good may come to him. Allah Almighty is saying that both of them have Allah as their guardian, and He is more well-wishing for them than you are. Their, in fact your own, benefit or loss is not in your hands. Therefore, in whatever situation, you must testify with complete justice and with fear of Allah.
[180]
Forms of Tampering in Testimony:
Do not speak ambiguously or evasively at the time of testimony, in a way that may harm any party. There are several forms of this, for example, hiding some part of a rightful testimony and thinking that you did not lie at the time of testimony. This concealment of the truth is an even greater sin than false testimony. Another form is that the witness has full knowledge of the incident but presents it in such a twisted and manipulated order that the matter becomes something else entirely. The purpose of this is to benefit one party, which automatically harms the other, and sometimes the witness does such things for his own personal interest as well. All these forms are against justice, fairness, and piety. It should be clear that if this verse is taken in its apparent meaning, then its meaning is as stated above; however, the words of «كونوا قوامين بالقسط» carry a broader meaning than this. "Qawwam" is an intensive form of "Qa'im," and "Qist" is such a general word that it includes the command to do justice in worldly matters, household affairs, mutual dealings and transactions, with one's own and others, with disbelievers and believers alike, and it is not limited only to giving testimony in court. That is, for Allah, and fearing Him, whatever you say, say it with justice. Call the good as good and the bad as bad. Whatever you say, say it truthfully, even if it causes you personal loss or affects your parents or any close relative. Do not show favor to the rich or the poor, to the disbeliever or the believer, but have regard only for Allah Almighty.
