سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 8
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ قَوَّٰمِينَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَآءَ بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۖ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَـَٔانُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا۟ ۚ ٱعْدِلُوا۟ هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿8﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allâh as just witnesses; and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety; and fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is Well-Acquainted with what you do.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O you
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believe
كُونُوا۟
kūnū
Be
قَوَّٰمِينَ
qawwāmīna
steadfast
لِلَّهِ
lillahi
for Allah
شُهَدَآءَ
shuhadāa
(as) witnesses
بِٱلْقِسْطِ ۖ
bil-qis'ṭi
in justice
وَلَا
walā
and let not
يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ
yajrimannakum
prevent you
شَنَـَٔانُ
shanaānu
hatred
قَوْمٍ
qawmin
(of) a people
عَلَىٰٓ
ʿalā
[upon]
أَلَّا
allā
that not
تَعْدِلُوا۟ ۚ
taʿdilū
you do justice
ٱعْدِلُوا۟
iʿ'dilū
Be just
هُوَ
huwa
it
أَقْرَبُ
aqrabu
(is) nearer
لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ
lilttaqwā
to [the] piety
وَٱتَّقُوا۟
wa-ittaqū
And fear
ٱللَّهَ ۚ
l-laha
Allah
إِنَّ
inna
indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
خَبِيرٌۢ
khabīrun
(is) All-Aware
بِمَا
bimā
of what
تَعْمَلُونَ
taʿmalūna
you do
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.
8. O you who believe! Stand firm for Allah, as witnesses in justice. And let not the hatred of a people incite you to not act justly. Act justly; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah. Surely, Allah is well aware of what you do.
[31]
Justice in Testimony Even Against an Enemy Nation:
A similar subject has already been mentioned in Surah An-Nisa, verse 135, that you should stand firmly for justice for the sake of Allah and give testimony even if this testimony goes against yourselves or your parents and relatives. Here, in this verse, it is being explained that you should give testimony of justice completely free from previous enmities and tribal prejudices. The enmity of any person or any nation should never affect your testimony or your justice and fairness. A clear example of this is the incident of that Ansari who stole a coat of mail from a Muslim and deposited it as a trust with a Jew (this incident has already been mentioned under Surah An-Nisa, verse 107). The owner took this case to the court of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The thief (who was actually a hypocrite) thought that since he was a Muslim, surely you would support him against the Jew. Then this thief and his family members, on the basis of the same tribal prejudice, supported him and even swore oaths that they had nothing to do with this theft, and it was close that you would have given a verdict against the Jew and in favor of this hypocrite, but Allah, through revelation, informed you of the real situation. In this verse, a comprehensive instruction has been given to all Muslims that whoever you have to testify for, give testimony exactly as it is, whether he is your friend or belongs to an enemy nation. Because among the causes that create justice, fairness, and piety within you, this is one of the most effective causes, and at every moment while giving testimony, you should keep in mind that whatever you say, Allah is hearing, and whatever you do, Allah is seeing it. And some commentators have taken the meaning of
﴿كُوْنُوْا قَوّٰمِيْنَ لِلّٰهِ شُهَدَاءَ﴾
that become those who establish the religion of Allah. That is, this duty has been imposed upon you that you become responsible for teaching all the nations of the world, both by your words and actions, the oneness of Allah and the teachings of moral commands. Just as the noble Companions acted upon this and demonstrated it, you should also maintain and advance this responsibility, and in this regard, you should also keep in mind the requirements of justice and fairness.
[31]
Justice in Testimony Even Against an Enemy Nation:
A similar subject has already been mentioned in Surah An-Nisa, verse 135, that you should stand firmly for justice for the sake of Allah and give testimony even if this testimony goes against yourselves or your parents and relatives. Here, in this verse, it is being explained that you should give testimony of justice completely free from previous enmities and tribal prejudices. The enmity of any person or any nation should never affect your testimony or your justice and fairness. A clear example of this is the incident of that Ansari who stole a coat of mail from a Muslim and deposited it as a trust with a Jew (this incident has already been mentioned under Surah An-Nisa, verse 107). The owner took this case to the court of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The thief (who was actually a hypocrite) thought that since he was a Muslim, surely you would support him against the Jew. Then this thief and his family members, on the basis of the same tribal prejudice, supported him and even swore oaths that they had nothing to do with this theft, and it was close that you would have given a verdict against the Jew and in favor of this hypocrite, but Allah, through revelation, informed you of the real situation. In this verse, a comprehensive instruction has been given to all Muslims that whoever you have to testify for, give testimony exactly as it is, whether he is your friend or belongs to an enemy nation. Because among the causes that create justice, fairness, and piety within you, this is one of the most effective causes, and at every moment while giving testimony, you should keep in mind that whatever you say, Allah is hearing, and whatever you do, Allah is seeing it. And some commentators have taken the meaning of
﴿كُوْنُوْا قَوّٰمِيْنَ لِلّٰهِ شُهَدَاءَ﴾
that become those who establish the religion of Allah. That is, this duty has been imposed upon you that you become responsible for teaching all the nations of the world, both by your words and actions, the oneness of Allah and the teachings of moral commands. Just as the noble Companions acted upon this and demonstrated it, you should also maintain and advance this responsibility, and in this regard, you should also keep in mind the requirements of justice and fairness.
