Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:283

Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow): Verse 283 (Cont.)

And if you are on a journey...

Know that the Almighty has divided transactions in this verse into three categories:

1. Sales requiring writing and witnesses.
2. Sales involving a tangible pledge (Rahn).
3. Sales based on trust (Amanah).

Since the preceding verse commanded writing and witnessing, and since these might be impossible during travel (due to the absence of a scribe or writing materials), the verse introduces another form of securing the transaction: taking a pledge (Rahn). This explains the coherence of the structure, and this method is even more cautious than writing and witnessing.

There are several issues concerning this verse:

We previously discussed the derivation of safar (journey) in the verse: "But whoever is ill or on a journey, then [he must count] an equal number of other days" (Al-Baqarah: 184). We reiterate it here.

Linguists state that the root letters of safar imply manifestation and revelation.

• Safar (journey) is so named because it reveals and clarifies things.
• It is called safar because it reveals the character of men (it uncovers them).
• Alternatively, when one leaves the settled area for the desert, they become exposed to others.
• Or, when one travels to the desert, the land of the Kaaba becomes uncovered and empty.
• Asfara al-subh (the dawn broke) means it became apparent.
• Asfarat al-mar'ah 'an wajhiha (the woman uncovered her face) means she revealed it.
• Saffara 'an al-qawm (he revealed to the people) means he uncovered what was in their hearts.
• Saffarat (she swept) means she cleaned, because sweeping reveals what was under the dust.
• Al-safar refers to the remnants of daylight after sunset, due to its clarity. (And Allah knows best.)

The origin of Rahn relates to permanence and stability. It is said: Rahana al-shay' if the thing endured and remained firm. A lasting blessing is called ni'mah rahina (enduring blessing).

Knowing this meaning, Rahn is fundamentally a verbal noun (masdar). It is said: Rahantu 'inda al-rajul urhinuhu rahnan (I placed a pledge with that man). A poet said:

He pledges his sons to me, and I pledge my sons to him for what I say.

When verbal nouns are transferred to become nouns, they lose the function of the verb. If one says: Rahantu 'inda Zayd rahnan, the accusative case is not that of the verbal noun, but that of the direct object, similar to saying: Rahantu 'inda Zayd thoban (I pledged a garment with Zayd).

Because it became a noun in this manner, it is pluralized like other nouns. It has two plurals: Ruhn and Rihan.

Examples of the plural Ruhn:

• Al-A'sha said:

  I swore I would not give him any of our children as a pledge that would corrupt them, like one who has already corrupted.

• Bu'ayth said:

  Su'ad has departed, and Aden is now behind her, and the pledges (al-ruhun) have been locked up before you.

This is analogous to saying rufn and rufn (roofs), suquf and suquf (ceilings), nashr and nashr (spreading), and khalq and khalq (creation).

Al-Zajjaj noted that the pattern fa'l and fu'l (for plurals) is rare. Al-Farra' claimed that the plural of Rahn is Rihan, and the plural of Rihan is Ruhn, making Ruhn a plural of the plural (like thimar and thamar). Some reverse this, saying Ruhn is the plural of Rahn, and Rihan is the plural of Ruhn.

Since these two forms contradict each other, they cancel each other out, especially since Sibawayh does not consider the plural of the plural to be a regular rule, meaning it should only be used by consensus. However, Rihan being the plural of Rahn is structurally sound, like na'l and ni'al (sandals), kabsh and kibash (rams), ka'b and ki'ab (ankles), and kalb and kilab (dogs).

Ibn Kathir and Abu 'Amr recited it as Farhān (with a damma on the ra' and ha'). They are also reported to have recited it as Farhān (with a fatha on the ra' and a quiescent ha'). The rest recited it as Farhān (with a fatha on the ra' and a fatha on the ha').

Abu 'Amr stated: "I only know Rihan in reference to horses (for racing), so I recited Farhān [with the quiescent ha'] to distinguish between the pledge (Rahn) and the plural of the pledge used for horses."

Regarding Abu 'Amr's recitation with a damma on the ra' and a quiescent ha', Al-Akhfash said it is awkward because fa'l is rarely pluralized as fu'l except in rare, irregular cases, like saqf and suquf (sometimes with damma, sometimes with sukūn), nakhl and nukhl, lahd and luhud, bast and bust, faras and furd, and khayl and wurud.

There is an ellipsis in the verse. If we wish, we can make Rahn the subject (mubtada') and imply the predicate (khabar). The meaning would be: "Pledges taken into possession are a substitute for the witnesses, or what stands in their place," or "There are pledges taken into possession."

Alternatively, we can make it the predicate and imply the subject. The meaning would be: "The security [document] is a pledge taken into possession."

The jurists today agree that the ruling on a pledge (Rahn) is the same whether in residence or travel, regardless of whether a scribe is available or not. Mujahid, however, held that a pledge is only permissible during travel, based on the apparent meaning of the verse. This view is not acted upon today; the verse mentioned travel only as the most common scenario, similar to the verse: "And when you go forth in the earth, there is no blame upon you if you shorten the prayer, if you fear [attack]" (An-Nisa': 101), where fear is not a condition for shortening the prayer.

There are many issues concerning pledges. Those who argue against the validity of pledging an undivided share (Rahn al-mushā') use this verse as evidence, stating that the pledge must be taken into possession (maqbūdh). Reason also supports this, as the purpose of a pledge is to secure the creditor's right by preventing denial. This is only achieved through possession, and an undivided share cannot be possessed; therefore, pledging an undivided share is invalid.

Then the Almighty said: "But if some of you trust others, then let him who is entrusted fulfill his trust."

This is the third category of transactions mentioned in the verse: the sale based on trust (Bay' al-Amanah), meaning transactions where there is no writing, no witnesses, and no pledge. This section has its own issues:

Amn (to trust someone) means not fearing betrayal from them. Allah says: "Can I entrust him to you except as I entrusted his brother to you before?" (Yusuf: 64).

Therefore, "But if some of you trust others" means if the creditor does not fear treachery or denial from the debtor. "Then let him who is entrusted fulfill his trust" means the debtor, whom the creditor considered trustworthy and relied upon, must not disappoint that trust by denying the debt or failing to pay when the term is due. It is said: Aman-tuhu and Ita-mantuhu (I entrusted him), so he is ma'mun and mu'taman (trusted).

Then He said: "And let him fear Allah, his Lord." This means the debtor must fear Allah and not commit denial, because when the creditor treated him well by relying on his trustworthiness and not demanding documentation (writing, witnesses, or a pledge), it is incumbent upon the debtor to fear Allah and treat him well by not denying the right and by paying it when the due date arrives.

There is another interpretation: that this is an address to the pledgee (murtahen) to return the pledge once the debt is fully paid, as the pledge is a trust in his hand. However, the first interpretation is stronger.

Some scholars argue that this verse abrogates the preceding verses that mandate writing, witnessing, and taking a pledge. However, committing to abrogation without compelling evidence is an error. Rather, the previous commands are understood as guidance and a recommendation for caution, while this verse is understood as a concession (rukhsah). Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "There is no abrogation in the verse of mutual transactions."

Then He said: "And do not conceal the testimony." There are several interpretations for this:

First Interpretation: Al-Qaffal (may Allah have mercy on him) said that since Allah permitted omitting writing, witnessing, and pledging when the debtor is believed to be trustworthy, and since it is possible for this debtor to betray that trust and become treacherous and denying, Allah commanded any other person aware of the situation to strive to establish that right and testify for the creditor, forbidding them from concealing that testimony, whether the creditor knew about the testimony or not. This prohibition is emphasized by making the concealer a sinner in the heart if they abandon it. A narration supports this interpretation: "The best witness is he who testifies before being asked."

Second Interpretation: Concealing testimony means denying knowledge of the event. This is analogous to the verse: "Or do you say that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Descendants were Jews or Christians? Say, 'Are you more knowing or is Allah?' And who is more unjust than one who conceals a testimony he has from Allah?" (Al-Baqarah: 140). The meaning here is denial and feigning ignorance.

Third Interpretation: Concealing testimony means refusing to give it when needed for establishing the case, as previously mentioned in: "And do not refuse to testify when summoned" (Al-Baqarah: 282). This is because whoever refuses to give testimony invalidates their right, and by refusing testimony, they are like one who nullifies their own right. The sanctity of a Muslim's wealth is like the sanctity of their blood, so this carries a severe warning.

Then He said: "And whoever conceals it, indeed his heart is sinful." This has several issues:

Āthim means wicked or transgressor (fājir). It is narrated that 'Umar used to teach a Bedouin the verse: "Indeed, the tree of Zaqqum is the food of the āthim" (Ad-Dukhan: 43-44). The Bedouin used to say: "The food of the orphan." 'Umar corrected him, saying: "The food of the transgressor (fājir)." This indicates that āthim means transgression.

The author of Al-Kashshāf stated that āthim is the predicate of inna, and qalbihu (his heart) is in the nominative case, acting as the subject of āthim (as if saying: fa-innahu ya'thumu qalbuhu—indeed, his heart sins).

It has also been recited with fatha on the qāf (qalbahu) like the reading of "he degraded himself" (safaha nafsahu). Ibn Abi 'Abla recited it as "Qallabahu Allah" (Allah made his heart sinful).

Many theologians have argued that the heart is the agent (fā'il), the knower, the commanded, and the forbidden one. We have fully discussed this in Surah Ash-Shu'ara regarding the verse: "The Trustworthy Spirit brought it down upon your heart" (Ash-Shu'ara: 193), and partially in the verse: "Say, whoever is an enemy to Gabriel—it is indeed he who has brought the Qur'an down to your heart" (Al-Baqarah: 97).

These scholars use this verse as proof, arguing that since Allah attributed the sinfulness (ithm) to the heart, the heart must be the agent, otherwise it would not be described as sinful.

The opponents of this view respond that attributing an action to a part of the body occurs because that organ is the greatest means of assistance for that action. Thus, one says: "My eye saw this," "My ear heard this," and "My heart knew this." Similarly, one might say, "So-and-so has a wicked private part." It is known that the actions of the limbs follow the actions of the hearts and originate from the impulses and deterrents arising in the hearts. Because this is the case, the sinfulness is attributed to the heart here for this reason.

Then the Almighty said: "And Allah is Knowing of what you do." This is a warning against proceeding with this concealment. When a responsible person knows that nothing, not even the hidden thoughts of the heart, is hidden from Allah's knowledge, they will be fearful and cautious about disobeying Allah's command, knowing that Allah will hold them accountable for all those actions and reward them accordingly—good for good, and evil for evil.

Verse 284

To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Whether you disclose what is within yourselves or conceal it, Allah will bring you to account for it. Then He will forgive whom He wills and punish whom He wills. And Allah is over all things competent.