His saying, exalted is He: "Whoever intends the reward of this world, then with Allah is the reward of this world and the Hereafter. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing." "O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is Ever-Aware of what you do." Meaning: Whoever has no intention except for the reward of this world and does not believe that there is anything other than it, he is not as he thinks. Rather, with Allah is the reward of both abodes. So whoever intends the Hereafter, Allah will give him from the reward of this world and will grant him his intention. And whoever intends only this world, Allah will give him from the world what is decreed for him, and he will have punishment in the Hereafter. And Allah, exalted is He, is All-Hearing of the sayings and All-Seeing of the deeds and intentions. Then He addressed the believers: "Be persistently standing firm in justice." This is a form of exaggeration, meaning: let your standing firm in justice be repeated. And "witnesses" is in the accusative as a subject after a subject. The state of it is weak in meaning, because it limits the standing firm in justice to the meaning of testimony only. And His saying: "for Allah" means: for the essence of Allah, for His face, and for His pleasure. And His saying: "even if it be against yourselves" is related to "witnesses." This is the apparent meaning that people have interpreted, and that this mentioned testimony is in rights. It is possible that His saying: "witnesses for Allah" means: in oneness. And His saying: "even if it be against yourselves" is related to "standing firm in justice." The first interpretation is clearer. And the testimony of a person against himself is his acknowledgment of the truths and his saying the truth in every matter. And his standing firm in justice upon it likewise. Then He mentioned the parents due to the obligation of being dutiful to them and the greatness of their status. Then He mentioned the relatives, as they are the ones most likely to have affection and loyalty. Therefore, the foreigner among the people is more deserving to be upheld in justice and to be witnessed against. And this verse only encompasses the testimony regarding relatives; there is no meaning in seeking knowledge from it regarding testimony for them, as some of the interpreters have done. And there is no disagreement among the people of knowledge regarding the correctness of the rulings of this verse. And His saying, exalted is He: "If he is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both" means: if the one being witnessed against is rich, then his wealth should not be considered, nor should he be feared. And if he is poor, then compassion for him should not be taken into account. For indeed, Allah, exalted is He, is more worthy of both types and both states. And "the rich" and "the poor" are generic nouns; therefore, the pronoun was dual in His saying: "of both." And in the recitation of Ubayy ibn Ka'b: "then Allah is more worthy of them" in the plural. And Al-Tabari said: the pronoun was dual because the meaning is: Allah is more worthy of these two meanings, the wealth of the rich and the poverty of the poor, meaning: He is more considerate of them. And He has set limits and has given everyone with a right his right. And some people said: "or" means the same as "and"; and in this there is weakness.

And Al-Suddi mentioned that this verse was revealed regarding the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him -; a rich man and a poor man argued before him; the poor man was in the right; knowing that the rich man was more likely to wrong the poor man; but Allah would not have it except that He would establish justice between the rich and the poor.

Qadi Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: This matter is connected to what the Prophet - blessings and peace be upon him - said: "So I will judge for him according to what I hear." Indeed, it has been permitted for the judge to be in favor of the weak; by considering their statements; and supporting them; and saying to them: Present your argument; encouraging them; and alerting them in a way that does not weaken the other party; and it should not be teaching how to argue; this is how the narration is from Ashhab; and others; and Al-Tabari mentioned that this verse is due to the incident of Tumamah ibn Ubayriq; and the actions of those who acted in his matter without justice.

And His saying, the Exalted: "So do not follow desire"; is a clear prohibition; and following desire is destructive; harmful; and His saying, the Exalted: "that you be just"; it is possible that its meaning is: "out of fear that you be unjust"; and justice here may mean turning away from the truth; and it is possible that its meaning is: "out of love that you be just"; and justice may mean fairness; as if He said: "Stop for fear that you oppress"; or "out of love that you be fair"; if you consider the action "you follow"; it may be that the meaning is: "out of love that you oppress."

And His saying, the Exalted: "And if you twist or turn away"; Ibn Abbas said: This is regarding the two disputants; who sit before the judge; and the twisting of the judge; and his turning away from one of them to the other; thus twisting - in this case - is delaying the speech and dragging it until the judgment is missed and its enforcement to the one whom the judge inclines towards; and I have witnessed some judges doing that; and Allah is the Reckoner of all; and Ibn Abbas also said; and Mujahid; and Qatadah; and Al-Suddi; and Ibn Zayd; and others: It is regarding the witness; twisting the testimony with his tongue; and distorting it; so he does not speak the truth in it; or turns away from delivering the truth in it.

Qadi Abu Muhammad - may Allah have mercy on him - said: The wording of the verse encompasses judgment and testimony; and mediating between people; and every person is required to be just; and the disputants are required to be just in what is in judgment; so reflect on it.

And the majority of the people read: "Taluwwa" with two waw's; from: "lawā; yalwī"; according to what we have explained. And Hamzah; and Ibn 'Amir; and a group in the rare reading read: "Wa in talū"; with a dammah on the lam; and one waw; and it is possible that its origin is: "Tal'ū"; according to the first reading; the waw with a dammah is hamzah; as it was hamzah in "Ad'ūr"; and its vowel was transferred to the lam which is the root of "lawā"; then it was omitted due to the meeting of two consonants; and it is possible that "talū" is from your saying: "Waliya ar-rajulu al-amra"; so it would be on the other side of "tu'riḍū"; as if He, the Exalted, said to the witnesses and others: "And if you are given authority; or you turn away from it"; for Allah is All-Aware of your actions; and your intentions in it; for authority and turning away are two sides; and twisting and turning away are on one path; and the rest of the verse is a warning.