Be steadfast in justice, striving to establish it so that you do not wrong. Be witnesses for Allah, establishing your testimonies for the sake of Allah as you were commanded to establish them, even if it is against yourselves or your parents or your relatives. If you say: The testimony against parents and relatives means to say: I bear witness that so-and-so has such-and-such upon my parents or my relatives. What is the meaning of testimony against oneself? I say: It is the acknowledgment of oneself, for it is in the meaning of bearing witness to it by imposing the right upon it. It may also mean: Even if the testimony is against yourselves or against your parents and relatives, that is to witness against someone from whom you expect harm from a tyrannical ruler or others. If the one being testified against is wealthy, do not refrain from testifying against him due to his wealth in seeking his approval, or if he is poor, do not refrain from it out of compassion for him. For Allah is more deserving of both the wealthy and the poor, meaning in His consideration for them and His desire for their benefit. Were it not that the testimony against them is beneficial for them, it would not have been legislated, for He is more considerate of His servants than any observer. If you say: Why is the pronoun dual in: 'more deserving of both' when it should be singular, since His saying: 'if he is wealthy or poor' is in the meaning of 'if one of these two'? I say: The pronoun refers back to what is indicated by His saying: 'if he is wealthy or poor,' not to what is mentioned, and that is why it is dual and not singular. It is the genus of the wealthy and the genus of the poor, as if it were said: Allah is more deserving of the two kinds of the wealthy and the poor, meaning the wealthy and the poor. In the reading of Abu: 'Allah is more deserving of them,' and it is a testimony to that. And Abdullah read: 'if he is wealthy or poor,' with 'kan' being complete. 'That you act justly' can mean both justice and deviation, as if it were said: So do not follow desires, disliking to act justly among people, or wanting to deviate from the truth. And if you twist your tongues away from the testimony of truth or the governance of justice, or turn away from testifying with what you have and prevent it. And it was read: 'And if you twist or turn away,' meaning: And if you take up the establishment of the testimony or turn away from establishing it, then indeed, Allah is All-Aware of what you do and of your recompense for it.