Absolute Justice, Kindness and Kinship — Page 261
— Part III 254 lessened. If the one who should dictate is of low understanding, or is too weak or incompetent to dictate himself, then his guardian representing him should dictate with justice as his attorney. In addition to that appoint two male witnesses from among you. However, if two male witnesses are not available then have one male and two females of such as you like for witnesses so that if one female forgets anything while registering her evidence, the other sitting by her side , should remind her of what she might have omitted. And the witness should not refuse when they are called. … (S u rah al-Baqarah Ch. 2:V. 283) Here, it is especially noteworthy that in matters of financial transactions, it is clearly dictated that they must be committed to writing. For this to be included in the Islamic rule of conduct is an exceptional beauty of the Holy Quran. You may testify to it by reading the Divine Books of all religions. Nowhere among them will you find the obligatory injunction to commit all financial transactions to writing. Particularly worthy of note is the fact that during the age when the above-quoted Quranic revelation was made, as is evident from the verse itself, the custom of writing was very rare among the Arabs and men of letters were very few. Such clear teaching in matters of financial transactions is amazing. Most financial disputes found among the Muslim society are because of their lack of observance of this injunction. In the beginning both