Through Force or Faith? — Page 278
?— A Reply to Pope Benedict XVI 278 ِفْوُرْعَمْلاِب١ؕ اَذِاَف ْمُتْعَفَد ْمِهْيَلِا ْمُهَلاَوْمَا اْوُدِهْشَاَف ْمِهْيَلَع١ؕ َو ىٰفَك ِهّٰللاِب اًبْيِسَحۤاَهْوُلُكْاَت اًفاَرْسِا َّو اًراَدِب ْنَا اْوُرَبْكَّي١ؕ َو ْنَم َناَك اًّيِنَغ ْفِفْعَتْسَيْلَف١ۚ۠ َو ْنَم َناَك اًرْيِقَف ْلُكْاَيْلَف َو اوُلَتْبا ىٰمٰتَيْلا ىّٰۤتَح اَذِا اوُغَلَب َحاَكِّنلا١ۚ ْنِاَف ْمُتْسَنٰا ْمُهْنِّم اًدْشُر اْۤوُعَفْداَف ْمِهْيَلِا ْمُهَلاَوْمَا١ۚ َو اَل And test the understanding of the orphans until they attain the age of marriage; then, if you find in them sound judg- ment, deliver to them their property; and devour it not in extravagance and haste against their growing up. And whoso is rich, let him abstain; and whoso is poor, let him eat thereof with equity. And when you deliver to them their property, then call witnesses in their presence. And Allah is sufficient as a Reckoner ( S u rah an-Nis a’ , 4:7). Islam also provides comprehensive guidance in matters of trade. It is commanded that all measures should be accurate: َو اوُفْوَا َلْيَكْلا َو َناَزْيِمْلا ِطْسِقْلاِب And give full measure and weight with equity. ( S u rah al-An‘ ā m , 6:153); And instructed that making a profit in trade is lawful ( S u rah an-Nisā’, 4:30), but bribery, in order to devour wealth, is not allowable: ِمْثِاْلاِب َو ْمُتْنَا َنْوُمَلْعَتَو اَل اْۤوُلُكْاَت ْمُكَلاَوْمَا ْمُكَنْيَب ِلِطاَبْلاِب َو اْوُلْدُت ۤاَهِب ىَلِا ِماَّكُحْلا اْوُلُكْاَتِل اًقْيِرَف ْنِّم ِلاَوْمَا ِساَّنلا And do not devour your wealth among yourselves through falsehood, and offer it not as bribe to the authorities that you may knowingly devour a part of the wealth of other people with injustice. ( S u rah al-Baqarah, 2:189)