Absolute Justice, Kindness and Kinship — Page 262
Evidence in Financial Matters 255 parties to a transaction are fully satisfied with their verbal commitments but during the verbal discussion, all the conditions are not precisely laid out. This is despite the fact that almost everyone knows how to read and write: and to write is not a rare wonder. Again, even when the transaction is committed to writing, very often it is considered unnecessary to have it signed by witnesses. Hence, the lack of due respect to this perfect and comprehensive Quranic teaching results in the deprivation of both parties from its full benefit. An additional benefit of the Quranic instruction of having the contract signed by two witnesses is that during a dispute arising over the true meaning of the contract, such witnesses would be able to clarify the points of dispute because they would have known the background of this contract. In this verse all the various possibilities are taken care of with such detail that it even mentions who should write or dictate the transaction contract. According to this verse, the one who owes the other party something is required to write or dictate. Anyone who commits himself to his obligations to the other is evidently much more cautious in his writing or dictation, so that his dues to the other stand in no danger of being even slightly exaggerated. If, on the contrary, the writing or dictation was left to the person who has claim upon the other, he could be tempted to twist his writing or dictation in such a manner that at