What Is Longest Verse of Quran About?
Verse 282 of Surah Al-Baqarah is the longest verse in the Quran:
“Believers, if you take a loan for a known period of time, have a just scribe write it down for you. The scribe should not refuse to do this as God has taught him. The debtor should dictate without any omission and have fear of God, his Lord. If the debtor is a fool, a minor, or one who is unable to dictate, his guardian should act with justice as his representative. Let two men or one man and two women whom you choose, bear witness to the contract so that if one of them makes a mistake the other could correct him. The witness must not refuse to testify when their testimony is needed. Do not disdain writing down a small or a large contract with all the details. A written record of the contract is more just in the sight of God, more helpful for the witness, and a more scrupulous way to avoid doubt. However, if everything in the contract is exchanged at the same time, there is no sin in not writing it down. Let some people bear witness to your trade contracts but the scribe or witness must not be harmed; it is a sin to harm them. Have fear of God. God teaches you. He has knowledge of all things.”
The content of the verse is clear and needs no explanation. At a time when in the entire Arabian Peninsula there were only 17 people who could read and write, so much emphasis on writing demonstrates Islam’s attention to knowledge and to maintaining rights. It also shows the religion’s comprehensiveness and attention to details.
It can be learned from this verse that people in the Islamic society must support one another in respecting rights.
Some Messages of Verse 282 of Surah Al-Baqarah
1- The period of debt should be clear.
2- In order to maintain trust and confidence in one another and in order not forget the debt, it should be written down.
3- In order to make sure there will be no distortions in the document, it should be written in the presence of a third person.
4 The one who writes the document should be a just and fair person.
5- Anyone has responsibility in the field in which he is skillful. One who has a pen (and is skillful in writing) should write for people.
6- The one who is in debt should dictate what the writer writes not the one who has given the loan.
7- While writing the contract, the one who is in debt must remember God and be careful not to forget anything about the debt.
8- Paying attention to the needs of the deprived people is necessary for officials.
9- Men have priority over women in bearing witness.
10- The witnesses should be just and fair and trusted by the two sides.
11- The amount of the money involved is not important but what matters is protecting people’s rights.
12- Writing a document with precision and in a just and fair manner has three advantages:
A- It guarantees justice.
B- It gives witnesses the confidence to bear witness.
C- It prevents doubts and mistrust in society.
13- The writer and the witness are not allowed to write the document in a way that would harm one of the sides.
14- The writer and witness are guards of people’s rights and if they fail to guard rights, it would be a transgression.
