"And let not the witnesses refuse when they are called upon." Qatada's interpretation: He said, a man would go to a large tribe asking for someone to bear witness, and not a single man among them would follow him, so they were forbidden from that. Al-Hasan said: If he finds someone else, then he has latitude. "And do not be weary," meaning: do not be bored, "of writing it down," meaning: the right, "whether it is small or large, for its specified term. That is more just," meaning: more equitable, "and more upright for testimony," meaning: more correct, "and more likely that you will not doubt," meaning: more worthy that you will not be in doubt when it is written. "Except when it is a present transaction," meaning: immediate, "which you conduct among yourselves," in which there is no term, "then there is no blame," meaning: no constraint, "upon you if you do not write it. And bear witness when you enter into a contract," meaning: bear witness to your right; whether it has a term or not.
Al-Hasan said: This is abrogated; abrogated by: "And if one of you trusts the other."
"And let neither scribe nor witness be harmed." Mujahid's interpretation: He should not be held back from his work and his need, such that he feels resentment or is distressed.
Yahya said: It reached me from Ata' that he said: It applies to both situations, whether he is called to bear witness or to testify to what he knows. "And if you do so," meaning: if you cause harm to the scribe and the witness, "then indeed it is disobedience in you," meaning: a sin. "And fear Allah," meaning: do not disobey Him regarding them. [Verse 283]
﴿وَلا يَأْبَ الشُّهَدَاءُ إِذَا مَا دعوا﴾ تَفْسِير قَتَادَة: قَالَ: كَانَ الرجل يَأْتِي الْحَيّ الْعَظِيم يطْلب مِنْهُم من يشْهد، فَلَا يتبعهُ مِنْهُم رَجُل، فنهي عَنْ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ الحَسَن: وَإِن وجد غَيره فَهُوَ وَاسع. ﴿وَلَا تسأموا﴾ أَي: لَا تملوا ﴿أَنْ تَكْتُبُوهُ﴾ يَعْنِي: الْحق. ﴿صَغِيرًا أَوْ كَبِيرًا إِلَى أَجله ذَلِكُم أقسط﴾ أَي: أعدل ﴿وأقوم للشَّهَادَة﴾ أَي: أصوب ﴿وَأَدْنَى أَلَّا تَرْتَابُوا﴾ أَي: أَجْدَر أَلا تَشكوا؛ إِذا كَانَ ذَلِكَ مَكْتُوبًا ﴿إِلا أَنْ تكون تِجَارَة حَاضِرَة﴾ أَي: حَالَة ﴿تديرونها بَيْنكُم﴾ لَيْسَ فِيهَا أجل ﴿فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جنَاح﴾ حرج ﴿أَلَّا تَكْتُبُوهَا وَأَشْهِدُوا إِذَا تبايعتم﴾ يَعْنِي: أشهدوا عَلَى حقكم؛ كَانَ فِيهِ أجل أَو لم يكن.
قَالَ الحَسَن: وَهَذَا مَنْسُوخ؛ نسخه ﴿فَإِن أَمن بَعْضكُم بَعْضًا﴾ (وَلا يُضَارَّ كَاتِبٌ وَلا شَهِيدٌ﴾ تَفْسِير مُجَاهِد: لَا يُقَام عَنْ شغله وَحَاجته، فيجد فِي نَفسه، أَو يحرج.
قَالَ يَحْيَى: وَبَلَغَنِي عَنْ عَطَاءٍ؛ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: هِيَ فِي الْوَجْهَيْنِ جَمِيعًا إِذَا دُعِيَ لِيُشْهَدَ، أَوْ لِيَشْهَدَ بِمَا عِنْدَهُ. ﴿وَإِن تَفعلُوا﴾ أَي: تضاروا الْكَاتِب وَالشَّاهِد ﴿فَإِنَّهُ فسوق بكم﴾ أَي: مَعْصِيّة ﴿وَاتَّقوا الله﴾ أَي: لَا تعصوه فيهمَا. [آيَة ٢٨٣]
