Sura-2 [Al-Baqara medina 87]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:

وَلاَ تَأْكُلُواْ أَمْوَالَكُم بَيْنَكُم بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتُدْلُواْ بِهَا إِلَى الْحُكَّامِ...

2:188. And do not eat up your property among yourselves for vanities, nor use it as bait for the judges,

... لِتَأْكُلُواْ فَرِيقًا مِّنْ أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ بِالإِثْمِ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٨٨﴾

with intent that ye may eat up wrongfully and knowingly a little of (other) people's property.

C201. Besides the three primal physical needs of man, which are apt to make him greedy, there is a fourth greed in society, the greed of wealth and property. The purpose of fasts is not completed until this fourth greed is also restrained.

Ordinarily honest men are content if they refrain from robbery, theft, or embezzlement. Two more subtle forms of the greed are mentioned here. One is where one uses one's own property for corrupting others - judges or those in authority - so as to obtain some material gain even under the cover and protection of the law.

The words translated "other people's property may also mean "public property". A still more subtle form is where we use our own property or property under our own control - "among yourselves" in the Text - for vain or frivolous uses. Under the Islamic standard this is also greed. Property carries with it its own responsibilities.

If we fail to understand or fulfil them, we have not learnt the full lesson of self-denial by fasts.

Transliteration Wa la_ ta'kulu_ amwa_lakum bainakum bil ba_tili wa tudlu_ biha_ ilal hukka_mi lita'kulu_ fariqam min amwa_lin na_si bil ismi wa antum ta'lamu_n(a).

Asad’s Version:

And devour not one another’s possessions wrongfully, and neither employ legal artifices [note 163] with a view to devouring sinfully, and knowingly, anything that by right belongs to others [note 164].

Pickthall’s Version

And eat not up your property among yourselves in vanity, nor seek by it to gain the hearing of the judges that ye may knowingly devour a portion of the property of others wrongfully.

Yuksel’s version - Unfair Financial Gains, Bribery and Corruption

2:188 Do not consume your money between you unjustly by bribing the decision-makers so that you may consume a part of the other people's money sinfully while you know!*

[Ruby’s note – This is a very pervasive statement regarding abuse and misappropriation of possessions [tangible and intangible] that rightfully belong to others.]

[Asad’s note 163 – Lit., “and do not throw it to the judges” – i.e., with a view to being decided by them contrary to what is right (Zamakhshari, Baydawi)

164 – Lit., “a part of [other] people’s possessions”.]

[ Ali’s note - 201 ……………. Ordinarily honest men are content if they refrain from robbery, theft, or embezzlement. Two more subtle forms of the greed are mentioned here. One is where one uses one's own property for corrupting others - judges or those in authority - so as to obtain some material gain even under the cover and protection of the law. The words translated "other people's property" may also mean "public property". A still more subtle form is where we use our own property or property under our own control - "among yourselves" in the Text - for vain or frivolous uses. Under the Islamic standard this is also greed. Property carries with it

its own responsibilities. If we fail to understand or fulfill them, we have not learnt the full lesson of self-denial by fasts. (2.188) ]

[[ Yuksel’s note -

002:188 This verse, together with 42:38 and 59:7 and a few other verses, reminds us one of the most important principles for a just, peaceful, and prosperous society. Monarchies, dictatorships, oligarchies, or regimes where wealth and political power accumulates in the hands of a few, compromise the foundations of justice. A society with no justice cannot enjoy happiness. The biggest challenge for the Western world is the protection of democratic procedures from the corruptive power of money and separation of powers. When a government becomes the government of the wealthy, by the wealthy and for the wealthy, the interest of the nation and indirectly the interest of all of humanity is risked. Today, more than any time in history, there is interdependence among the nations of the world. Regardless of its location, reckless treatment of planet earth poisons everyone's atmosphere. Reckless production of weapons, regardless of its location, risks the security of all nations. The gap between rich and poor nations, and the aggressive militaristic adventures of powerful nations challenge the security of the entire world. This gap is augmented through imperialistic policies that use illicit methods, such as misinformation, jingoistic propaganda, puppet regimes, and overt and covert military operations. Because of technology, the Internet, global economy, and an increase in population, our world is quickly shrinking, and the consequences of neo-colonialism will be different. The oligarchs who have been engaging in state terrorism finally reaped a competition, an asymmetrical and unpredictable one. The injustice and corruption enjoyed by the world powers is generating and will continue to generate hatred, frustration, and resentment around the world. Those who have nothing to lose, will make sure the rest lose their sleep. The world must take heed.

For a similar reminder, see the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 16:18-20.