Allah(swt) says in the Quran: Believers! Be ever steadfast in upholding equity, bearing witness to the truth for the sake of Allah, even though it be against yourselves, or your parents and kin. Whether the person concerned be rich or poor, Allah's claim takes precedence over [the claims of] either of them. Do not, then, follow your own desires, lest you swerve from justice. If you distort [the truth] or decline to do justice, then [know that] Allah is indeed aware of all that you do. (Surah An-Nisa ayat135)
This is an address to the believers, using their new and unique status which ensures a true rebirth of their community. Indeed, they have enjoyed a rebirth of souls, principles, concepts and goals. They have been given a new trust and assigned a new task which places them as mankind’s leaders and requires them to maintain justice among all people. Hence, addressing them by the very fact of their being believers is of special importance. It is because they are believers that they are being prepared to fulfil the duties commensurate with this greatest of trusts.
Here we see Allah's way in preparing the believers for their difficult duties because Allah’s claim takes precedence over [the claims of] either of them.
Be ever steadfast in upholding equity
bearing witness to the truth for the sake of Allah
be against yourselves, or your parents and kin
let the person concerned be rich or poor
It is not enough for believers to uphold justice themselves: they are expected to be its standard-bearers. They are supposed not merely to practice justice in their own dealings but to strive for its triumph. They have to do all within their power to ensure that injustice is eradicated and replaced by equity and justice. A true believer is required to be the pillar supporting the establishment of right and justice. The testimony of the believers should be solely for the sake of Allah.
The trust they have been assigned is to maintain justice, in its absolute sense, in every situation. Their testimony should not be biased in favor of any of the parties concerned, they should not use any opportunity for personal aggrandizement, and they should not seek to please anyone but Allah.
It is the sort of fairness which prevents aggression and oppression anywhere on earth. It guarantees justice between people, giving everyone, Muslim or non-Muslim, their rights. In their entitlement to justice, all people, believers and unbelievers, are equal in Allah’s sight, as we have seen in the incident involving the Jewish man in Madinah. Similarly, relative and stranger, friend and foe, poor and rich are treated with absolute equality.
“Be ever steadfast in upholding equity, bearing witness to the truth for the sake of God.”
This is something to be done, dealing directly with Allah and for His sake. It is not for the sake of anyone else for or against whom a testimony is given. Nor is it to serve the interests of any individual, group or community. It is not something that takes into account the circumstances of any particular case. It is a testimony given for Allah’s sake, free of any desire, prejudice, interest or consideration.
“Even though it be against yourselves, or your parents and kin.”
At this point, the Qur’anic method of education tries to place a person firstly in opposition to himself and secondly against his feelings towards his parents and kin. This is a very difficult task, much more difficult than stating it verbally or understanding its significance theoretically. To put this into practice is totally different from having a mental picture of what it involves. It is only the person who tries to do it practically that can understand its difficulty. Nevertheless, the Qur’anic method prepares the hearts of believers for this hard task, because it must be put into effect: the rule must be stated and human individuals must abide by it.
The Qur’ān also puts a person in opposition to his natural and social feelings. This when the person against whom one testifies is -
poor, claims our sympathy and help in his testimony or when his social background inherited from earlier days encourages witnesses to speak against him.
rich, social considerations or his own arrogance or other behavior may encourage a testimony for or against him.
All such feelings have their pull when encountered in reality. The Qur’ān wants us to face all such feelings as it prepares us to stand against ourselves or our own parents and relatives.
“Whether the person concerned be rich or poor, Allah’s claim takes precedence over [the claims of] either of them.”
When Islam pushed the believers to scale those heights, it produced in reality a miraculous situation, one which can never be fulfilled except under this magnificent Divine system.
“Do not, then, follow your own desires, lest you swerve from justice.”
Desires are of different types-
love of oneself
love for one’s immediate family and other relatives
sympathy with a poor person when giving testimony or arbitrating
being courteous or hostile to a rich person is another type of desire
In a situation of being a witness or making judgement, taking sides with one’s clan, tribe, community, nation or motherland is one desire, as is taking sides against one’s enemies, even though they are enemies to our faith
Desires have many other forms and Allah prohibits that we be influenced by any one of them in such a way that we deviate from truth and justice. The ayat concludes with a clear warning against twisting the truth in one’s testimony:
“If you distort [the truth] or decline to do justice, then [know that] Allah is indeed aware of all that you do.”
It is sufficient for a believer to remember that Allah sees what he does to realize the seriousness of this warning and to tremble at what it means. We must not forget that this is addressed to people who really do believe.
What we should know is that it is not the system that creates justice, but the spirit behind the system, whatever form and shape it may take and regardless of the time and place where it is applied.
Rest Allah(swt) knows best
Source: Quran & Tafseer