In fact, some of you yourselves were present when death approached Yaqub and when he said to his sons, “What will you worship after me?” They said, “We shall worship Him Who is your God, and is the God of your fathers, Ibrahim and Ismail and Ishaq (Isaac) – the One God; and to Him we have submitted ourselves.”

It is ordained for you that when death approaches one of you, and he leaves behind wealth, he must bequeath it to parents and near relatives in accordance with tradition; this is a duty upon the pious.

And perform Hajj (greater pilgrimage) and Umrah (lesser pilgrimage) for Allah; and if you are prevented, send sacrifice whatever is available; and do not shave your heads until the sacrifice reaches its destination; so whoever among you is sick or has an ailment in the head, must pay a compensation by fasting or charity or sacrifice; then when you are in peace – and whoever takes the advantage of combining the Hajj and Umrah, it is compulsory for him to sacrifice whatever is available; and whoever cannot afford it, must fast for three days while on the pilgrimage, and seven when you have returned to your homes; these are ten in all; this decree is for him who is not a resident of Mecca; and keep fearing Allah and know well that Allah’s punishment is severe.

O People who Believe! If you make an agreement for debt for a specified time, write it down; and appoint a scribe to write it for you with accuracy; and the scribe must not refuse to write in the manner Allah has taught him, so he must write; and the liable person (debtor) should dictate it to him and fear Allah, Who is his Lord, and not hide anything of the truth; but if the debtor is of poor reasoning, or weak, or unable to dictate, then his guardian must dictate with justice; and appoint two witnesses from your men; then if two men are not available, one man and two women from those you would prefer to be witnesses, so that if one of them forgets, the other can remind her; and the witnesses must not refuse when called upon to testify; do not feel burdened to write it, whether the transaction is small or big – write it for up to its term’s end; this is closer to justice before Allah and will be a strong evidence and more convenient to dispel doubts amongst yourselves – except when it is an instant trade in which exchange is carried out immediately, there is no sin on you if it is not written down; and take witnesses whenever you perform trade; and neither the scribe nor the witnesses be caused any harm (or they cause any harm); and if you do, it would be an offence on your part; and fear Allah; and Allah teaches you; and Allah knows everything.

On the Day when every soul will be confronted with all the good that it has done; and all the evil that it has done – it will wish that perhaps there would have been a great distance between itself and the punishment; and Allah warns you of His punishment; and Allah is Most Compassionate towards His bondmen.