(8) “O you who believe, stand firm for Allah, bearing witness with justice. Do not let the hatred of a people lead you to be unjust. Be just; that is nearer to piety. Fear Allah; surely Allah is fully aware of what you do.”

That is: O you who believe in all that you have been commanded to believe, fulfill what your faith requires by “standing firm for Allah, bearing witness with justice”—by energetically upholding justice in all your outward and inward conduct.

Let this be done for Allah alone, not for any worldly purpose. Make justice your aim, avoiding both excess and neglect in your words and deeds. Uphold it with everyone, whether near or distant, friend or foe.

“Do not let” your hatred of “a people lead you to be unjust,” as those devoid of justice and fairness do. Rather, just as you testify in favor of your friend, testify against him when justice requires; and just as you testify against your enemy, testify in his favor. Even if he is an unbeliever or a religious innovator, he must be treated justly, and any truth he presents must be accepted because it is true, not because he is the one who said it. Truth must not be rejected merely because he said it, for that would be an injustice to the truth.

“Be just; that is nearer to piety.” That is, the more diligently you pursue justice and strive to act by it, the nearer this will bring your hearts to piety. When justice is complete, piety is perfected.

“Surely Allah is fully aware of what you do.” He will recompense you for your deeds—the good and the evil, the small and the great—with both immediate and deferred recompense.