Translation of the meanings Ayah 42 Surah Al-Mā’idah - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - The Noble Qur'an Encyclopedia

Ayah: 42

سَمَّٰعُونَ لِلۡكَذِبِ أَكَّٰلُونَ لِلسُّحۡتِۚ فَإِن جَآءُوكَ فَٱحۡكُم بَيۡنَهُمۡ أَوۡ أَعۡرِضۡ عَنۡهُمۡۖ وَإِن تُعۡرِضۡ عَنۡهُمۡ فَلَن يَضُرُّوكَ شَيۡـٔٗاۖ وَإِنۡ حَكَمۡتَ فَٱحۡكُم بَيۡنَهُم بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُقۡسِطِينَ

(42) They eagerly listen to falsities and wantonly devour illicit earnings^[1180]; if they come to you then either judge between them or deny them ˹judgement˺^[1181]. Should you turn away from them, they will not harm you in the least, ˹but˺ if you judge between them, then judge in fairness^[1182]—Allah likes those who are fair ˹in judgement˺.

[1180] al-Suḥt means all the money which is appropriated through illegal and devious means. Suḥt originally means eradication, as ‘dirty money’ never prospers (cf. Ibn Qutaybah, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; al-Sijistānī, Gharīb al-Qur’ān; Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-Lughah). Those who are bent on legalizing money earned through illegal means will have a vested interest in not listening to the truth about its illegality.
[1181] The Prophet (ﷺ) had a choice to either pass his verdict in their case or withhold it since he was told by God that they would only carry out what confirms their bias.
[1182] al-Qisṭ is the passing of fair judgement. ʿAbdullāh Ibn ʿAmr (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Those who pass fair judgement (al-muqsiṭīn) are placed on pulpits of light with Allah; on the Right Side of the Most Merciful – and both His Hands are Right Hands. These are the ones who are fair in their judgement and with their household and whatever they are in charge of”. (Muslim: 1827)