Give full measure
Sura Isra, 17:35 And give full measure when you measure, and weigh with the straight balance. That is better and more virtuous in the end
Reflection: To give full measure when you measure, and weigh with the straight balance means to measure honestly rather than cheating people when trading goods and currency by using a balance that falsely overstates or understates the weight of what has been put upon it. It also means in a general way, to barter or exchange goods fairly and honestly so that what is given is equal to what is received.
Why: Trust is the basis of an evolved society. When transactions are carried out on the basis of trust, transactions are speeded up and less resources are needed for monitoring and accounting. In Switzerland for example, the entire transit system runs on the basis of trust. You buy your own ticket and only very rarely are random checks made. It is even rarer for those checking to catch someone who has not paid.
How: Let us look at our lives and see where we could be cheating the system. Taking more than you paid for or give less than you were paid for are obvious examples. Less obvious perhaps are the way we spend our time at work for example. Specially those of us who are paid by the hour, how much time do we spend on doing personal emails, on social media etc?
Possible barriers: Greed, the desire to get something for nothing, a feeling that "someone owes us".
Ayat in action: We can live this verse by becoming mindful of where we may be shortchanging people or organizations. And then taking the steps necessary to remedy this as soon as possible. The pricks of conscience are short lived and if not acted upon, they fall silent.
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