Chapter on Precaution in Giving Testimony

Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 3|Book 1|Chapter 31

Chapter on Precaution in Giving Testimony

3 hadiths · 2 commentaries

Hadith #1

رُوِيَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ غُرَابٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: "لاَ تَشْهَدَنَّ عَلَى شَهَادَةٍ حَتَّى تَعْرِفَهَا كَمَا تَعْرِفُ كَفَّكَ".

It is narrated from Ali ibn Ghurab, from Abu Abdillah : Imam said: "Do not testify to a testimony until you know it as clearly as you know your own palm."

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

وَ رُوِيَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي اَلْحَسَنِ اَلْمَاضِي عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يُشْهِدُنِي هَؤُلاَءِ عَلَى إِخْوَانِي قَالَ "نَعَمْ أَقِمِ اَلشَّهَادَةَ لَهُمْ وَ إِنْ خِفْتَ عَلَى أَخِيكَ ضَرَراً ".

It is narrated from Ali ibn Suwayd, who said: I said to Abu al-Hasan al-Madhi (Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim ): "These people call me to testify against my brothers." Imam said: 'Yes, establish the testimony for them, even if you fear harm for your brother.'"

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

Commentary #1

قَالَ مُصَنِّفُ هَذَا الْكِتَابِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ هَكَذَا وَجَدْتُهُ فِي نُسْخَتِي وَ وَجَدْتُ فِي غَيْرِ نُسْخَتِي وَ إِنْ خِفْتَ عَلَى أَخِيكَ ضَرَراً فَلَا.وَ مَعْنَاهُمَا قَرِيبٌ وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ إِذَا كَانَ لِكَافِرٍ عَلَى مُؤْمِنٍ حَقٌّ وَ هُوَ مُوسِرٌ مَلِيٌّ بِهِ وَجَبَ إِقَامَةُ الشَّهَادَةِ عَلَيْهِ بِذَلِكَ وَ إِنْ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ ضَرَرٌ بِنَقْصٍ مِنْ مَالِهِ وَ مَتَى كَانَ الْمُؤْمِنُ مُعْسِراً وَ عَلِمَ الشَّاهِدُ بِذَلِكَ فَلَا تَحِلُّ لَهُ إِقَامَةُ الشَّهَادَةِ عَلَيْهِ وَ إِدْخَالُ الضَّرَرِ عَلَيْهِ بِأَنْ يُحْبَسَ أَوْ يُخْرَجَ عَنْ مَسْقَطِ رَأْسِهِ أَوْ يُخْرَجَ خَادِمُهُ عَنْ مِلْكِهِ وَ هَكَذَا لَا يَجُوزُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ أَنْ يُقِيمَ شَهَادَةً يُقْتَلُ بِهَا مُؤْمِنٌ بِكَافِرٍ وَ مَتَى كَانَ غَيْرُ ذَلِكَ فَيَجِبُ إِقَامَتُهَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّ فِي صِفَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنِ أَلَّا يُحَدِّثَ أَمَانَتَهُ الْأَصْدِقَاءَ وَ لَا يَكْتُمَ شَهَادَةَ الْأَعْدَاءِ.

The compiler of this book, may Allah have mercy on him, said: This is how I found it in my copy, and in another copy, I found it stated: 'If you fear harm for your brother, then do not testify.' Both meanings are close in interpretation. The explanation is that if a disbeliever has a right over a believer and the believer is wealthy and capable of fulfilling it, then it is obligatory to establish the testimony against him, even if it causes financial loss. However, if the believer is in financial distress and the witness knows this, then it is not permissible for him to establish the testimony that could harm the believer by leading to imprisonment, displacement from his home, or the loss of his servant. Likewise, it is not permissible for a believer to provide testimony that would lead to the killing of a believer in favor of a disbeliever. However, if the situation is different, then the testimony must be established because one of the attributes of a believer is that he does not betray his trust, whether among friends or by concealing testimony from enemies.

Hadith #3

وَ رُوِيَ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ رَجُلٌ يُشْهِدُنِي عَلَى اَلشَّهَادَةِ فَأَعْرِفُ خَطِّي وَ خَاتَمِي وَ لاَ أَذْكُرُ مِنَ اَلْبَاقِي قَلِيلاً وَ لاَ كَثِيراً فَقَالَ "إِذَا كَانَ صَاحِبُكَ ثِقَةً وَ مَعَكَ رَجُلٌ ثِقَةٌ فَاشْهَدْ لَهُ".

It is narrated from Umar ibn Yazid, who said: I said to Abu Abdullah : "A man calls me to testify, and I recognize my handwriting and my seal, but I do not remember anything else, whether little or much." Imam said: 'If your companion is trustworthy and you have another trustworthy man with you, then testify for him.'"

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh, p. 191

Commentary #2

وَ رُوِيَ "أَنَّهُ: لاَ تَكُونُ اَلشَّهَادَةُ إِلاَّ بِعِلْمٍ مَنْ شَاءَ كَتَبَ كِتَاباً أَوْ نَقَشَ خَاتَماً ".

It is also narrated that: "Testimony cannot be established except with knowledge. Whoever wishes may write a document or engrave a seal."