Chapter 02- Witnessing and Testimonies

1442. Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani  narrated that the Messenger Of Allah   said, "Shall I tell you about the best witness?  He is the one who comes forward to give testimony before he is asked for it." (433) Related by Muslim.

433. They are the ones who say their testimony for the sake of Allah, so that justice could be established.







1443. 'Imran bin Husain  narrated that the Messenger of Allah   said, "The best among you are my generation, then their immediate followers, then their immediate followers. After them there will be people who will give (false) testimony without being asked, who will be treacherous and are not to be trusted, who will make vows which they do not fulfill, among whom obesity will appear." Agreed upon.






1444. 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar   narrated that the Messenger of Allah   said, "It is not allowable to accept the testimony of a treacherous man or a woman, or of one who harbors a grudge against his brother, or the servant of a family (to testify) for members of this family." Related by Ahmad and Abu Dawud.







1445. Abu Hurairah  narrated, 'He heard the Messenger of Allah   say, "The testimony of a desert man against the dweller of a village (or a town) is not allowed."(434) Related by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah.

434. The reason is that the nomads are not familiar with the circumstances of the village and city dwellers, so they are not allowed to testify against them. In this case the testimony of another city dweller is more acceptable. Nevertheless if the nomad is more informed about the relevant case than anybody else then his testimoney is acceptable provided he is just.







1446. Umar Ibn Al-Khattab  addressed the people saying, 'People were sometimes judged by the revelation of a Divine Inspiration during the lifetime of the Prophet   but now there is no longer any more (new revelations). Now you will be judged by what appears to us of your deeds.' Related by Al-Bukhari.








1447. Abu Bakrah   narrated that the Messenger of Allah   said that bearing false testimony is among the most serious of the major sins.' Agreed upon. (Part of a long Hadith).







1448. Ibn 'Abbas  narrated, 'The Messenger of Allah  said to a man, "Do you see the sun?" He replied, 'Yes.' The Prophet   said, "Bear your testimony in a case as clear as the sun (for you), or leave it." (435) Related by Ibn Adi with a weak chain of narrators.

435. This means that either the person giving his testimony is absolutely certain about the case or he should abstain from producing his testimony.








1449. Ibn 'Abbas   narrated, 'The Messenger of Allah  made a judgment on the basis of an oath and a single witness.' Related by Muslim, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i.







1450. Abu Hurairah  narrated a similar Hadith which was transmitted by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi. Ibn Hibban graded it as Sahih.