Chapters on Legal Cases and Rulings
Chapter on Whose Testimony Must Be Rejected and Whose Testimony Must Be Accepted
وَ رَوَى عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ اَلصَّلْتِ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا اَلْحَسَنِ اَلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ رِفْقَةٍ كَانُوا فِي طَرِيقٍ فَقُطِعَ عَلَيْهِمُ اَلطَّرِيقُ فَأُخِذَ اَللُّصُوصُ فَشَهِدَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ فَقَالَ "لاَ تُقْبَلُ شَهَادَتُهُمْ إِلاَّ بِالْإِقْرَارِ مِنَ اَللُّصُوصِ أَوْ شَهَادَةٍ مِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ عَلَيْهِمْ ".
And Ali ibn Asbat narrated from Muhammad ibn Al-Salt who said: I asked Abu Al-Hasan Al-Ridha (a.s) about a group of travelers who were ambushed by robbers on their journey. The robbers were captured, and some of them testified in favor of the others. Imam (a.s) replied: "Their testimony is not accepted except if it is accompanied by a confession from the robbers themselves or testimony against them from others."
وَ رَوَى اَلْحَسَنُ بْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ اَلْعَلاَءِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: "تَجُوزُ شَهَادَةُ اَلْعَبْدِ اَلْمُسْلِمِ عَلَى اَلْحُرِّ اَلْمُسْلِمِ ".
And Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Al-Alaa, from Muhammad ibn Muslim, from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s): "The testimony of a Muslim slave is valid against a free Muslim."
وَ رَوَى اَلْحَسَنُ بْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَوْ قَالَ سَأَلَهُ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ: عَنِ اَلرَّجُلِ يَشْهَدُ لِأَبِيهِ أَوِ اَلْأَخِ لِأَخِيهِ أَوِ اَلرَّجُلِ لاِمْرَأَتِهِ قَالَ "لاَ بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ إِذَا كَانَ خَيِّراً تُقْبَلُ شَهَادَتُهُ لِأَبِيهِ وَ اَلْأَبِ لاِبْنِهِ وَ اَلْأَخِ لِأَخِيهِ".
And Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Hisham ibn Salim, from Ammar ibn Marwan, who said: I asked Abu Abdullah (a.s), or it is said that one of his companions asked him, regarding a man who testifies in favor of his father, or a brother for his brother, or a man for his wife. Imam (a.s) said: "There is no harm in that if he is righteous. His testimony is accepted for his father, and a father's testimony is accepted for his son, and a brother's testimony is accepted for his brother."
وَ فِي خَبَرٍ آخَرَ: "أَنَّهُ لاَ تُقْبَلُ شَهَادَةُ اَلْوَلَدِ عَلَى وَالِدِهِ ".
And in another report: "The testimony of a child against his parent is not accepted."
وَ رَوَى اَلْحَسَنُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ نَحْواً مِمَّا ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: "أُتِيَ عُمَرُ بْنُ اَلْخَطَّابِ بِقُدَامَةَ بْنِ مَظْعُونٍ قَدْ شَرِبَ اَلْخَمْرَ فَشَهِدَ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلاَنِ أَحَدُهُمَا خَصِيٌّ وَ هُوَ عَمْرٌو اَلتَّمِيمِيُّ وَ اَلْآخَرُ اَلْمُعَلَّى بْنُ اَلْجَارُودِ فَشَهِدَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَنَّهُ رَآهُ يَشْرَبُ وَ شَهِدَ اَلْآخَرُ أَنَّهُ رَآهُ يَقِيءُ اَلْخَمْرَ فَأَرْسَلَ عُمَرُ إِلَى أُنَاسٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ فِيهِمْ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ فَقَالَ لِعَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ مَا تَقُولُ يَا أَبَا اَلْحَسَنِ فَإِنَّكَ اَلَّذِي قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ "أَعْلَمُ هَذِهِ اَلْأُمَّةِ وَ أَقْضَاهَا بِالْحَقِّ" فَإِنَّ هَذَيْنِ قَدِ اِخْتَلَفَا فِي شَهَادَتِهِمَا فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ "مَا اِخْتَلَفَا فِي شَهَادَتِهِمَا وَ مَا قَاءَهَا حَتَّى شَرِبَهَا " فَقَالَ هَلْ تَجُوزُ شَهَادَةُ اَلْخَصِيِّ فَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ "مَا ذَهَابُ أُنْثَيَيْهِ إِلاَّ كَذَهَابِ بَعْضِ أَعْضَائِهِ"".
And Al-Hasan bin Zayd narrated something similar from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s), from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s), who said: "Umar bin Al-Khattab was presented with Qudamah bin Maz'un, who had drunk alcohol. Two men testified against him-one of them was a eunuch, Amr Al-Tamimi, and the other was Al-Mu'alla bin Al-Jarood. One of them testified that he saw him drinking, and the other testified that he saw him vomiting alcohol. Umar then sent for a group of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (swt), peace be upon him and his family, among them Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s). Umar said to Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s): 'What do you say, O Abu Al-Hasan? For you are the one about whom the Messenger of Allah (swt), peace be upon him and his family, said: "The most knowledgeable of this nation and the one who judges with truth."' Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s) said: 'They have not differed in their testimony, for he would not have vomited it unless he had drunk it.' Umar then asked: 'Is the testimony of a eunuch acceptable?' Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s) replied: 'The loss of his testicles is no different than the loss of some other part of his body.'"
وَ رَوَى إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ عَنِ اَلصَّادِقِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ آبَائِهِ عَلَيْهِمُ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: "لاَ تُقْبَلُ شَهَادَةُ ذِي شَحْنَاءَ أَوْ ذِي مُخْزِيَةٍ فِي اَلدِّينِ".
And Isma'il bin Muslim narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s), from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s), from his forefathers, peace be upon them, who said: "The testimony of one who harbors enmity or one who has a disgraceful reputation in religion is not accepted."
وَ قَالَ اَلنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ: "مَنْ شَهِدَ عِنْدَنَا بِشَهَادَةٍ ثُمَّ غَيَّرَ أَخَذْنَا بِالْأُولَى وَ طَرَحْنَا اَلْأُخْرَى".
And the Prophet, may Allah (swt) bless him and his family, said: "Whoever testifies before us with a testimony and then changes it, we will accept the first (testimony) and discard the second (testimony)."
وَ رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: "لاَ تُصَلَّى خَلْفَ مَنْ يَبْغِي عَلَى اَلْأَذَانِ وَ اَلصَّلاَةِ بِالنَّاسِ أَجْراً وَ لاَ تُقْبَلُ شَهَادَتُهُ".
And Muhammad ibn Muslim narrated from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s), who said: "Do not pray behind one who seeks payment for the call to prayer and leading people in prayer, and his testimony is not accepted."
وَ رَوَى اَلْعَلاَءُ بْنُ سَيَابَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: "لاَ تُقْبَلُ شَهَادَةُ صَاحِبِ اَلنَّرْدِ وَ اَلْأَرْبَعَةَ عَشَرَ وَ صَاحِبِ اَلشَّاهَيْنِ يَقُولُ لاَ وَ اَللَّهِ وَ بَلَى وَ اَللَّهِ مَاتَ وَ اَللَّهِ شَاهُهُ وَ قُتِلَ وَ اَللَّهِ شَاهُهُ وَ اَللَّهُ تَعَالَى ذِكْرُهُ شَاهُهُ مَا مَاتَ وَ لاَ قُتِلَ".
And Al-'Ala ibn Sayabah narrated from Abu Abdullah (a.s), who said: "The testimony of the player of nard (a type of board game), the one who plays arba'ata 'ashar (a gambling game), and the player of chess is not accepted. They say, 'No, by Allah (swt),' and 'Yes, by Allah (swt),' and 'By Allah (swt), his king (chess piece) died,' and 'By Allah (swt), his king (chess piece) was killed,' while Allah (swt), exalted is His mention, is the true King who neither dies nor is killed."
وَ رَوَى سَمَاعَةُ بْنُ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: "وَ لاَ بَأْسَ بِشَهَادَةِ اَلضَّيْفِ إِذَا كَانَ عَفِيفاً صَائِناً" قَالَ "وَ يُكْرَهُ شَهَادَةُ اَلْأَجِيرِ لِصَاحِبِهِ وَ لاَ بَأْسَ بِشَهَادَتِهِ لِغَيْرِهِ وَ لاَ بَأْسَ بِهَا لَهُ عِنْدَ مُفَارَقَتِهِ".
And Sama'ah ibn Mehran narrated from Abu Baseer, from Abu Abdullah (a.s), who said: "There is no harm in the testimony of a guest if he is chaste and upright." Imam (a.s) also said: "The testimony of an employee for his employer is disliked, but there is no harm in his testimony for someone else, and there is no harm in his testimony for the employer after leaving his service."
