Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (15/394)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

Issue: Do the two evidences cancel one another out if one of them is dated, or if both are dated? Yes—if both are dated and we know that the date of one is later than that of the other, judgment is given according to the later-dated one. The ruling that they cancel one another out applies when their contradiction is absolute in every respect.

His statement: “Delivering it is an individual obligation upon the one who has undertaken it”—but this is subject to conditions. He said:

His statement: “When he is summoned to it”: this is the first condition: that he be summoned to deliver it. If he is not summoned, delivering it is not binding upon him. But if he delivers it without having been summoned, is this praiseworthy or blameworthy?

The scholars differed over this. Some held that it is blameworthy, citing the Prophet’s ﷺ statement: “The best of people are my generation, then those who come after them, then those who come after them. Then there will come people who give testimony without being asked to do so.” (1) In another narration: “They give testimony before being asked to do so.” (2) They said that this condemns one who gives testimony before being asked for it. They also reasoned that a person who hastens to give testimony before being asked may become the object of suspicion: it may be thought that he is biased in favor of the person for whom testimony is given, or against the person against whom it is given. Otherwise, what caused him to testify before his testimony was requested?!

Some scholars said instead that it is preferable for him to testify, even if he has not been asked to do so.

(1) Narrated by al-Bukhari in al-Shahadat (Testimonies), chapter: "One should not testify to false testimony when called to testify" (2651); and by Muslim in Fada'il al-Sahabah (The Virtues of the Companions), chapter: "The virtue of the Companions, then those who come after them ..." (2533), on the authority of Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him. (2) Narrated by Muslim in Fada'il al-Sahabah (The Virtues of the Companions), chapter: "The virtue of the Companions, then those who come after them ..." (2534), on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him.

مسألة: وهل تتساقط البيِّنتان إذا كانت إحداهما مؤرخة أو كانتا مؤرختين؟ نعم إذا كانتا مؤرختين وعرفنا تأخر تاريخ إحداهما على الأخرى فإنه يحكم بآخرهما تأريخا والحكم بتساقطهما فيما إذا كان تعارضهما من كل وجه. وقوله: «وأداؤها فرض عين على من تحملها» لكن بشروط، قال: قوله: «متى دعي إليها» هذا هو الشرط الأول، أن يدعى إلى أدائها فإن لم يدعَ إليها لم يلزمه الأداء، ولكن لو أدى بدون أن يدعى إليها، فهل هذا محمود أو هو مذموم؟ اختلف العلماء في ذلك، فمنهم من قال: إنه مذموم لقول النبي ﷺ: «خير الناس قرني ثم الذين يلونهم ثم الذين يلونهم ثم يأتي قوم يشهدون ولا يُستشهدون» (١)، وفي رواية: «يشهدون قبل أن يستشهدوا» (٢)، فقالوا: إن هذا ذم لمن يشهد قبل أن يستشهد؛ وعللوا ذلك ـ أيضاً ـ بأن الإنسان الذي يبادر إلى الشهادة قبل أن يستشهد قد يتهم، ويظن أن معه تحيُّزاً للمشهود له، أو للمشهود عليه، وإلا فما الذي جعله يشهد قبل أن تطلب منه الشهادة؟! وقال بعض العلماء: بل الأفضل أن يشهد، وإن لم يستشهد

(١) أخرجه البخاري في الشهادات/ باب لا يشهد على شهادة جور إذا أشهد (٢٦٥١)، ومسلم في فضائل الصحابة/ باب فضل الصحابة ﵃ ثم الذين يلونهم … (٢٥٣٣) عن ابن مسعود ﵁. (٢) أخرجه مسلم في فضائل الصحابة/ باب فضل الصحابة ﵃ ثم الذين يلونهم … (٢٥٣٤) عن أبي هريرة ﵁.