Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (15/402)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

such-and-such, at such-and-such place?” He replies, “Yes, I remember—but give me time; this is between you and me.” He says to him, “Why is it that when someone is with us, you deny it?” He replies, “I fear that you will demand payment from me and then the judge will imprison me.” This stratagem is permissible, because its purpose is to establish one’s right.

His statement: “or through widespread report.” Widespread report derives from the overflowing of water, when it becomes manifest, clear, and spreads over the land. Thus, its meaning is that the report becomes widespread and circulated. But the author says: “regarding matters that cannot ordinarily be known without it.” Widespread report applies only to matters that, in most cases, cannot be known without such widespread report. As for what can be known directly, testimony concerning it may not be received on the basis of widespread report.

His statement: “such as lineage.” For example, I testify that so-and-so is the son of so-and-so. But was I present when his father had intercourse with his mother, when she conceived him from that intercourse, and when she gave birth to him in his father’s bed?!

The answer is: Certainly not—I did not witness any of that. Rather, it has become widely known among the people that this is so-and-so, son of so-and-so; so I testify that this is so-and-so, son of so-and-so. The scholars said that widespread report must come from a number of people whose report establishes knowledge—that is, at least four people must testify to it. If a single witness informs him of it through widespread report, he may not himself testify on that basis; rather, he is merely transmitting the testimony of that witness.

An example: A man comes to me and speaks with me, then leaves, while another man is beside me. I ask, “Who is this?” He replies, “This is so-and-so, son of so-and-so.” The man who informed me that so-and-so is the son of so-and-so is testifying on the basis of widespread report. May I then testify that this man is so-and-so, son of so-and-so? According to the view

كذا وكذا، بالمكان الفلاني؟ قال: بلى، أذكر، ولكن اصبر علي، هذا بيني وبينك، قال له: لماذا إذا صار عندنا أحد تنكر؟ قال: أخاف أن تطالبني، ثم يسجنني القاضي فهذه الحيلة جائزة؛ لأن المقصود بها التوصل إلى الحق. قوله: «أو باستفاضة» الاستفاضة من فاض الماء إذا ظهر، وبان، وانتشر في الأرض، فمعنى الاستفاضة أن يستفيض الخبر وينتشر، ولكن يقول المؤلف: «فيما يتعذر علمه بدونها» فالاستفاضة خاصة في الأشياء التي يتعذر العلم بها بدون الاستفاضة في الغالب، أما ما يمكن العلم به مباشرة فلا يجوز تحمل الشهادة فيه بالاستفاضة. قوله: «كنسب» فأنا مثلاً أشهد بأن فلان ابن فلان، فهل حضرت والده عند غشيان أمه، وأنها حملت به من هذا الوطء، وأنها ولدت به على فراشه؟! الجواب: أبداً ما شهدت، لكن استفاض عند الناس أن هذا فلان ابن فلان، فأشهد أن هذا فلان ابن فلان، قال العلماء: ولا بد للاستفاضة أن تكون عن عدد يقع العلم بخبرهم، يعني بأن يشهد بها أربعة فأكثر، فلو أخبره شاهد بالاستفاضة فإنه لا يشهد بها، بل يكون فرعاً عن شهادة هذا الشاهد. مثال ذلك: جاءني رجل وتكلم معي بكلام، ثم انصرف، وإلى جنبي رجل آخر، قلت: من هذا؟ قال: هذا فلان ابن فلان، الرجل الذي أخبرني بأن فلان ابن فلان شاهد بالاستفاضة، هل لي أنا أن أشهد بأن هذا الرجل فلان ابن فلان؟ على كلام