His statement, “nor one who brings benefit to himself,” means that such a person’s testimony is not accepted. An example is two partners in some property: one of them sells the jointly owned property, then prices fall, and the buyer claims that he never made the purchase. The partner maintains that he sold it to the one who denies it, and the other partner testifies for his partner. His testimony is not accepted, because he brings benefit to himself: if the sale is confirmed, he himself benefits, since he is a partner. Thus, a partner’s testimony for his fellow partner is not accepted regarding that in which they are partners.

Likewise, if the heirs testify concerning the wounding of their deceased relative before it has healed—that is, before he has recovered—and then the wounded person dies from the wound, their testimony is not accepted, because through this testimony they bring benefit to themselves, namely the blood-money, which will belong to them. Or if they testify that Zayd was the one who inflicted a fatal wound upon their deceased relative, and the person on whose behalf they testify has died, we say: Your testimony is not accepted, because by testifying they bring benefit to themselves. The person who inflicted the wound will be liable for the blood-money of the deceased, and once he is liable for the blood-money, those who testified will inherit it. Therefore, their testimony is not accepted, because they bring benefit to themselves.

His statement, “or wards harm away from himself,” means that if a person gives testimony that entails warding harm away from himself, it is not accepted, because he is under suspicion. The underlying reason in all these impediments is suspicion. An example is the testimony of the killer’s paternal relatives against the witnesses in a case of accidental killing. A person may accidentally kill another: he intends to shoot game, shoots at it, but strikes a person who then dies. The offense in this case is accidental, so the blood-money is due from the killer’s paternal relatives. A claim is brought before the judge, but the killer denies it. Then the heirs of the slain person bring witnesses who testify that so-and-so killed him accidentally. The killer’s paternal relatives then say: These witnesses are immoral, so their testimony is not accepted, because by this testimony they seek to prevent it from being established