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667—Witnessing an event so that one may later testify concerning people’s rights is a communal obligation.
668—Giving such testimony is an individual obligation.
669—A witness must be upright, both outwardly and inwardly.
670—An upright witness is someone whom people deem acceptable, as Allah Most High says:
“Those whom you approve as witnesses” (al-Baqarah 2:282).
671—A witness may testify only about what he knows through:
1—direct observation;
2—hearing it directly from the person against whom the testimony is given; or
3—widespread reports that establish knowledge in matters for which such reports are needed, such as lineage and the like.
- The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) asked a man, “Do you see the sun?” He replied, “Yes.” He said, “Then testify only to something as clear as that; otherwise, refrain.” Narrated by Ibn Adī1.
1. It was recorded by Ibn Adī in *al-Kāmil* (2/361), al-Uqaylī in *al-Duafā* (p. 380), and al-Hākim (4/98), who declared it authentic. Al-Dhahabī, however, rejected his judgment, stating: “I say: It is feeble. Amr ibn Mālik al-Basrī was said by Ibn Adī to have stolen hadith reports, and more than one scholar declared Ibn Masmūl weak.” Al-Bayhaqī also narrated it (10/156) and said: “Al-Humaydī criticized Ibn Masmūl, and it has not been transmitted through any reliable chain.” Al-Hāfiz stated in *al-Talkhīs* (4/218): “Its chain of transmission contains Muhammad ibn Sulaymān ibn Masmūl, who is weak.”
He also stated in *Bulūgh al-Marām*: “Its chain of transmission is weak. Al-Hākim declared it authentic, but he erred.”
٦٦٧- وتَحَمُّل الشهادة في حقوق الآدميين: فرض كفاية.
٦٦٨- وأداؤها: فرض عين.
٦٦٩- ويشترط أن يكون الشاهد عدلا ظاهرا وباطنا.
٦٧٠- والعدل: هو من رضيه الناس؛
لقوله تعالى: ﴿مِمَّنْ تَرْضَوْنَ مِنَ الشُّهَدَاءِ﴾ البقرة: ٢٨٢.
٦٧١- ولا يجوز أن يشهد إلا بما يعلمه:
١- برؤية،
٢- أو سماع من المشهود عليه،
٣- أو استفاضة يحصل بها العلم في الأشياء التي يُحتاج فيها إليها، كالأنساب ونحوها.
* وقال النبي ﷺ لرجل: "ترى الشمس"؟ قال: نعم، قال: "على مثلها فاشهد أو دع" رواه ابن عدي١.
١ أخرجه ابن عدي في الكامل "٣٦١/٢"، والعقيلي في الضعفاء "٣٨٠"، والحاكم "٩٨/٤" وصححه، لكن رده الذهبي بقوله: "قلت: واهٍ، فعمرو بن مالك البصري، قال ابن عدي: كان يسرق الحديث، وابن مسمول ضعفه غير واحد". ورواه البيهقي "١٥٦/١٠"، وقال: "ابن مسمول تكلم فيه الحميدي، ولم يرو من وجه يعتمد عليه". وقال الحافظ "التلخيص ٢١٨/٤": "وفي إسناده محمد بن سليمان بن مسمول وهو ضعيف".
وقال في بلوغ المرام: "إسناد ضعيف، وصححه الحاكم فأخطأ".