And He says:

“As for those of your women who commit sexual immorality, call four witnesses from among you against them.” [Al-Nisā: 15]

He says:

“Those who accuse chaste women and then fail to produce four witnesses—lash them eighty times.” [Al-Nūr: 4]

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “There is no marriage without a guardian, a bridal due, and two upright witnesses.”

He said: “The testimony of an adversary, a person under suspicion, or someone who stands to benefit personally is not admissible.”

He said: “The best witness is the one who brings his testimony before being asked for it, or brings word of his testimony before being asked for it.”

He, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The burden of proof rests upon the claimant, and the oath upon the one who denies the claim.”

To a man who brought a dispute before him, he said: “Your two witnesses, or his oath.”

Section

These Quranic verses, together with the Prophetic traditions and other reports we have cited, thus entail five topics:

The first: calling witnesses to establish rights of various kinds, concerning sales, marriage, taking back a divorced wife, and similar matters—including matters involving no right belonging to anyone other than the witnesses, and matters involving rights belonging to others—as we shall explain, if Allah wills.

The second: giving testimony.

The third: the qualifications of witnesses whose testimony must be accepted.

The fourth: the ranks of witnesses in matters of testimony.

The fifth: the ranks of testimony.