Al-Muqaddimāt al-Mumahhidāt - Ibn Rush al-Jadd - (2/284)

Al-Muqaddimāt al-MumahhidātIbn Rush al-Jadd

children’s testimony in cases of wounding and homicide—though they differ on this—provided they have not dispersed, or have not been out of sight, as we shall explain in its proper place, Allah willing.

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We stipulate sanity because its absence precludes legal accountability, just as childhood does. We stipulate freedom, contrary to those who admit a slave’s testimony in favour of someone other than his master, because the apparent meaning of the words of Allah, Mighty and Majestic is He:

“Call upon two witnesses from among your men.” [al-Baqarah: 282]

And His words:

“And call to witness two upright men from among you.” [al-Talāq: 2]

indicates that slaves are not included. Such wording applies specifically to free people; slaves are included only where there is evidence to that effect. Do you not see that Allah, Exalted is He, says:

“Marry off the unmarried among you.” [al-Nūr: 32]

Slaves are not included here. If they were, His words, “and the righteous among your male and female slaves” [al-Nūr: 32], would serve no purpose.

Further evidence that slaves are not eligible to testify is that Allah, Exalted is He, says:

“O you who believe, stand firmly for justice as witnesses for Allah, even against yourselves.” [al-Nisā’: 135]

A slave’s admission against himself is not legally valid. Since his testimony against himself is inadmissible, so too is his testimony against others. He, Exalted is He, also says:

“Let not the witnesses refuse when they are called upon.” [al-Baqarah: 282]

A slave is under his master’s authority and may not testify without his permission. He is therefore excluded from those addressed by the command to testify. Do you not see that, since a slave may not go on a military expedition without his master’s permission, he is not subject to the command to undertake jihad and has no share in the spoils? Moreover, enslavement is a deficiency that bars inheritance, and thus precludes admissibility as a witness, just as disbelief does.

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We stipulate Islam, contrary to those who admit a disbeliever’s testimony concerning a bequest

شهادة الصبيان في الجراح والقتل - على اختلاف بينهم في ذلك ما لم يتفرقوا، أو لم يغيبوا على ما نذكر في موضعه- إن شاء الله. فصل وإنما شرطنا في ذلك العقل؛ لأن عدمه معنى ينافي التكليف كالصغير، وإنما شرطنا في ذلك الحرية، خلافا لمن أجاز شهادة العبد لغير سيده؛ لأن ظاهر قول الله ﷿: ﴿وَاسْتَشْهِدُوا شَهِيدَيْنِ مِنْ رِجَالِكُمْ﴾ [البقرة: ٢٨٢]. وقوله: ﴿وَأَشْهِدُوا ذَوَيْ عَدْلٍ مِنْكُمْ﴾ [الطلاق: ٢]. يدل ألا مدخل في ذلك للعبيد لأن مثل هذا اللفظ إنما يختص بالأحرار، ولا يدخل تحته العبيد إلا بدليل؛ ألا ترى أن الله ﵎ قال: ﴿وَأَنْكِحُوا الأَيَامَى مِنْكُمْ﴾ [النور: ٣٢]، فلم يدخل في ذلك العبيد؛ إذ لو دخلوا فهب ذلك لكان قوله: ﴿وَالصَّالِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَائِكُمْ﴾ [النور: ٣٢]، لا فائدة فيه. ومن الدليل أيضا على أن العبيد لا مدخل لهم في الشهادة: أن الله ﵎ يقول: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَاءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَى أَنْفُسِكُمْ﴾ [النساء: ١٣٥]، والعبد لا يجوز إقراره على نفسه، فلما لم تجز شهادته على نفسه لم تجز على غيره، وقال ﵎: ﴿وَلا يَأْبَ الشُّهَدَاءُ إِذَا مَا دُعُوا﴾ [البقرة: ٢٨٢]، والعبد ملكه بيد سيده لا يجوز له أن يشهد إلا بإذن سيده؛ فخرج ممن خوطب بالشهادة؛ ألا ترى أن العبد لما لم يجز أن يغزو إلا بإذن سيده، لم يكن مخاطبا بالجهاد، ولم يكن له في الفيء نصيب؛ ولأن الرق نقص يمنع الميراث، فنافى الشهادة كالكفر. فصل وإنما شرطنا في ذلك الإسلام؛ خلافا لمن أجاز شهادة الكافر في الوصية