Al-Kāfī - Ibn Abd al-Barr - (2/794)

Al-KāfīIbn Abd al-Barr

There is, however, no objection to standing surety for wounds whose legal consequence ultimately becomes a monetary payment. As for guaranteeing a man’s appearance (ḍamān al-wajh), if the guarantor does not stipulate that he is free of any financial liability, he is answerable for the debt exactly as though he had guaranteed the money itself. But if he does stipulate exemption—saying, for instance, “I stand surety for so-and-so’s appearance and I bear none of the claim that is against him”—and then fails to bring him, none of that claim falls upon the guarantor.

If someone guarantees to a creditor the appearance of a man until a fixed term, without exempting himself from the debt that is alleged, then, should he bring the man within the term or afterwards, put him face-to-face with the creditor, and take witnesses to that effect, he is released from his guarantee. He need not present him before the judge unless that condition was expressly included; but if he fails to produce him, he becomes liable for whatever amount is proven against the debtor.

Whoever guarantees a debtor’s appearance until a stated deadline is cleared whenever he brings him after they have separated. If he does not bring him at the appointed time, another deadline is set, and then another, just as when one guarantees the money itself and the debtor disappears. Should he still fail to produce him, the guarantor must pay the debt—provided that the person whose appearance he guaranteed has travelled far away, become insolvent, or died leaving nothing. If the debtor does possess assets, enough of them is sold to cover the creditor’s claim, whereupon the guarantor is discharged; any deficiency reverts to the guarantor.

Whoever guarantees another’s debt is not held accountable until the debtor’s assets have first been examined. If the debtor has property, his debt is paid from it and the guarantor’s obligation ends; but if he owns nothing, the guarantor must pay.

Mālik once maintained that, between the guarantor and the debtor, the claimant may exact his right from whichever of the two he prefers. On that basis the creditor may demand payment from either the guarantor or the debtor; and if the debtor settles it

قصاص ولا بأس بالضمان في الجراح التي يؤول حكمها الى المال وضمان الوجه إن لم يشترط البراءة من ضمان المال فهو ضامن له على حسبه لو ضمن المال ولو اشترط البراءة من المال فقال أنا كفيل بوجه فلان ولا شيء علي من الحق الذي هو عليه ولم يأت به لم يلزمه شيء من ذلك الحق ومن ضمن لرجل وجه رجل إلى أجل ولم يشترط البراءة من المال في دين يدعيه عليه فإن اتى به في الأجل أو بعده وجمع بينه وبين صاحبه وأشهد عليه بذلك فقد برئ من ضمانه وليس عليه أن يحضره مجلس الحاكم إلا أن يشترط ذلك في ضمانه وإن لم يأت به ضمن ما ثبت عليه ومن ضمن وجه رجل بدين عليه إلى أجل فمتى أتى به بعد افتراقهما فقد برىء وأن لم يأت به عند الأجل ضرب له فيه أجل بعد أجل كما لو ضمن المال وغاب المضمون عنه فإن لم يأت به ضمن المال إن كان المضمون وجهه قد غاب غيبة بعيدة أو أفلس أو مات عن غير شيء وإن كان مع المضمون عنه مال بيع من ماله ما يتأدى منه حق المضمون له وبرئ الضامن فإن قصر ماله عن وفاء الدين رجع ما بقي على الضامن ومن ضمن على رجل مالا فليس عليه تبعة حتى يستبرئ مال المديان فإن كان له مال قضي دينه من ماله وبرئت ذمة المتحمل فإن لم يكن له مال غرم الحميل وقد كان مالك يقول في الضامن والمضمون عنه أن للطالب أن يأخذ أيهما شاء بحقه فعلى هذا القول لرب الحق أن يطالب الضامن والمضمون عنه فإن أداه المضمون عنه