The Chapters OnTestimonies

Chapter 27

To GiveTestimony When One HasNot Been Asked To Do So IsDisliked

Hadith 2362

DarussalamSahihAl-AlbaniSahih

English translation

2362. 'Abdullâh bin Mas'ud said: "The Messenger of Allâh ﷺ was asked, 'Which of the people are best?' He said: 'My generation, then those that follow them, then those that follow them. Then there will come people whose testimony precedes their oath and whose oath precedes their testimony.'" (Sahih)

Arabic text

2362 - حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَعَمْرُو بْنُ رَافِعٍ، قَالَا: حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَبِيدَةَ السَّلْمَانِيِّ، قَالَ: قَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ: سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، أَيُّ النَّاسِ خَيْرٌ؟ قَالَ: «قَرْنِي، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ، ثُمَّ يَجِيءُ قَوْمٌ تَبْدُرُ شَهَادَةُ أَحَدِهِمْ يَمِينَهُ، وَيَمِينُهُ شَهَادَتَهُ»

publisher commentary

a. Qarn means the people of an era; i.e., people of a generation. Here the first Qarn (era) means the first generation of Islam, who were the noble Companions of the noble Prophet ﷺ; and those who succeeded them are the Tâbi'in (the successors) and those who succeeded the Tâbi'in are the Taba' Tâbi'in (the successor of the successors); (i.e., first, second and third generations of Islam). b. The noble Companions are the most virtuous generation of the Muslim Nation; a Companion who is smallest in status is more virtuous than the most righteous Tâbi'î (successor). c. Hastening to take an oath before witnessing, and to bear witness before an oath means they will not understand the value, importance and consequences of it. So, they will take false oaths without any hesitation, and particularly, when testifying, to something, they will have no fear of taking a false oath. It is an awfully bad habit.

Hadith 2363

DarussalamSahihAl-AlbaniSahih

English translation

2363. It was narrated that Jâbir bin Samurah said: 'Umar bin Khattâb addressed us at Jâbiyah and said: "The Messenger of Allâh ﷺ stood up among us as I stand among you, and said: 'Honor my Companions for my sake, then those who come after them, then those who come after them. Then lying will prevail until a man will give testimony without being asked to do so, and he will swear an oath without being asked to do so.'" (Sahih)

Arabic text

2363 - حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بنُ الْجَرَّاحِ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ، قَالَ: خَطَبَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ بِالْجَابِيَةِ، فَقَالَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَامَ فِينَا مِثْلَ مُقَامِي فِيكُمْ، فَقَالَ: «احْفَظُونِي فِي أَصْحَابِي، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ، ثُمَّ يَفْشُو الْكَذِبُ حَتَّى يَشْهَدَ الرَّجُلُ وَمَا يُسْتَشْهَدُ، وَيَحْلِفَ وَمَا يُسْتَحْلَفُ»

Chapter 28

A Man Who Has Testimony To Give, When The Person To Whom It Pertains Is Unaware Of That

Hadith 2364

DarussalamSahihAl-AlbaniSahih

English translation

2364. Zaid bin Khâlid Al-Juhani said that he heard the Messenger of Allâh ﷺ say: "The best of witnesses is the one who gives his testimony before he is asked for it." (Sahih)

Arabic text

2364 - حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْجُعْفِيُّ، قَالَا: حَدَّثَنَا زَيْدُ بْنُ الْحُبَابِ الْعُكْلِيُّ قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي أُبَيُّ بْنُ عَبَّاسِ بْنِ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيُّ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ حَزْمٍ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي خَارِجَةُ بْنُ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي عَمْرَةَ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ زَيْدَ بْنَ خَالِدٍ الْجُهَنِيَّ، يَقُولُ: إِنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، يَقُولُ: «خَيْرُ الشُّهُودِ، مَنْ أَدَّى شَهَادَتَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسْأَلَهَا»

Chapter 29

Witnessing Loans

Hadith 2365

DarussalamHasanAl-AlbaniHasan

English translation

2365. It was narrated that Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri recited this Verse: "O you who believe! When you contract a debt for a fixed period..." until: "then if one of you entrusts the other."[1] Then he said: "This abrogates what came before."[1] (Hasan)

Arabic text

2365 - حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ الْجُبَيْرِيُّ، وَجَمِيلُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الْعَتَكِيُّ، قَالَا: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَرْوَانَ الْعِجْلِيُّ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ أَبِي نَضْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالَ: " تَلَا هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ: {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا تَدَايَنْتُمْ بِدَيْنٍ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى} [البقرة: 282] حَتَّى بَلَغَ {فَإِنْ أَمِنَ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا} [البقرة: 283] ، فَقَالَ: هَذِهِ نَسَخَتْ مَا قَبْلَهَا "

Footnotes

1 [1] Al-Baqarah 2:282-283.

Chapter 30

The One Whose Testimony Is Not Permitted

Hadith 2366

DarussalamDa'ifAl-AlbaniHasan

English translation

2366. It was narrated from 'Amr bin Shu'aib from his father that his grandfather said that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: "The testimony of a man or woman who is treacherous, or of one who has been subjected to one of the Hadd punishments of Islam, or of one who bears a grudge against his brother, is not permissible." (Da'if)

Arabic text

2366 - حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الرَّقِّيُّ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُعَمَّرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، ح وحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، قَالَا: حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ أَرْطَاةَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا تَجُوزُ شَهَادَةُ خَائِنٍ، وَلَا خَائِنَةٍ، وَلَا مَحْدُودٍ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ، وَلَا ذِي غِمْرٍ عَلَى أَخِيهِ»

Footnotes

1 [1] Ibn Kathir said: "Abu Sa'eed, Sha'bi, Rabi' bin Anas, Hasan, Ibn Juraij, and Ibn Zaid said that recording such transactions was necessary before, but was then abrogated by Allāh's Statement," and he cited this portion of Al-Baqarah 2:283. See the Tafsir of Ibn Kathir, Al-Baqarah 2:283.

Hadith 2367

DarussalamSahihAl-AlbaniSahih

English translation