Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
The statement of Umar radi Allahu anhu refutes those fools who consider an immoral sinner to be a dervish and a saint, and who claim that outward actions do not matter, only the heart needs to be good.
Say, when even Umar radi Allahu anhu could not know the state of a person’s heart, then what significance do you insignificant people have?
No one knows the state of the heart except Allah the Most Generous.
Even the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would only know it through revelation, that is, by Allah informing him.
Umar radi Allahu anhu stated the principle that, based on the outward, whoever’s actions are in accordance with the Shariah should be considered good, and whoever’s actions are against the Shariah should be considered bad.
Now, even if hypothetically his heart is good, still we will not be blameworthy for considering him bad, because we acted according to the rule of the Shariah.
However, if we consider him good, then we will be sinful.
(Wahidi)
The translation of the chapter is derived from this: that the statement of a sinful wrongdoer will not be accepted, meaning his testimony will not be accepted.
It is understood from this that uprightness (adalah) is necessary for a witness.
By uprightness is meant that he should be a Muslim, free, sane, adult, and righteous; so the testimony of a disbeliever, slave, insane person, minor, or sinner will not be accepted.
(Wahidi)
It is also intended that the outward condition of an upright witness must be correct, otherwise he will not be considered upright.
The ruling of Islam is based on the outward state.
The inward is left to Allah.
This also refutes those so-called Sufis whose outward is entirely against the Shariah, and who claim to be believers and lovers of Allah and His Messenger inwardly.
Such deceitful, so-called Sufis have misled a multitude of people.
Some among them are so shameless that they openly disparage prayer and fasting, speak ill of the scholars, and present Shariah and Tariqah as separate.
Such people are utterly misguided.
They are by no means worthy of acceptance; rather, they themselves are misguided and mislead others.
The famous saying of Junayd al-Baghdadi rahimahullah is: “Every reality for which the Shariah does not bear witness is heresy (zandaqah).”
Every reality that is not attested to by the Shariah is irreligion, disbelief, and heresy.
We seek refuge with Allah from the evils of our souls and from the wickedness of our deeds.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
There is consensus among the scholars that uprightness (ʿadalah) is a condition for the acceptance of testimony. However, there is a difference of opinion regarding the definition of the attribute of uprightness. It appears that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah is inclined to the view that, in uprightness, a person’s outward state should be considered, provided that no fault of his is publicly known; uprightness is never dependent on inner matters. In this regard, the majority of scholars hold the position that uprightness is the name of more than one attribute in addition to Islam—that is, the person should be observant of the Shari‘ah rulings, act upon recommended (mustahabb) deeds, and also refrain from disliked (makruh) and forbidden (haram) acts according to the Shari‘ah.

(2)
According to our inclination, it is sufficient for a Muslim that, for uprightness, only his outward state should be considered and his inner state should not be investigated.

(3)
The outward conduct of Hazrat Malik bin Dukhshum radi Allahu anhu was apparently based on hypocrisy, but revelation refuted his outward appearance and affirmed his faith. Now that the era of revelation has ended, decisions will be made based on the outward state. If a witness is apparently good, his testimony will be accepted, and if he is apparently bad, his testimony will be rejected.

In Shariah, Batinism has no standing; rather, only the outward is considered

Several issues are established from this narration of al-Faruq:

Those people who do not act upon the Book and the Sunnah—for example, those who shave or have their beards shaved, use intoxicants, are immersed in various kinds of sins—when they are told: “Pray, shaving the beard is haram, and abstain from all sins,” these wicked, immoral sinners say: “What is the use of outward actions? Rather, the heart should be good, and we have faith in our hearts.” This narration is a strong refutation of such sinners and transgressors, because if the heart were good, then the actions would also be good, and their continuous evil deeds are proof that the heart has become blackened and stained. «أعاذنا الله منه»

In Shariah, Batinism (esotericism) has no standing; rather, only the outward is considered.

Sayyiduna Umar radi Allahu anhu did not receive inspiration (ilham) or unveiling (kashf), otherwise he would have known the conditions of people’s hearts.

The proponents of Wahdat al-Wujud Sufism have spread various fabricated stories about Sayyiduna Umar radi Allahu anhu; for example, they say that once he (Sayyiduna Umar radi Allahu anhu) called out from a great distance: «يا ساريةُ الجبلَ» “O Sariyah! Move towards the mountain.”

All these stories are, according to the principles of hadith and the science of the names of narrators (ilm asma’ al-rijal), unestablished and rejected.

The chain of revelation (wahy) and inspiration (ilham) has now been severed forever.

Only a person who acts upon the Book and the Sunnah is trustworthy (thiqah) and upright (‘adil); in Shariah, such a person enjoys great rights, and in fact, every possible means should be used to respect and defend him.

The testimony of a sinner (fasiq), such as one who shaves his beard, is unreliable and rejected.

One must always have a good opinion (husn al-zann) and hope for good regarding the people of faith, and never spy on their private lives or hidden matters in any way.

In every era, it is the responsibility of Muslim rulers—in fact, it is obligatory upon them—to implement the system of the Qur’an and Hadith in their countries, and to remain constantly engaged in the effort to make Islam dominant throughout the world. Also see: [سورة المائده 44]

Only the testimony of a trustworthy and upright person is accepted.

Those who say, “Such-and-such pir (spiritual guide) knows the unseen,” their statement is completely false and baseless; knowledge of the unseen (ghayb) is impossible without revelation (wahy), and the door of revelation has been closed until the Day of Judgment.

For the original article, see...

Monthly al-Hadith, Issue No. 75, pages 2 and 3

Takhrij:
«أخرجه البخاري، الشهادات، باب الشهداء العدول، حديث:2641.»©Explanation:
➊ From this narration, it is understood that revelation (wahy) used to come to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), and after his passing, this process was discontinued; thus, prophethood was completed. Now, neither will any new prophet or messenger come, nor will revelation descend from the heavens. Now, if anyone claims that revelation descends upon him from the heavens, he is an outright liar, fabricator, deceiver, impostor, and outside the fold of Islam.

➋ The intent of Umar (radi Allahu anhu) is that, in the era of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), the means of obtaining information about people was divine revelation, but now, without investigating and searching for a person's secrets and hidden matters, we will judge him based on his apparent condition and actions. If his outward actions and circumstances are free from doubt and suspicion, then he is trustworthy and his testimony is acceptable; otherwise, it is not.