On the words of Allah the Exalted: "The witnesses must not refuse when they are called"

Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him) said concerning the saying of Allah Almighty, "And the witnesses must not refuse when they are called" [Surah al-Baqarah: 282]: "When you hold the testimony, then you have already been called."

Al-Hasan said: "When it begins, he should bear witness, and when he is called, he should deliver that testimony."

Sa'id bin Jubayr (may Allah have mercy on him) said concerning the saying of Allah, "And the witnesses must not refuse when they are called": "This is the person who bears witness to someone's testimony and is then called for it."

Imran said: I asked Abu Mijlaz (may Allah have mercy on him): "I am called to give testimony and I dislike it." He said: "Leave what you dislike, but if you have witnessed the matter and are then called, respond to it."

Al-Hasan said: "Whoever is called to give testimony should respond, but he should testify only to what he knows."

Ata was asked about "And the witnesses must not refuse when they are called": does this apply before they testify or after? He said: "No, rather it is after they have testified."

Sa'id bin al-Musayyib (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "When they have already testified."

Al-Sha'bi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "As long as a witness has not testified, he has the choice."

Sa'id said: "It is the person who holds the testimony."

Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him) said concerning "And the witnesses must not refuse when they are called": "When they have already testified before this."

Something similar is narrated from Mujahid.