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Bayhaqi 20601 — What is due from one who is called to testify

وَأَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو نَصْرِ بْنُ قَتَادَةَ، أنبأ أَبُو مَنْصُورٍ النَّضْرَوِيُّ، ثنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ نَجْدَةَ، ثنا سَعِيدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، ثنا هُشَيْمٌ، وَخَالِدٌ، وَإِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، قَالَ: " إِذَا دُعِيَ لِيَشْهَدَ، وَإِذَا دُعِيَ لِيُقِيمَهَا، كِلَاهُمَا "، زَادَ فِيهِ غَيْرُهُ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ: " فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ كُلَّهُمْ لَوْ أَبَوْا أَنْ يَشْهَدَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ لَمْ يَسَعْهُمْ ذَلِكَ ". وَقَدْ ذَهَبَ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنَ الْمُفَسِّرِينَ إِلَى أَنَّ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ فِي إِقَامَةِ الشَّهَادَةِ، وَالْآيَةُ مُحْتَمِلَةٌ لِلْوَجْهَيْنِ جَمِيعًا، كَمَا ذَهَبَ إِلَيْهِ الْحَسَنُ، وَهُوَ فِي التَّحَمُّلِ فَرْضٌ عَلَى الْكِفَايَةِ، فَإِذَا قَامَ بِهِ وَبِالْكِتَابَةِ مَنْ يَكْفِي أُخْرِجَ مَنْ تَخَلَّفَ مِنَ الْمَأْثَمِ، وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ.
Yunus bin Ubayd narrates from al-Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) that (this applies) in both cases: when he is called to bear witness, and when he is called to give his testimony.
Note: Others add from al-Hasan: For if all people refused to testify for one another, that would not be permissible for them.
A group of the Qur'an commentators held that this verse is about giving testimony, and the verse can bear both meanings, as al-Hasan held. In bearing witness it is a communal obligation (fard kifayah): when enough people undertake it, and the writing, those who stayed back are freed from sin; and Allah knows best.
Hadith Reference السنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب الشهادات / 20601
Hadith Grading محدثین: صحيح
Hadith Takhrij «صحيح»