السنن الكبرى للبيهقي
Sunan al-Kubra al-Bayhaqi
كتاب الشهادات
Book of Testimonies
باب: : ما على من دعي ليشهد
What is due from one who is called to testify
Toggle above to switch between keyword search and direct hadith lookup
قَالَ اللهُ جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُهُ: {وَلَا يَأْبَ الشُّهَدَاءُ إِذَا مَا دُعُوا} [البقرة: 282]..
Allah, exalted be His praise, says: "And let the witnesses not refuse when they are called (to testify)." [Surah al-Baqarah: 282]
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.
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.
