An unjust person, a traitor, an enemy, a person associated with a household who has been accused, and a slanderer (one who falsely accuses) will not have their testimony accepted.
➊ Allah Almighty says:
وَأَشْهِدُوا ذَوَيْ عَدْلٍ مِّنكُمْ [At-Talaq: 2]
“Appoint two just men from among yourselves as witnesses.”
➋ مِمَّن تَرْضَوْنَ مِنَ الشُّهَدَاءِ [Al-Baqarah: 282]
“(Appoint) those whom you choose as witnesses from among you.”
➌ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا [Al-Hujurat: 6]
“O you who believe! If a wicked person brings you news, then verify it carefully.”
➍ It is unanimously agreed that the testimony of a wicked person will not be accepted.
[Al-Bahr Az-Zakhar: 24/5, Nayl Al-Awtar: 387/5, Ar-Rawdah An-Nadiyyah: 562/2]
It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
لا تجوز شهادة خـائـن ولا خائنة ولا ذى غــمـر على أخيه ولا تجوز شهادة القانع لأهل البيت
“The testimony of a treacherous man and a treacherous woman is not permissible, and the testimony of one who harbors enmity is not permissible against his brother, and the testimony of a person under the guardianship of another is not permissible in favor of the guardian’s family.”
[Hasan: Sahih Abu Dawood: 3067, Kitab Al-Qada: Chapter on whose testimony is rejected, Ahmad: 181/2, Abu Dawood: 3600, Dar Qutni: 528, Bayhaqi: 200/10, Tarikh Dimashq by Ibn Asakir: 187/15, Sheikh Hazim Ali Qadi has classified it as Hasan. At-Taliq ‘ala Subul As-Salam: 1931/4]
In one narration, the wording is:
لا تجوز شهادة خائن ولا خائنة ولا زان ولا زانية
“The testimony of a treacherous man and a treacherous woman is not permissible.”
[Sahih: Sahih Abu Dawood: 3068, Kitab Al-Qada: Chapter on whose testimony is rejected, Abu Dawood: 3601, Talkhis Al-Jir: 198/4, Irwa’ Al-Ghalil: 2669]
(The majority, Shafi’i, Maliki, Ahmad) The testimony of an enemy will not be accepted.
(Abu Hanifa) The testimony of an enemy will be accepted.
[Al-Um: 16/7 – 88, Al-Mabsut: 133/16, Al-Mughni: 174/14, Bidayat Al-Mujtahid: 464/2]
(The correct view) The right opinion is that the testimony of an enemy will not be accepted.
[Nayl Al-Awtar: 387/5]
It is also unanimously reported by scholars that the testimony of a slave in favor of his master will not be accepted.
[Al-Bahr Az-Zakhar: 36/5, Ar-Rawdah An-Nadiyyah: 564/2]
Allah Almighty says:
وَالَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَأْتُوا بِأَرْبَعَةِ شُهَدَاءَ فَاجْلِدُوهُمْ ثَمَانِينَ جَلْدَةً وَلَا تَقْبَلُوا لَهُمْ شَهَادَةً أَبَدًا ۚ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ [An-Nur: 4]
“Those who accuse chaste women and do not bring four witnesses, flog them eighty lashes and never accept their testimony; they are the wicked ones.”
There is a difference of opinion whether the testimony of a slanderer will be accepted after repentance, and the reason for this difference is whether the exception refers to two verses:
وَلَا تَقْبَلُوا لَهُمْ شَهَادَةً أَبَدًا ۚ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ [An-Nur: 4]
or one verse:
وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ [An-Nur: 4]
(Malik, Shafi’i, Ahmad) According to them, the exception refers to both verses; therefore, the testimony of a slanderer will be accepted after repentance.
Their evidences are as follows:
➊ There is a clear indication in the verse:
إِلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا [An-Nur: 5]
“But those who repent.”
➋ The Prophetic hadith is:
التائب من الذنب كمن لا ذنب له
“A person who repents from sin is like one who has not sinned.”
[Sahih: Sahih Ibn Majah: 3427, Kitab Az-Zuhd: Chapter on mentioning repentance, Ibn Majah: 4250]
➌ Disbelief in slander is a greater sin; if the repentance of a disbeliever is accepted, why not that of a slanderer?
➍ Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) imposed the hadd punishment for adultery on three men and said:
توبوا تقبل شهادتكم فتاب رجلان ولم يتب أبو بكرة فكان لا يقبل شهادته
“Repent, your testimony will be accepted.” Two of them repented, but Abu Bakrah did not, and then Abu Bakrah’s testimony was not accepted.
[Musannaf Abd Ar-Razzaq: 384/7, 13564]
(Abu Hanifa) The exception refers only to the last sentence. That is, after repentance, the attribute of wickedness will be removed, but the testimony will not be accepted.
His evidences are as follows:
➊ In the Quran, when Allah Almighty mentions not accepting the testimony of a slanderer, He uses the word ابداً, which means that the testimony of the accuser will never be accepted.
➋ Hazrat Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote to Hazrat Abu Musa Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him):
المسلمون عدول بعضهم على بعض إلا مجلود فى حد
“A Muslim is just towards another Muslim except one who has been flogged for a hadd punishment.”
[Sahih: Irwa’ Al-Ghalil: 2619, Ibn Abi Shaybah: 17/6, Dar Qutni: 207/4, Bayhaqi: 135/10]
It should be noted that a person who has been accused of a hadd punishment is considered unjust, and the word أبدا is used as evidence for never accepting testimony until he repents, and when he repents, ان شاء الله that person is like one who has never committed any sin.
[For more details see: At-Taliq ‘ala Ar-Rawdah An-Nadiyyah by Sheikh Subhi Hasan Khallaq: 566/2, Fath Al-Bari: 98/7, Al-Muhalla bil Athar: 529/8 – 530]
(Ibn Hazm) The testimony will be accepted after repentance.
[Also]
(Bukhari) It is recorded in Sahih Bukhari that “Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) flogged Abu Bakrah, Shibl bin Mu’bad, and Nafi’ due to slandering Hazrat Mughirah (may Allah be pleased with him), then told them to repent and said:
من تاب قبلت شهادته
“Whoever repents, I will accept his testimony.”
[Bukhari: Before the Hadith / 2648, Kitab Ash-Shahadat: Chapter on the testimony of the slanderer, thief, and adulterer]
(The majority) The testimony of a slanderer will be accepted after repentance.
[Fath Al-Bari: 98/7]
(The correct view) The majority’s position is correct.
