both sides, the two proofs contradict each other due to the impossibility of reconciling them. As for the single witness, he is not a proof by himself, but rather becomes a proof together with the oath; so when he (the claimant) swears along with one of them, the proof is completed by his oath, and he is not contradicted by that which is not a proof, just as if two witnesses testified to one of them, and one witness to the other.
1926 - Issue: He said: (Whoever claims the testimony of a just person, and he denies that he has it, then he testifies to it after that and says: I had forgotten it. It is accepted from him.)
In summary, if a just person denies that he has testimony, then he testifies to it and says: I had forgotten it, it is accepted, and his testimony is not rejected. Al-Thawri, al-Shafi'i, and Ishaq said this. I know of no dissenter regarding this; this is because it is permissible that he had forgotten it, and if he was unaware of it, then he had no testimony, so we do not declare him a liar when his truthfulness is possible. This does not resemble what happens if he says: I have no evidence. Then he brings evidence, where it is not heard; for that is an admission on his own part of the absence of evidence, and a person is held accountable for his admission. The statement of the witness: I have no testimony. It is not an admission; for the testimony does not belong to him, it is rather a duty upon him, so he is merely denying it. If he then acknowledges it, it is an admission after a denial, which is heard, unlike a denial after an admission. Furthermore, the one who has forgotten the testimony does not have it in his possession, so he is truthful in his denial. When he remembers it, it becomes in his possession, so there is no contradiction between the two statements. This becomes like one who denies that he has testimony before being called to testify, then he is called to testify after that, so it becomes in his possession, unlike the one who denies that he has evidence, for he does not exit from the state of having evidence by forgetting it.
1927 - Issue: He said: (And whoever testifies with a testimony, and draws some of it to himself, it becomes void.)
(11) Omitted from B. (1) In M: "if what". (2) In M: "denial". (3) Omitted from the original. (4) Omitted from B. (5) Omitted from A.