Some of the Shafi'is said: The majority of them said: It is not sufficient unless he says: "He is upright to me and against me." They disagreed regarding the reason; some said: so that there is no enmity or kinship between them. Others said: so that he is not upright in some things and not others. Our evidence is the statement of Allah, the Almighty: "And bring to witness two just men from among you" [Surah al-Talaq: 2]. So when they testify that he is upright, it is established by their testimony, and it falls under the generality of the command. Furthermore, when he is upright, it is necessary that it be for him and against him, regarding all people, and in all matters, so there is no need to mention it. What they mentioned is not valid; for a person cannot be upright in one thing and not another, nor in relation to one person and not another, for they are not described as such. Nor is it negated by his saying: "against me and for me." For whoever's uprightness is established, it is not removed by kinship or enmity. His testimony is only rejected due to suspicion despite his being upright. Moreover, if it is known that such [a factor] is absent between them, there is no need to mention it or negate it from himself, just as if someone whose uprightness the judge knows were to testify to the truth, he would not need to negate such things from himself. Furthermore, enmity does not prevent his testimony in his favor regarding attestation; it only prevents testimony against him. This is a witness in his favor regarding attestation and uprightness, so he has no need to negate enmity.
Section: It is not sufficient to say: "I know nothing of him but good." This is the school of al-Shafi'i. Abu Yusuf said: It is sufficient; because if he is an expert regarding him and knows nothing but good, then he is upright. Our evidence is that he did not explicitly state the attestation, so it is not an attestation, just as if he said: "I know some good of him." What they mentioned is not valid; for someone ignorant of the state of corrupt people does not know anything of them except good, because he knows of their Islam, which is good, and he does not know anything else about them, yet they are not upright.
Section: Our companions said: Attestation is not accepted except from those with intimate knowledge and long-standing acquaintance.
(2) Surah al-Talaq 2. (3) The 'wa' (and) is omitted from A and M. (4) Omitted from the original. (5) In M, there is an addition: "'adl" (upright). (6) In the original: "tathbut" (is established). (7) Omitted from the original.
