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Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudama - Edited by Al-Turki
Volume 14 · Page 22Section

Translation · EN

judgment, except (62) for being free from anger and its likes, as there are two narrations regarding whether that is a prerequisite.

Section: When the judge sits in his chamber, the first matter he examines is the case of the prisoners, because imprisonment is a form of hardship, and there may be among them someone who does not deserve to remain in it. He sends a trustworthy person to the prison of the judge who preceded him to write down the name of every prisoner, for what he was imprisoned, and for whom he was imprisoned. He then brings this to him. The judge orders a crier to announce in the town for three days: "The judge, so-and-so son of so-and-so, is reviewing the affairs of the prisoners on such-and-such a day; whoever has a prisoner (in custody), let them be present." When that day arrives and the people are present, he leaves the parchments containing the names of the prisoners before him, extends his hand to them, and looks at the name of the prisoner on whatever falls into his hand. He then says, "Who is the adversary of so-and-so the prisoner?" When his adversary says, "I am," he sends a trustworthy person with him to the prison, who brings out his adversary, and he is present with him at the court of judgment. He does this for as long as he knows his time will permit him to examine in that session, and he does not bring out anyone else. When the prisoner and his adversary are present, he does not ask his adversary, "Why did you imprison him?" because the default assumption is that the judge only imprisoned him for a just cause. Instead, he asks the prisoner, "For what were you imprisoned?" His answer will inevitably fall into one of five categories: First, that he says, "He imprisoned me for a rightful debt that is due, and I am solvent regarding it (63)." The judge then says to him, "Pay it, or I will return you to prison." Second, that he says, "He has a debt against me, and I am insolvent regarding it." He then asks his adversary; if he confirms it, the judge declares him bankrupt and releases him. If he denies it, he looks into the cause of the debt. If it was something through which he obtained wealth, such as a loan or a purchase, he does not accept his claim of insolvency except with evidence that his wealth was lost or exhausted, or with evidence that he is insolvent, thus removing the original assumption that was established; his word is accepted regarding the wealth he is claimed to owe. If no original wealth is proven for him, and his adversary does not have evidence for that, the word of the prisoner is accepted, along with his oath that he is insolvent, because the default state is insolvency. If his adversary provides evidence that he possesses wealth, it is not accepted until that wealth is specified (64) in a way that distinguishes it. If the evidence testifies against him

Notes

(62) In the original, there is an additional word: "that". (63) In the original: "it". (64) In manuscripts B and M: "specified".

Arabic (Source)

الحُكْمِ، إلَّا (٦٢) الْخُلُوَّ مِن الغَضَبِ وما في معناه، فإنَّ في اشْتراطِه رِوايتيْنِ.

فصل: وإذا جلسَ الحاكمُ في مجلسِه، فأوَّلُ ما يَنْظُرُ فيه أمرُ المَحْبُوسِينَ؛ لأنَّ الحبسَ عذابٌ، وربَّما كان فيهم مَن لا يَسْتحِقُّ البقاءَ فيه، فيُنْفِذُ إلى حَبْسِ القاضي الذي كانَ قبلَه ثِقَةً، يكْتُبُ اسمَ كلِّ مَحْبُوسٍ، وفيمَ حُبِسَ؟ ولمن حُبِسَ؟ فيحملُه إليه، فيأمرُ مُنادِيًا يُنادِي في البلدِ ثلاثةَ أيامٍ: ألا إنَّ القاضِىَ فُلانَ بنَ فُلانٍ يَنْظرُ في أمْرِ المَحْبوسِين يومَ كذا، فمَن كان له مَحْبُوسٌ فلْيَحْضُرْ. فإذا حضَرَ ذلك اليومُ، وحضرَ الناسُ، تركَ الرِّقاعَ التي فيها اسمُ المَحْبُوسِين بين يدَيْه، ومَدَّ يدَه إليها، فما وقَعَ في يده منها نظرَ إلى اسمِ المَحْبُوسِ، وقال: مَن خَصْمُ فلانٍ المَحْبوسِ. فإذا قالَ خَصْمُه: أنا. بعثَ معه ثِقَةً إلى الحَبْسِ، فأخْرَجَ خَصْمَه، وحضرَ معه مَجْلسَ الحُكْمِ، ويفعلُ ذلك في قَدْرِ ما يعلمُ أنَّه يتَّسِعُ زمانُه للنَّظَرِ فيه في ذلك المجلسِ، ولا يُخْرِجُ غيرَهم، فإذا حضَر المحبوسُ وخَصْمُه، لم يسْألْ خَصْمَه: لمَ حَبَسْتَه؟ لأنَّ الظاهرَ أنَّ الحاكمَ إنَّما حبسَه بحَقٍّ، لكنْ يسْألُ المحبوسَ: بِمَ حُبِستَ؟ ولا يخْلُو جَوابُه من خمسةِ أقسامٍ؛ أحدها، أن يقولَ: حبسَنِي بحقٍّ له حالٍّ، أنا مَلِىءٌ به (٦٣). فيقولَ له الحاكمُ: اقْضِهِ، وإلَّا رَدَدْتُك في الحَبْسِ. الثاني، أنْ يقولَ: له عليَّ دَينٌ، أنا مُعْسِرٌ به. فيَسْألُ خَصْمَه، فإن صدَّقَه، فَلَّسَهُ الحاكمُ وأطْلقَه. وإنْ كذَّبه، نظَرَ في سَبَبِ الدَّيْنِ، فإنْ كانَ شيئًا حصَلَ له به مالٌ، كقَرْضٍ أو شِرَاءٍ، لم يَقْبَلْ قولَه في الإعْسارِ إلَّا ببَيِّنةٍ بأنَّ مالَه تلِفَ أو نَفِدَ، أو ببَيِّنةٍ أنَّه مُعْسِرٌ، فيزُولُ الأصلُ الذي ثبَتَ، ويكونُ القولُ قولَه فيما يدَّعِيهِ عليه من المَالِ. وإنْ لم يثْبُتْ له أصلُ مالٍ، ولم تكُنْ لخَصْمِه بَيِّنَةٌ بذلك، فالقولُ قولُ المحْبُوسِ مع يَمِينِه أَنَّه مُعْسِرٌ؛ لأنَّ الأصلَ الإعْسارُ. وإن شَهِدتْ لخَصْمِه بَيِّنَةٌ بأنَّ له مالًا، لم تُقْبَلْ حتى يُعيَّن (٦٤) ذلك المالُ بما يتميَّزُ به، فإنْ شَهِدتْ عليه البَيِّنَةُ

Notes

(٦٢) في الأصل زيادة: "أن".(٦٣) في الأصل: "فيه".(٦٤) في ب، م: "تعين".

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