For it is his right, so he does not ask him, nor does he dispose of it without his permission. So when the claimant asks him to request their testimony, he says: 'Whoever has testimony, let him mention it, if he wishes.' He does not say to them: 'Bear witness,' because that is a command. Shurayh used to say to the two witnesses: 'I have not summoned you, nor do I forbid you from retracting, and it is not anyone other than you two who passes judgment on this Muslim. I judge today by means of you, and through you I seek protection on the Day of Resurrection.' If the judge sees in them something that necessitates the rejection of their testimony, he rejects it. As it was narrated from Shurayh that a witness testified before him, wearing a qaba' (outer garment) with tight sleeves. Shurayh said to him: 'Do you know how to perform ablution?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Then roll up your sleeves.' He went to roll them up but could not, so Shurayh said to him: 'Stand up, there is no testimony for you.' And if they deliver the testimony in an improper manner, such as if they say: 'It reached us that he owes a thousand, or we heard that,' he rejects their testimony. A man testified before Shurayh, and said: 'I bear witness that he leaned on him with his elbow until he died.' Shurayh said: 'Do you bear witness that he killed him?' He said: 'I bear witness that he leaned on him with his elbow until he died.' He said: 'Do you bear witness that he killed him?' He said: 'I bear witness that he leaned on him with his elbow until he died.' He said: 'Stand up, there is no testimony for you.' If it is a valid testimony, and the judge knows their uprightness (adalah), he says to the one against whom testimony is given: 'They have testified against you. If you have anything that impugns their testimony, clarify it before me.' If he asks for a delay, he grants him a delay of two or three days. If he does not discredit them, he rules against him, because the right has become clear in a way that has no ambiguity. If he is suspicious of their testimony, he separates them and asks each one about their testimony and its details. He says: 'Were you the first to testify, or did you write [it], or did you not write? In which place did you testify, in which month, and on which day? And were you alone, or was someone else with you?' If they differ, their testimony fails, and if they agree, he investigates their uprightness. It is said: The first to do this was Daniel. And it is said: Solomon did it while he was young.
(48) Omitted from the original. (49) In the original: 'falyadhkur' (let him mention). (50) Provided previously on page 52. (51) Akhbar al-Qudat 2/300. (52) In A, B, and M: 'ruddat' (it was rejected). (53) Omitted from the original. (A matter of scholarly review). (54) In B, there is an addition: 'lahu' (for him).
لأنَّه حَقٌّ له فلا [يسألُه، ولا] (٤٨) يَتصرَّفُ فيه مِن غيرِ إذْنِه، فإذا سألَه المدَّعى سُؤالَها، قال: مَن كانتْ عندَه شَهادةٌ فَلْيذكرْها (٤٩)، إن شاءَ؟ . ولا يقولُ لهما: اشْهَدَا. لأنَّه أمرٌ. وكان شُرَيْحٌ يقولُ للشاهِدَيْنِ: ما أنا دَعوتُكُما، ولا أنْهاكُما أنْ تَرجِعا، وما يَقضِى على هذا المُسْلمِ غيرُكُما، وإنِّى بكما أقْضِى اليومَ، وبكما أتَّقِى يومَ القيامةِ (٥٠). وإن رأَى الحاكمُ عليهما ما يُوجِبُ رَدَّ شَهادتِهما، ردَّها. كما رُوىَ عَن شُرَيْحٍ، أنَّه شَهِدَ عندَه شاهِدٌ، وعليه قَباءٌ مَخْروطُ الكُمَّينِ، فقال له شُرَيْحٌ: أتُحْسِنُ أن تتَوَضَّأَ؟ قال: نعم. قال: فاحْسِرْ عن ذِراعَيْك. فذهبَ يَحْسِرُ عنهما، فلم يَسْتطِعْ، فقال له شُرَيْحٌ: قُمْ، فلا شَهادةَ لك (٥١). وإن أدَّيا الشَّهادةَ على غيرِ وجهِها، مثلَ أن يَقُولا: بلَغَنا أنَّ عليه ألْفًا، أو سَمِعْنا ذلك. رَدَّ (٥٢) شَهادتَهما. وشهدَ رجلٌ عندَ شُرَيْحٍ، فقال: أشهَدُ أنَّه اتَّكأَ عليه بمِرْفَقِه حتى ماتَ. فقال شريحٌ: أتشْهَدُ أنَّه قتلَه؟ قال: أشْهَدُ أنَّه اتَّكأَ عليه بمِرْفَقِه حتى ماتَ. [قال: أتشْهَدُ أنَّه قتلَه؟ قال: أشْهَدُ أنَّه اتَّكأَ عليه بمِرْفَقِه حتى ماتَ] (٥٣). قال: قُمْ، لا شَهادةَ لك (٥١). وإن كانت شهادةً صحيحةً، وعَرَفَ الحاكمُ عَدالتَهم، قال للمشْهودِ عليه: قد شَهِدَا عليك، فإن كان عندَك ما يقْدَحُ فى شَهادتِهما، فبيِّنْهُ عندِى. فإن سألَ الإِنْظارَ، أنظرَه اليومَينِ والثلاثةَ. فإنْ لم يَجْرَحْ حَكمَ عليه؛ لأنَّ الحقَّ قد وَضَحَ (٥٤) على وَجْهٍ لا إشْكالَ فيه. وإن ارْتابَ بشَهادتِهم، فرَّقَهم، فسألَ كلَّ واحدٍ عن شَهادتِه وصِفَتِها، فيقولُ: كنتَ أوَّلَ مَن شَهِدَ، أو كتبتَ، أو لم تكتبْ، وفى أىِّ مكانٍ شهِدتَ، وفى أىِّ شهرٍ، وأىِّ يومٍ؟ وهل كنتَ وحدَك، أو معكَ غيرُك؟ فإن اخْتلَفوا، سقَطتْ شَهادتُهم، وإن اتَّفقُوا بحَثَ عن عَدالتِهم. ويقالُ: أوَّلُ مَن فعلَ هذا
(٤٨) سقط من: الأصل.(٤٩) فى الأصل: "فليذكر".(٥٠) تقدم فى صفحة ٥٢.(٥١) أخبار القضاة ٢/ ٣٠٠.(٥٢) فى أ، ب، م: "ردت".(٥٣) سقط من: الأصل. نقل نظر.(٥٤) فى ب زيادة: "له".