Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh

رَوَى اَلْعَلاَءُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ اَلْبَاقِرِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: فِي اَلرَّجُلِ يَشْهَدُ حِسَابَ اَلرَّجُلَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُدْعَى إِلَى اَلشَّهَادَةِ قَالَ "إِنْ شَاءَ شَهِدَ وَ إِنْ شَاءَ لَمْ يَشْهَدْ".

Al-Ala narrated from Muhammad ibn Muslim, from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s), regarding a man who observes the accounting between two men and is then called to testify. Imam (a.s) said: "If he wishes, he may testify, and if he wishes, he may abstain from testifying."

وَ رَوَى اِبْنُ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: فِي اَلرَّجُلِ يَشْهَدُ حِسَابَ اَلرَّجُلَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُدْعَى إِلَى اَلشَّهَادَةِ قَالَ "يَشْهَدُ".

Ibn Faddal narrated from Ahmad ibn Yazid, from Muhammad ibn Muslim, from Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s), regarding a man who observes the accounting between two men and is then called to testify. Imam (a.s) said: "He should testify."

وَ رَوَى عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَشْيَمَ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا اَلْحَسَنِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ طَهُرَتِ اِمْرَأَتُهُ مِنْ حَيْضِهَا فَقَالَ فُلاَنَةُ طَالِقٌ وَ قَوْمٌ يَسْمَعُونَ كَلاَمَهُ وَ لَمْ يَقُلْ لَهُمُ اِشْهَدُوا أَ يَقَعُ اَلطَّلاَقُ عَلَيْهَا قَالَ "نَعَمْ هَذِهِ شَهَادَةٌ أَ فَتَتْرُكُهَا مُعَلَّقَةً".

Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Ashyam narrated that he asked Abu al-Hasan, peace be upon him, about a man whose wife became pure from her menstruation, and he said: "So-and-so is divorced," while people were listening to his words, but he did not tell them, "Bear witness." Does the divorce take effect upon her? Imam (a.s) said: "Yes, this is a testimony. Would you leave her in suspense?"

قَالَ مُصَنِّفُ هَذَا الْكِتَابِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ مَعْنَى هَذَا الْخَبَرِ الَّذِي جُعِلَ الْخِيَارُ فِيهِ إِلَى الشَّاهِدِ بِحِسَابِ الرَّجُلَيْنِ هُوَ إِذَا كَانَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ الْحَقِّ غَيْرُهُ مِنَ الشُّهُودِ فَمَتَى عَلِمَ أَنَّ صَاحِبَ الْحَقِّ مَظْلُومٌ وَ لَا يُحْيَا حَقُّهُ إِلَّا بِشَهَادَتِهِ وَجَبَ عَلَيْهِ إِقَامَتُهَا وَ لَمْ يَحِلَ لَهُ كِتْمَانُهَا.

The compiler of this book, may Allah (swt) have mercy on him, commented: The meaning of this narration, in which the choice was left to the witness regarding the accounting of two men, applies when there are other witnesses regarding that right. Whenever it is known that the rightful person is being wronged and his right cannot be restored except through the testimony, it becomes obligatory to give it, and it is not permissible to conceal it.

فَقَدْ قَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: "اَلْعِلْمُ شَهَادَةٌ إِذَا كَانَ صَاحِبُهُ مَظْلُوماً".

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s), said: "Knowledge is a testimony when its possessor is wronged."