5. The Case of a Man who Forgets his Bearing Testimony but Recognizes his Handwriting
Back to book1- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) الرَّجُلُ يُشْهِدُنِي عَلَى الشَّهَادَةِ فَأَعْرِفُ خَطِّي وَخَاتَمِي وَلا أَذْكُرُ شَيْئاً مِنَ الْبَاقِي قَلِيلا وَلا كَثِيراً قَالَ فَقَالَ لِي إِذَا كَانَ صَاحِبُكَ ثِقَةً وَمَعَكَ رَجُلٌ ثِقَةٌ فَاشْهَدْ لَهُ.
1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn al-Nu’man from Hammad ibn ‘Uthaman from ‘Umar ibn Yazid who has narrated the following: “I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about the case of a man who asks me to testify for a case and I recognize my handwriting and seal but do not remember anything of the rest, little or more. He (the Imam) said, ‘If the party is trustworthy and there is another trustworthy man, you can testify.’”
Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: صحيح على الظاهر - Mir‘at al ‘Uqul Fi Sharh Akhbar Al al Rasul (24/224)
2- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ قَالَ كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ عِيسَى جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ جَاءَنِي جِيرَانٌ لَنَا بِكِتَابٍ زَعَمُوا أَنَّهُمْ أَشْهَدُونِي عَلَى مَا فِيهِ وَفِي الْكِتَابِ اسْمِي بِخَطِّي قَدْ عَرَفْتُهُ وَلَسْتُ أَذْكُرُ الشَّهَادَةَ وَقَدْ دَعَوْنِي إِلَيْهَا فَأَشْهَدُ لَهُمْ عَلَى مَعْرِفَتِي أَنَّ اسْمِي فِي الْكِتَابِ وَلَسْتُ أَذْكُرُ الشَّهَادَةَ أَوْ لا تَجِبُ لَهُمُ الشَّهَادَةُ عَلَيَّ حَتَّى أَذْكُرَهَا كَانَ اسْمِي فِي الْكِتَابِ بِخَطِّي أَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فَكَتَبَ لا تَشْهَدْ.
2. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id who has narrated the following: “Ja‘far ibn ‘Isa wrote to him (the Imam), ‘Alayhi al-Salam, and asked this question. ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause. Our neighbor has brought to me a document thinking that they had appointed me as a witness for the case; in the document in which there is my name in my handwriting which I have recognized. However, I do not remember my witnessing the case; can I testify to my recognizing that my name is in the document, even though I do not remember my witnessing the case, or is it that testifying is not obligatory unless I remember witnessing the case, regardless, my name is in the document or not?’ He (the Imam) wrote the answer that said, ‘Do not testify.’”
Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: صحيح 2 - Mir‘at al ‘Uqul Fi Sharh Akhbar Al al Rasul (4/224)
3- أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَسَّانَ عَنْ إِدْرِيسَ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ غِيَاثٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لا تَشْهَدَنَّ بِشَهَادَةٍ حَتَّى تَعْرِفَهَا كَمَا تَعْرِفُ كَفَّكَ.
3. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn Hassan from Idris ibn al-Hassan from Ali ibn Ghiyath who has narrated the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘Do not testify for a case unless you know it as you know your palm.’”
Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: ضعيف - Mir‘at al ‘Uqul Fi Sharh Akhbar Al al Rasul (24/225)
4- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) لا تَشْهَدْ بِشَهَادَةٍ لا تَذْكُرُهَا فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ شَاءَ كَتَبَ كِتَاباً وَنَقَشَ خَاتَماً.
4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has narrated the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Do not testify for a case which you do not remember to have witnessed, because if one likes, he can write a document or draw an insignia.’”
Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: ضعيف على المشهور - Mir‘at al ‘Uqul Fi Sharh Akhbar Al al Rasul (24/225)