Al-Ma'idah: 108

Ayah

Word by Word

ذَٰلِكَ

That

أَدۡنَىٰٓ

(is) closer

أَن

that

يَأۡتُواْ

they will give

بِٱلشَّهَٰدَةِ

the testimony

عَلَىٰ

وَجۡهِهَآ

its (true) form

أَوۡ

يَخَافُوٓاْ

they would fear

أَن

that

تُرَدَّ

will be refuted

أَيۡمَٰنُۢ

their oaths

بَعۡدَ

after

أَيۡمَٰنِهِمۡۗ

their (others) oaths

وَٱتَّقُواْ

And fear

ٱللَّهَ

Allah

وَٱسۡمَعُواْۗ

and listen

وَٱللَّهُ

and Allah

لَا

(does) not

يَهۡدِي

guide

ٱلۡقَوۡمَ

the people

ٱلۡفَٰسِقِينَ

the defiantly disobedient

Translation

That is most suitable: that they may give the evidence in its true nature and shape, or else they would fear that other oaths would be taken after their oaths. But fear Allah, and listen (to His counsel): for Allah guideth not a rebellious people:

Tafsir

Testimony of Two Just Witnesses for the Final Will and Testament

This honorable Ayah contains a glorious ruling from Allah.

Allah's statement,

يِا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُواۡ شَهَادَةُ بَيۡنِكُمۡ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ الۡمَوۡتُ حِينَ الۡوَصِيَّةِ اثۡنَانِ

O you who believe! When death approaches any of you, and you make a bequest, then take the testimony of two...

meaning that there should be two witnesses in such cases,

ذَوَا عَدۡلٍ

just men...

thus, describing them as just,

مِّنكُمۡ

of your own folk, (Muslims).

أَوۡ اخَرَانِ مِنۡ غَيۡرِكُمۡ

or two others from outside,

non-Muslims, meaning the People of the Book, according to Ibn Abbas as Ibn Abi Hatim recorded.

Allah said next,

إِنۡ أَنتُمۡ ضَرَبۡتُمۡ فِي الَارۡضِ

if you are traveling through the land, (on a journey),

فَأَصَابَتۡكُم مُّصِيبَةُ الۡمَوۡتِ

and the calamity of death befalls you.

These are two conditions that permit using non-Muslims from among the Dhimmis for witnesses when there are no Muslims present:

When one is traveling and needs to write a will, as Sharih Al-Qadi said. Ibn Jarir recorded that Sharih said,

The witness of the Jews and Christians is not allowed except while traveling, and even then only to witness the dictation of the will.

Allah's statement,

تَحۡبِسُونَهُمَا مِن بَعۡدِ الصَّلَةِ

Detain them both after the Salah (the prayer),

According to Al-Awfi who reported it from Ibn Abbas,

refers to the `Asr prayer.

This is the same explanation reported from Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ibrahim An-Nakhai, Qatadah, Ikrimah and Muhammad bin Sirin.

As for Az-Zuhri, he said that;

they are detained after Muslim prayer (i.e., in congregation).

Therefore, these two witnesses will be detained after a congregational prayer,

فَيُقۡسِمَانِ بِاللّهِ إِنِ ارۡتَبۡتُمۡ

let them both swear by Allah if you are in doubt.

meaning, if you are in doubt that they might have committed treachery or theft, then they should swear by Allah,

لَا نَشۡتَرِي بِهِ

We wish not in this,

According to Muqatil bin Hayyan,

in our vows.

ثَمَنًا

for any worldly gain,

of this soon to end life.

وَلَوۡ كَانَ ذَا قُرۡبَى

even though he be our near relative.

meaning, if the beneficiary be our near relative, we will still not compromise on the truth.

وَلَا نَكۡتُمُ شَهَادَةَ اللّهِ

We shall not hide the testimony of Allah,

thus stating that the testimony is Allah's, as a way of respecting it and valuing its significance.

إِنَّا إِذًا لَّمِنَ الاثِمِينَ

for then indeed we should be of the sinful.

فَإِنۡ عُثِرَ عَلَى أَنَّهُمَا اسۡتَحَقَّا إِثۡمًا فَأخَرَانِ يِقُومَانُ مَقَامَهُمَا مِنَ الَّذِينَ اسۡتَحَقَّ عَلَيۡهِمُ الَاوۡلَيَانِ

If it then becomes known that these two had been guilty of sin, let two others stand forth in their places, nearest in kin from among those who claim a lawful right.

فَيُقۡسِمَانِ بِاللّهِ لَشَهَادَتُنَا أَحَقُّ مِن شَهَادَتِهِمَا

Let them swear by Allah (saying):We affirm that our testimony is truer than that of both of them...

Meaning, our testimony that they have cheated is more truthful than the testimony that they have offered,

وَمَا اعۡتَدَيۡنَا

and that we have not trespassed (the truth),

when we accused them of treachery,

إِنَّا إِذًا لَّمِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

for then indeed we should be of the wrongdoers.

if we had lied about them.

This is the oath of the heirs, and preference is to be given to their saying. Just as in the case with the oath of relative of a murdered person if he attempts to tarnish the case of the murdered person. So his family takes an oath in defense of his honor. This is discussed in the studies of the oaths in the books of Ahkam.

Allah's statement

ذَلِكَ أَدۡنَى أَن يَأۡتُواۡ بِالشَّهَادَةِ عَلَى وَجۡهِهَا

That should make it closer (to the fact) that their testimony would be in its true nature and shape (and thus accepted),

means, the ruling requiring the two Dhimmi witnesses to swear, if there is a doubt that they were not truthful, might compel them to admit to the testimony in its true form.

Allah's statement,

أَوۡ يَخَافُواۡ أَن تُرَدَّ أَيۡمَانٌ بَعۡدَ أَيۡمَانِهِمۡ

or else they would fear that (other) oaths would be admitted after their oaths.

means, requiring them to swear by Allah might encourage them to admit to the true testimony because they respect swearing by Allah and they glorify and revere Him. They also fear exposure if the heirs of the deceased are required to swear instead of them. In this case, the heirs would swear and earn the rightful inheritance that the two witnesses failed to declare. This is why Allah said,

أَوۡ يَخَافُواۡ أَن تُرَدَّ أَيۡمَانٌ بَعۡدَ أَيۡمَانِهِمۡ

(or else they would fear that (other) oaths would be admitted after their oaths).

then,

وَاتَّقُوا اللّهَ

And have Taqwa of Allah,

in all of your affairs,

وَاسۡمَعُواۡ

and listen,

and obey,

وَاللّهُ لَا يَهۡدِي الۡقَوۡمَ الۡفَاسِقِينَ

And Allah guides not the rebellious people.

who do not obey Him or follow His Law.

Al-Ma'idah: 108

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