Book of Testimonies

Hearsay Testimony &

Retracting It

الشَّهَادَةِ عَلىٰ الشَّهَادَةِ وَالرُّجُوْعِ عَنْهَا

Chapters

The Book of Dhihar

Glossary


Hearsay Testimony & Retracting It

Hearsay testimony 1743 is permissible in cases where the book of the judge is permissible, 1744 as long as the primary witness cannot testify due to death, absence, disease, or the like, on condition that the primary witness drew attention to the testimony by saying, “Bear witness that I testify that So-and-so acknowledged such-and-such before me, or that he asked me to witness such-and-such.” 1745
Trustworthiness of both the primary and secondhand witnesses is a prerequisite.

وَتَجُوْزُ الشَّهَادَةِ عَلىٰ الشَّهَادَةِ فِيْمَا يَجُوْزُ فِيْهِ كِتَابُ اْلقَاضِيْ، إَذَا تَعَذَّرَتْ شَهَادَةُ اْلأَصْلِ؛ بِمَوْتٍ، أَوْ غَيْبَةٍ، أَوْ مَرَضٍ وَنَحْوِهِ، بِشَرْطِ أَنْ يَسْتَرْعِيَهُ شَاهِدُ اْلأَصْلِ، فَيَقُوْلُ: اشْهَدْ عَلىٰ شَهَادَتِيْ، أَنِّيْ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ فُلاُنًا أَقَرَّ عِنْدِيْ، أَوْ أَشْهَدَنِيْ بِكَذَا.
وَتُعْتَبَرُ مَعْرِفَةُ اْلعَدَالَةِ فِيْ شُهُوْدِ اْلأَصْلِ وَاْلفَرْعِ.

If the primary witnesses appear, then the judgment will depend solely on their testimony, as long as a verdict has not already been passed based on the testimony of secondary witnesses. 1746
If any of them (the primary witnesses) gets involved in conduct that deems their testimony inadmissible, their testimony shall not be acted upon. 1747

وَمَتَى لَمْ يُحْكَمْ بِشَهَادَةِ اْلفَرْعِ حَتَّى حَضَرَ شُهُوْدُ اْلأَصْلِ، وَقَفَ اْلحُكْمُ عَلىٰ سِمَاعِ شَهَادَتِهِمْ.
وَإِنْ حَدَثَ مِنْ بَعْضِهِمْ مَا يَمْنَعُ قَبُوْلَ الشَّهَادَةِ، لَمْ يُحْكَمْ بِهَا.

Subsection: If a trustworthy witness changes his

فَصْلٌ: وَمَتىَ غَيَّر

1743. Hearsay evidence refers to testimony from a person who did not see or hear something directly but was told by the person who did witness it.

1744. The books (or letters) of judges are accepted concerning all cases except ḥudood and qiṣâṣ.

1745. According to this position, the original witness must have informed the secondhand witness so that he or she would pay attention to the testimony. If the secondhand witness simply overheard another person mentioning something that he witnessed, this is not enough to authorize him or her to testify concerning the testimony of the primary witness.

1746. Because if the primary witnesses show up in court before a verdict is passed, the need for the secondhand witnesses becomes void.

1747. In this case, hearsay testimony will also be rejected because it relies on the testimony of the primary witnesses.

testimony (by adding to it or deleting from it) before the verdict is passed, it will be accepted. 1748
If he does something that makes his testimony inadmissible, his testimony will be rejected. If this happens after the verdict has been given, though, it will not have any effect. 1749

اْلعَدْلُ شَهَادَتَهُ قَبْلَ الْحُكْمِ بِهَا، فَزَادَ أَوْ نَقَصَ، قُبِلَتْ.
وَإِنْ حَدَثَ مِنْهُ مَا يَمْنَعُ قَبُوْلَهَا بَعْدَ أَدَائِهَا، رُدَّتْ، وَإِنْ حَدَثَ ذٰلِكَ بَعْدَ اْلحُكْمِ بِهَا لَمْ يُؤَثِّرْ.

[Recanting One’s Testimony]

If the witnesses recant their testimony after the verdict has been passed, the verdict will not be overturned, and execution will not be stopped – except in cases of ḥudood and qiṣâṣ. They must pay compensation for any losses incurred because of their testimony; if it is fungible material, they have to pay the equivalent, but if not, they must pay its value.

وَإِنْ رَجَعَ الشُّهُوْدُ بَعْدَ اْلحُكْمِ بِشَهَادَتِهِمْ، لَمْ يُنْقَضِ اْلحُكْمُ، وَلَمْ يُمْنَعْ اْلاِسْتِيْفَاءُ، إِلاَّ فِي اْلحَدِّ وَاْلقِصَاصِ. وَعَلَيْهِمْ غَرَامَةُ مَا فَاتَ بِشَهَادَتِهِمْ بِمِثْلِهِ، إِنْ كَانَ مِثْلِيًّا، وَقِيْمَتِهِ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ مِثْلِيًّا.

(The liability) should be divided equally among them. If just one of them recants, he will be responsible for his share (of liability).

وَيَكُوْنُ ذٰلِكَ بَيْنَهُمْ عَلىٰ عَدَدِهِمْ، فَإِنْ رَجَعَ أَحَدُهُمْ، فَعَلَيْهِ حِصَّتُهُ.

If their testimony was about murder or physical assault, and they admit that they intended (to falsely testify), they will be subject to qiṣâṣ. If they say, “We did it by mistake,” they will be liable for the diyah or the compensation for the injury.

وَإِنْ كَانَ الْمَشْهُوْدُ بِهِ قَتْلاً، أَوْ جَرْحًا، فَقَالُوْا: تَعَمَّدْنَا، فَعَلَيْهِمْ اْلقِصَاصُ، وَإِنْ قَالُوْا: أَخْطَأْنَا، غَرِمُوْا الدِّيَّةَ، أَوْ أَرْشَ اْلجُرْحِ.

1748. (A): The addition, deletion, or change will be accepted. (a): Both testimonies will be rejected.

1749. For example, someone testifies and then acts in a way that deems him fâsiq. If a verdict has already been passed, his testimony will stand; if not, his testimony will be voided.

Hearsay Testimony & Retracting It

( Page : no 179)