The Witness for the Will

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى‌ يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا شَهادَةُ بَيْنِكُمْ إِذا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ حِينَ الْوَصِيَّةِ اثْنانِ ذَوا عَدْلٍ مِنْكُمْ أَوْ آخَرانِ مِنْ غَيْرِكُمْ‌[1] قُلْتُ مَا آخَرانِ مِنْ غَيْرِكُمْ‌ قَالَ هُمَا كَافِرَانِ قُلْتُ‌ ذَوا عَدْلٍ مِنْكُمْ‌ فَقَالَ مُسْلِمَانِ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the meaning of the words of Allah, most Blessed, most High, ‘O believing people there must be two just (Muslim) witnesses when anyone of you is about to die or from other people.’ (5:106) I asked, ‘What is the meaning of ‘(there must be) two from other people?’ He (the Imam) s

سَأَلْتُهُ هَلْ تَجُوزُ شَهَادَةُ أَهْلِ مِلَّةٍ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَهْلِ مِلَّتِهِمْ قَالَ نَعَمْ إِذَا لَمْ يُوجَدْ مِنْ أَهْلِ مِلَّتِهِمْ جَازَتْ شَهَادَةُ غَيْرِهِمْ إِنَّهُ لَا يَصْلُحُ ذَهَابُ حَقِّ أَحَدٍ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), if it is permissible for a person of the religion to appoint a witness who is not of the people of his religion. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it is permissible when witness from the people of his own religion is no available; destroying anyone’s right is not suitable.’”

إِذَا كَانَ الرَّجُلُ فِي بَلَدٍ لَيْسَ فِيهِ مُسْلِمٌ جَازَتْ شَهَادَةُ مَنْ لَيْسَ بِمُسْلِمٍ عَلَى الْوَصِيَّةِ.

“About the meaning of the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘. . . and two people from others who are not of your people’ abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘This applies when he is in a place where Muslims are not available, then asking a non-Muslim to bear witness to a will is permissible.’”

يُجَازُ رُبُعُ مَا أَوْصَى بِحِسَابِ شَهَادَتِهَا.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), if a woman’s bearing witness to the will of a man when no man is available is accepted. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is effective for one-fourth of what is willed according to her testimony.’”

فِي وَصِيَّةٍ لَمْ يَشْهَدْهَا إِلَّا امْرَأَةٌ فَأَجَازَ شَهَادَةَ الْمَرْأَةِ فِي الرُّبُعِ مِنَ الْوَصِيَّةِ بِحِسَابِ شَهَادَتِهَا.

“In the case of a will for which there is no witness except a woman, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), accepted it (such witness) for one-fourth of the will according to her testimony.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا شَهادَةُ بَيْنِكُمْ إِذا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ حِينَ الْوَصِيَّةِ اثْنانِ ذَوا عَدْلٍ مِنْكُمْ أَوْ آخَرانِ مِنْ غَيْرِكُمْ‌ قَالَ اللَّذَانِ مِنْكُمْ مُسْلِمَانِ وَ اللَّذَانِ مِنْ غَيْرِكُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فَمِنَ الْمَجُوسِ لِأَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص سَنَّ فِي ال

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the meaning of the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘O believing people there must be two just (Muslim) witnesses when anyone of you is about to die or from other people.’ (5:106) Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said that in this verse, “‘The two from you”, means two Musli

خَرَجَ تَمِيمٌ الدَّارِيُّ وَ ابْنُ بَيْدِيٍّ وَ ابْنُ أَبِي مَارِيَةَ فِي سَفَرٍ وَ كَانَ تَمِيمٌ الدَّارِيُّ مُسْلِماً وَ ابْنُ بَيْدِيٍّ وَ ابْنُ أَبِي مَارِيَةَ نَصْرَانِيَّيْنِ وَ كَانَ مَعَ تَمِيمٍ الدَّارِيِّ خُرْجٌ لَهُ فِيهِ مَتَاعٌ وَ آنِيَةٌ مَنْقُوشَةٌ بِالذَّهَبِ وَ قِلَادَةٌ أَخْرَجَهَا إِلَى بَعْضِ أَسْوَاقِ الْعَرَبِ لِلْبَيْعِ فَاعْتَلَّ تَمِيمٌ الدَّارِيُّ عِلَّةً شَدِيدَةً فَلَمَّا حَضَرَهُ الْمَوْ

7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his people in a marfu‘ manner has said the following: “Tamim al-Dariy, ibn Baydiy and ibn Mariya once left for a journey. Tamim al-Dariy was a Muslim but ibn Baydiy and ibn Mariya were Christians and they were with Tamim al-Dariy who had certain assets and utensils, which were decor