False Witness
Total Hadiths 3
What the Hadiths Teach Us About False Witness and Truthfulness
According to Islamic scholars, upholding truth and absolute honesty in legal matters and daily life forms a cornerstone of the Muslim character. In these authentic prophetic narrations, the Prophet Muhammad issues a powerful warning against bearing false witness, explicitly standing after prayer to declare three times that giving false testimony is equivalent to committing shirk (associating partners) with Allah. To reinforce this gravity, he recited the Quranic verse commanding believers to avoid the filth of idols and false speech. The texts also address the severe consequence of taking a deceptive oath to unlawfully seize someone else's property, warning that such an individual will meet Allah in a state of Divine anger. Conversely, the Prophet highlights the merit of righteousness by defining the best of witnesses as the honest person who steps forward to deliver their truthful evidence even before they are requested to do so.
Sahih Bukhari : 2671
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 2671
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عِكْرِمَةُ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ هِلاَلَ بْنَ أُمَيَّةَ، قَذَفَ امْرَأَتَهُ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِشَرِيكِ بْنِ سَحْمَاءَ، فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " الْبَيِّنَةُ أَوْ حَدٌّ فِي ظَهْرِكَ ". فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِذَا رَأَى أَحَدُنَا عَلَى امْرَأَتِهِ رَجُلاً يَنْطَلِقُ يَلْتَمِسُ الْبَيِّنَةَ فَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ " الْبَيِّنَةَ وَإِلاَّ حَدٌّ فِي ظَهْرِكَ ". فَذَكَرَ حَدِيثَ اللِّعَانِ.
Narrated Ibn `Abbas: Hilal bin Umaiya accused his wife before the Prophet (ﷺ) of committing illegal sexual intercourse with Sharik bin Sahma.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Produce a proof, or else you would get the legal punishment (by being lashed) on your back." Hilal said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! If anyone of us saw another man over his wife, would he go to search for a proof." The Prophet (ﷺ) went on saying, "Produce a proof or else you would get the legal punishment (by being lashed) on your back." The Prophet (ﷺ) then mentioned the narration of Lian (as in the Holy Book). (Surat-al-Nur: 24)
[1] Literally, Li‘ān means cursing, legally it means an oath by which a husband claims that his wife has committed illegal sexual intercourse. The wife in her turn denies the accusation and takes a similar oath. In both oaths Allāh is invoked to curse the liar. The case ends with divorce but no punishment is imposed on any of the two because there are no witnesses to confirm the accusation.Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 2671In-book reference : Book 52, Hadith 33USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 3, Book 48, Hadith 837
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2299
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2299
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنِيعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مَرْوَانُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ بْنِ زِيَادٍ الأَسَدِيِّ، عَنْ فَاتِكِ بْنِ فَضَالَةَ، عَنْ أَيْمَنَ بْنِ خُرَيْمٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَامَ خَطِيبًا فَقَالَ " يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ عُدِلَتْ شَهَادَةُ الزُّورِ إِشْرَاكًا بِاللَّهِ " . ثُمَّ قَرَأَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم : (وَاجْتَنِبُوا الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الأَوْثَانِ وَاجْتَنِبُوا قَوْلَ الزُّورِ ) . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى وَهَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ إِنَّمَا نَعْرِفُهُ مِنْ حَدِيثِ سُفْيَانَ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَاخْتَلَفُوا فِي رِوَايَةِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ بْنِ زِيَادٍ . وَلاَ نَعْرِفُ لأَيْمَنَ بْنِ خُرَيْمٍ سَمَاعًا مِنَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Ayman bin Khuraim narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w) stood to give a Khutbah and said: "O You People False Witness Is Tantamount To Shirk With Allah" Then The Messenger Of Allah (S.A.W)Recited: So Shun The Rijs Of The Idols, And Shun False Speech.
[1] Al-Hajj (22:30)Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2299In-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 5English translation : Vol. 4, Book 9, Hadith 2299
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2300
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2300
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، وَهُوَ ابْنُ زِيَادٍ الْعُصْفُرِيُّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ حَبِيبِ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ الأَسَدِيِّ، عَنْ خُرَيْمِ بْنِ فَاتِكٍ الأَسَدِيِّ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلَّى صَلاَةَ الصُّبْحِ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ قَامَ قَائِمًا فَقَالَ " عُدِلَتْ شَهَادَةُ الزُّورِ بِالشِّرْكِ بِاللَّهِ " . ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ تَلاَ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ (وَاجْتَنِبُوا قَوْلَ الزُّورِ ) إِلَى آخِرِ الآيَةِ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا عِنْدِي أَصَحُّ . وَخُرَيْمُ بْنُ فَاتِكٍ لَهُ صُحْبَةٌ وَقَدْ رَوَى عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَحَادِيثَ وَهُوَ مَشْهُورٌ .
Khuraim bin Fatik Al-Asadi narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) performed the Subh (Fajr)prayer. Then when he turned he got up to stand and said: "O You People! False Witness Is Tantamount To Shirk With Allah."Saying It Three Times, Then He Recited This Ayah And Shun False Speech Until The End Of The Ayah.
[1] Al-Hajj (22:30)Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2300In-book reference : Book 35, Hadith 6English translation : Vol. 4, Book 9, Hadith 2300
