The Ruling on False Testimony and Its Expiation
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Question:
Our sister from Libya asks this question, saying: What is the ruling in Islam regarding one who gives false testimony? And what is the expiation for that? And if the witness has repented to Allah and admitted his sin, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
False testimony is among the greatest of major sins and among the greatest of wrongs, and it involves injustice to the one against whom the false testimony is given. Therefore, it is obligatory for every Muslim to be wary of it and to stay away from it, due to the saying of Allah, the Exalted: [Al-Hajj: 30]. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim: Sahih Muslim 88b three times. We said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah! He said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3021Sahih (Darussalam) and he was leaning, so he sat up and said: He kept repeating it until we said: "May he have been silent," meaning: until the Companions said: "May he have been silent," out of consideration for him (peace and blessings be upon him) so as not to burden himself. He repeated it many times to warn against it, because some people are lax in this matter, and perhaps they are given money to testify falsely.
So it is obligatory to be wary, and if one does that, it is obligatory to hasten to repent, and to retract his testimony, and to inform the one against whom the false testimony was given that he has wronged him, and to compensate him for the injustice if he was given a right by his testimony, such as the money taken from him, or to forgive him if he forgives him; there is no harm in that.
The point is that he must rectify what occurred through his false testimony. He must rectify what occurred, if it was money, by returning it to its owner. If it was something else, he must rectify what he is able to of it, along with repentance, and this is part of the completion of repentance. And if it was retaliation (qisas), he must enable them to do so. If he killed a person through false testimony, then the false witnesses must enable the guardians of the murdered person to take their right, because he was killed by their means, or they must give them the blood money (diyah) if they forgive them.
So the point is that the false witness must rectify what occurred through his testimony, along with repentance to Allah, turning back to Him, regretting what has passed from him, and resolving not to return to it. We ask Allah for well-being and safety.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good. O Shaykh: People have also taken the matter of testimony lightly, to the point that some of them consider it a matter of exchanging benefits. Perhaps you have a word on this, Your Eminence.
The Shaykh: This is a great wrong. It is obligatory for the believing man and woman to be wary of that, and not to testify except with the truth of what he knows. He should not testify falsely, even if it is for a friend, or even against an enemy. He should not say: "Testify for me, and I will testify for you." This is a wrong, a great major sin. He should not testify except with what he knows. Allah, the Exalted, said: [Al-Zukhruf: 86].
He must be knowledgeable about what he testifies to, otherwise he should fear Allah and not testify except with what he knows. Even if the one for whom he testifies is a friend, or a relative, or a father, or an uncle, or otherwise, he must fear Allah and watch over his relationship with Allah, so that he does not testify except with what he knows. And Allah is the One to be asked for help. Yes.
The presenter: And Allah is the Helper, may Allah reward you with good.
Our sister from Libya asks this question, saying: What is the ruling in Islam regarding one who gives false testimony? And what is the expiation for that? And if the witness has repented to Allah and admitted his sin, may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
False testimony is among the greatest of major sins and among the greatest of wrongs, and it involves injustice to the one against whom the false testimony is given. Therefore, it is obligatory for every Muslim to be wary of it and to stay away from it, due to the saying of Allah, the Exalted:
So avoid the uncleanliness of idols and avoid false statement,
فَاجْتَنِبُوا الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الأَوْثَانِ وَاجْتَنِبُوا قَوْلَ الزُّورِShould I not inform you about the gravest of the major sins
ألا أنبئكم بأكبر الكبائرThe major sins are associating others with Allah, disobeying the parents
الإشراك بالله، وعقوق الوالدينBeware of false speech, and beware of false testimony
ألا وقول الزور، ألا وشهادة الزورSo it is obligatory to be wary, and if one does that, it is obligatory to hasten to repent, and to retract his testimony, and to inform the one against whom the false testimony was given that he has wronged him, and to compensate him for the injustice if he was given a right by his testimony, such as the money taken from him, or to forgive him if he forgives him; there is no harm in that.
The point is that he must rectify what occurred through his false testimony. He must rectify what occurred, if it was money, by returning it to its owner. If it was something else, he must rectify what he is able to of it, along with repentance, and this is part of the completion of repentance. And if it was retaliation (qisas), he must enable them to do so. If he killed a person through false testimony, then the false witnesses must enable the guardians of the murdered person to take their right, because he was killed by their means, or they must give them the blood money (diyah) if they forgive them.
So the point is that the false witness must rectify what occurred through his testimony, along with repentance to Allah, turning back to Him, regretting what has passed from him, and resolving not to return to it. We ask Allah for well-being and safety.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. May Allah reward you with good. O Shaykh: People have also taken the matter of testimony lightly, to the point that some of them consider it a matter of exchanging benefits. Perhaps you have a word on this, Your Eminence.
The Shaykh: This is a great wrong. It is obligatory for the believing man and woman to be wary of that, and not to testify except with the truth of what he knows. He should not testify falsely, even if it is for a friend, or even against an enemy. He should not say: "Testify for me, and I will testify for you." This is a wrong, a great major sin. He should not testify except with what he knows. Allah, the Exalted, said:
but only those who testify to the truth [can benefit], and they know.
إِلَّا مَنْ شَهِدَ بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَHe must be knowledgeable about what he testifies to, otherwise he should fear Allah and not testify except with what he knows. Even if the one for whom he testifies is a friend, or a relative, or a father, or an uncle, or otherwise, he must fear Allah and watch over his relationship with Allah, so that he does not testify except with what he knows. And Allah is the One to be asked for help. Yes.
The presenter: And Allah is the Helper, may Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.