Hadith 23

Sahih Bukhari

Book 52: Witnesses

Chapter 13

The witness of male and female slaves

باب شَهَادَةِ الإِمَاءِ وَالْعَبِيدِ

Anas said, "The witness of a slave is to be trusted, provided he is a just, well-reputed man." Shuraih and Zurara bin Aufa considered it permissible. Ibn Sirin considered the witness of a slave permissible except when in favour of his master. Al-Hasan and Ibrahim considered it permissible in minor matters. Shuraih said, "You are all the sons of slaves and slave-girls."
وَقَالَ أَنَسٌ شَهَادَةُ الْعَبْدِ جَائِزَةٌ إِذَا كَانَ عَدْلاً. وَأَجَازَهُ شُرَيْحٌ وَزُرَارَةُ بْنُ أَوْفَى. وَقَالَ ابْنُ سِيرِينَ شَهَادَتُهُ جَائِزَةٌ، إِلاَّ الْعَبْدَ لِسَيِّدِهِ. وَأَجَازَهُ الْحَسَنُ وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ فِي الشَّيْءِ التَّافِهِ. وَقَالَ شُرَيْحٌ كُلُّكُمْ بَنُو عَبِيدٍ وَإِمَاءٍ.
Sahih al-Bukhari 2659
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَاصِمٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ، عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ،‏.‏ وَحَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُقْبَةُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، أَوْ سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْهُ، أَنَّهُ تَزَوَّجَ أُمَّ يَحْيَى بِنْتَ أَبِي إِهَابٍ قَالَ فَجَاءَتْ أَمَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ فَقَالَتْ قَدْ أَرْضَعْتُكُمَا‏.‏ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَعْرَضَ عَنِّي، قَالَ فَتَنَحَّيْتُ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لَهُ قَالَ ‏ ‏‏.‏ فَنَهَاهُ عَنْهَا‏.‏
"‏ وَكَيْفَ وَقَدْ زَعَمَتْ أَنْ قَدْ أَرْضَعَتْكُمَا ‏"
`Uqba bin Al-Harith:

That he had married Um Yahya bint Abu Ihab. He said. "A black slave-lady came and said, 'I suckled you both.' I then mentioned that to the Prophet (ﷺ) who turned his face aside." `Uqba further said, "I went to the other side and told the Prophet (ﷺ) about it. He said, 'How can you (keep her as your wife) when the lady has said that she suckled both of you (i.e. you and your wife?)" So, the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered him to divorce her.