Do Women Make Reliable Witnesses in Islam?

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

It is a myth that women make less reliable witnesses according to the Qur’an or the ahadits.  We can cite two main reasons for this: terrible translations, and ingrained misogyny.  Furthermore, the problem is primarily literal translations without context, and understanding the circumstances of the narration in relation to related ones to discern the Prophetic intent.  One of our problems with translations of the Qur’an, ahadits, indeed much of the material of the religious sciences, is that translators may have facility in both languages, but that does not mean they have facility with literary and rhetorical devices, or some mastery of the actual religious science.  Good translations are difficult to find, and may translations are rubbish. 

For example, consider hadits 826 from Swahih al-Bukhari: 

حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي زَيْدٌ، عَنْ عِيَاضِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ أَلَيْسَ شَهَادَةُ الْمَرْأَةِ مِثْلَ نِصْفِ شَهَادَةِ الرَّجُلِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قُلْنَا بَلَى‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَذَلِكَ مِنْ نُقْصَانِ عَقْلِهَا ‏"‏‏.‏ 

This is the oft used translation, by the Wahhabi, Muhammad Muhsin Khan.  Discounting the chains in the text above, the matn, text, is that Sayyidina Abu Sa’id Sa’id ibn Malik al-Khazraji al-Khudri (r.a.) narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Is not the witness of a woman equal to half of that of a man?” 

The women said, “Yes.” 

He said, “This is because of the deficiency of a woman’s mind.” 

The Arabic is fadzalika min nuqswan ‘aqlihaa, which should be translated as, “That is owing to her lack of understanding.”  “‘Aql” is not merely the mind.  Whilst the definition of mind varies greatly, including the higher cognitive functions, within a literary context, it is taken to mean innate ability.  On the other hand, to understand the concept of ‘aql here, we look at what the Qur’an Itself Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ الرُّوم

وَمِنۡ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ يُرِيڪُمُ ٱلۡبَرۡقَ خَوۡفً۬ا وَطَمَعً۬ا وَيُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً۬ فَيُحۡىِۦ بِهِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِهَآ‌ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٲلِكَ لَأَيَـٰتٍ۬ لِّقَوۡمٍ۬ يَعۡقِلُونَ (٢٤) 

And among His Signs, He Shows you the lightning, by way both of fear and of hope, and He Sends down rain from the sky and with it Gives life to the earth after it is dead: verily in that are Signs for those who are wise. (Surah ar-Rum:24) 

سُوۡرَةُ الجَاثیَة

وَٱخۡتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّہَارِ وَمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مِن رِّزۡقٍ۬ فَأَحۡيَا بِهِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِہَا وَتَصۡرِيفِ ٱلرِّيَـٰحِ ءَايَـٰتٌ۬ لِّقَوۡمٍ۬ يَعۡقِلُونَ (٥) 

And in the alternation of night and day, and the fact that Allah Sends Down Sustenance from the sky, and Revives therewith the earth after its death, and the change of the winds - are Signs for those that are wise. (Surah al-Jatsiyah:5) 

The term used in both verses is “liqawmin ya’qilun”.  These are verses meant for a general audience, which includes women.  As such, we have to reconsider the use of “‘aql” in the hadits as well.  Since any person can recognise Allah (s.w.t.) from His Signs, we can conclude that is learned behaviour, as we grow from one stage of realisation to another.  And this includes women, since to claim otherwise would be to claim that women have an inability to acquire taqwa’, Divine cognisance. 

The implication of the Muhammad Muhsin Khan translation, on the other hand, is that women are deficient of mind, and will always be so.  That notion, in itself , is contradicted by the sirah, as seen through other ahadits.  In Swahih al-Bukhari, this is found in ahadits 827 and 828. 

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 ‏ 

Sayyidina Abu Saru’ah ‘Uqbah ibn al-Harits (r.a.) said that he had married Sayyidatina Umm Yahya bint Abu Ihab (r.a.).  He said, “A black slave-lady came and said, ‘I suckled both of you.’  I then mentioned that to the Prophet (s.a.w.) who turned his face aside.” 

Sayyidina ‘Uqbah (r.a.) then said, “I went to the other side. and told the Prophet (s.a.w.) about it.  He said, ‘How can you stay married, when the lady has said that she suckled both of you.’”  So, the Prophet (s.a.w.) ordered him to divorce her. 

The woman was a black slave.  She was a woman, she was black, and she was a slave.  And yet, the Prophet (s.a.w.) accepted her testimony, meaning that she was enough as a witness in a matter that lead to the dissolution of marriage, which is a serious matter. 

Another example is hadits 2661, also from Swahih al-Bukhari.  This hadits is about seven page long in the format I use for Arabic, so I will not reproduce the text here.  We will consider the relevant portions of it.  This hadits concerns the slander of Sayyidatina ‘Aishah bint Abu Bakr (r.a.). 

Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib (k.w.), in the presence of Sayyidina Usamah ibn Zayd (r.a.), said, “O Messenger of Allah!  Allah has not put restrictions on you, and there are many women other than her; yet you may ask the young woman and she will tell you the truth.” 

On that, the Prophet (s.a.w.), called Sayyidatina Burayrah (r.a.) and asked her, “O Burayrah!  Did you ever see anything, which raised your suspicion?” 

Sayyidatina Burayrah said (r.a.), “No.  By Allah who has Sent you with the Truth, I have never seen anything wrong in her except that she is young, and sometimes sleeps after having kneaded the dough, and the goat comes and eats it.” 

On that day itself, the Prophet (s.a.w.) stood up to give the khuthbah, and asked the people to support him against the hypocrite who raised the slander, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Who will support me against that person who has hurt me in the matter of my family?  By Allah, I know nothing but good about my family, and they have accused a man about whom I know nothing except good, and he never entered my house except in my company.” 

Sayyidatina Burayrah (r.a.), or in some other narrations, Sayyidatina Barirah (r.a.), was a freed slave woman.  She had been freed by Sayyidatina ‘Aishah (r.a.) herself, and was her companion.  She was also black, and yet, the Prophet (s.a.w.) accepted her testimony on a matter of such import. 

These ahadits do not contradict the Qur’an.  We consider this verse: 

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا تَدَايَنتُم بِدَيۡنٍ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ۬ مُّسَمًّ۬ى فَٱڪۡتُبُوهُ‌ۚ وَلۡيَكۡتُب بَّيۡنَكُمۡ ڪَاتِبُۢ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِ‌ۚ وَلَا يَأۡبَ كَاتِبٌ أَن يَكۡتُبَ ڪَمَا عَلَّمَهُ ٱللَّهُ‌ۚ فَلۡيَڪۡتُبۡ وَلۡيُمۡلِلِ ٱلَّذِى عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡحَقُّ وَلۡيَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ رَبَّهُ ۥ وَلَا يَبۡخَسۡ مِنۡهُ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا‌ۚ فَإِن كَانَ ٱلَّذِى عَلَيۡهِ ٱلۡحَقُّ سَفِيهًا أَوۡ ضَعِيفًا أَوۡ لَا يَسۡتَطِيعُ أَن يُمِلَّ هُوَ فَلۡيُمۡلِلۡ وَلِيُّهُ ۥ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِ‌ۚ وَٱسۡتَشۡہِدُواْ شَہِيدَيۡنِ مِن رِّجَالِڪُمۡ‌ۖ فَإِن لَّمۡ يَكُونَا رَجُلَيۡنِ فَرَجُلٌ۬ وَٱمۡرَأَتَانِ مِمَّن تَرۡضَوۡنَ مِنَ ٱلشُّہَدَآءِ أَن تَضِلَّ إِحۡدَٮٰهُمَا فَتُذَڪِّرَ إِحۡدَٮٰهُمَا ٱلۡأُخۡرَىٰ‌ۚ وَلَا يَأۡبَ ٱلشُّہَدَآءُ إِذَا مَا دُعُواْ‌ۚ وَلَا تَسۡـَٔمُوٓاْ أَن تَكۡتُبُوهُ صَغِيرًا أَوۡ ڪَبِيرًا إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلِهِۦ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكُمۡ أَقۡسَطُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَأَقۡوَمُ لِلشَّہَـٰدَةِ وَأَدۡنَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَرۡتَابُوٓاْ‌ۖ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَ تِجَـٰرَةً حَاضِرَةً۬ تُدِيرُونَهَا بَيۡنَڪُمۡ فَلَيۡسَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ جُنَاحٌ أَلَّا تَكۡتُبُوهَا‌ۗ وَأَشۡهِدُوٓاْ إِذَا تَبَايَعۡتُمۡ‌ۚ وَلَا يُضَآرَّ كَاتِبٌ۬ وَلَا شَهِيدٌ۬‌ۚ وَإِن تَفۡعَلُواْ فَإِنَّهُ ۥ فُسُوقُۢ بِڪُمۡ‌ۗ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ‌ۖ وَيُعَلِّمُڪُمُ ٱللَّهُ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِڪُلِّ شَىۡءٍ عَلِيمٌ۬ (٢٨٢) 

O you who believe!  When you deal with each other, in transactions involving future obligations in a fixed period of time, reduce them to writing.  Let a scribe write: down faithfully as between the parties: let not the scribe refuse to write as Allah has Taught him, so let him write.  Let him who incurs the liability dictate, but let him fear Allah, his Lord Allah and not diminish aught of what he owes.  If the party liable is mentally deficient, or weak, or unable himself to dictate, let his guardian dictate faithfully.  And get two witnesses, out of your own men.  And if there are not two men, then a man and two women, such as you choose, for witnesses, so that if one of them errs, the other can remind her.  The witnesses should not refuse when they are called on (for evidence).  Disdain not to reduce to writing (your contract) for a future period, whether it be small or big: it is more just in the Sight of Allah, more suitable as evidence, and more convenient to prevent doubts among yourselves; but if it be a transaction which you carry out on the spot among yourselves, there is no blame on you if you reduce it not to writing.  But take witnesses whenever you make a commercial contract; and let neither scribe nor witness suffer harm.  If you do (such harm) it would be wickedness in you.  So fear Allah; for it is Allah that Teaches you. And Allah is Well Acquainted with all things. (Surah al-Baqarah:282) 

When the verse about two female witnesses was revealed in Surah al-Baqarah, the Muslim community had just begun in Madina.  This was an early Madinan Revelation, in a time when the women were in the process of being emancipated from their ignorance and subservience to men.  Islam gave them the right to their own wealth, their own legal person in the sight of the law, and the right to an education. 

We contrast this with the Divine Affirmation of Sayyidatina ‘Aishah’s (r.a.) innocence, and thus, the acceptance of women as equal witnesses to men: 

سُوۡرَةُ النُّور

لَّوۡلَآ إِذۡ سَمِعۡتُمُوهُ ظَنَّ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتُ بِأَنفُسِہِمۡ خَيۡرً۬ا وَقَالُواْ هَـٰذَآ إِفۡكٌ۬ مُّبِينٌ۬ (١٢) لَّوۡلَا جَآءُو عَلَيۡهِ بِأَرۡبَعَةِ شُہَدَآءَ‌ۚ فَإِذۡ لَمۡ يَأۡتُواْ بِٱلشُّہَدَآءِ فَأُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ هُمُ ٱلۡكَـٰذِبُونَ (١٣) وَلَوۡلَا فَضۡلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَرَحۡمَتُهُ ۥ فِى ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأَخِرَةِ لَمَسَّكُمۡ فِى مَآ أَفَضۡتُمۡ فِيهِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ (١٤) إِذۡ تَلَقَّوۡنَهُ ۥ بِأَلۡسِنَتِكُمۡ وَتَقُولُونَ بِأَفۡوَاهِكُم مَّا لَيۡسَ لَكُم بِهِۦ عِلۡمٌ۬ وَتَحۡسَبُونَهُ ۥ هَيِّنً۬ا وَهُوَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ عَظِيمٌ۬ (١٥) وَلَوۡلَآ إِذۡ سَمِعۡتُمُوهُ قُلۡتُم مَّا يَكُونُ لَنَآ أَن نَّتَڪَلَّمَ بِہَـٰذَا سُبۡحَـٰنَكَ هَـٰذَا بُہۡتَـٰنٌ عَظِيمٌ۬ (١٦) يَعِظُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ أَن تَعُودُواْ لِمِثۡلِهِۦۤ أَبَدًا إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ (١٧) وَيُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأَيَـٰتِ‌ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ (١٨) إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَن تَشِيعَ ٱلۡفَـٰحِشَةُ فِى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ۬ فِى ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱلۡأَخِرَةِ‌ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ وَأَنتُمۡ لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ (١٩) 

Why did not the believers, men and women, when you heard of the affair ―  put the best construction on it in their own minds, and say, “This (charge) is an obvious lie”?  Why did they not bring four witnesses, to prove it?  When they have not brought the witnesses such men in the Sight of Allah, (stand forth) themselves as liars!  Were it not for the Grace and Mercy of Allah on you, in this world and the Hereafter, a grievous penalty would have seized you in that you rushed glibly into this affair.  Behold, you received it on your tongues and said out of your mouths things of which you had no knowledge; and you thought it to be a light matter, while it was most serious in the Sight of Allah.  And why did you not when you heard it say, “It is not right of us to speak of this: Glory to Thee (our Lord)!  This is a most serious slander!”?  Allah Doth Admonish you, that you may never repeat such (conduct) if you are (true) believers.  And Allah Makes the Signs Plain to you: for Allah is Full of Knowledge and Wisdom.  Those who love (to see) scandal published broadcast among the believers, will have a grievous penalty in this life and in the Hereafter: Allah Knows and you know not. (Surah an-Nur:12-19) 

Finally, it should also be pointed out that Muhsin Khan translated the word “jariyah” as “woman-servant”.  The word, “jariyah” simply means a young woman or girl.  Sayyidatina Barirah (r.a.) was neither a slave nor a servant then.  She had been freed by Sayyidatina ‘Aishah (r.a.).  The Prophet (s.a.w.) and his family kept no slaves.  The word “jariyah” occurs three times in hadits 829, referring to Sayyidatina ‘Aishah (r.a.) herself. 

This should be enough to demolish the argument that women are not half the witnesses men are.  It has been more than 1,400 years, but fiqh has yet to catch up with the realities of the world for most Muslims.