Is it permissible to bear witness under oath in court concerning a husband beating his wife, given that the questioner did not witness the beating firsthand but is certain of it due to the wife's cries for help and her actions?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
"The matter of testimony is grave, as it is a legal proof that establishes the truth, and it must be rendered accurately. It is impermissible for a Muslim to bear witness to something they did not see, due to the injustice and sin involved. If you are called to testify, do not bear witness that you saw a beating you did not witness, for merely hearing or an outcry is not sufficient to testify about a beating. Rather, testify only to what you saw and heard. Spouses should live together in kindness, and if not, then separation should be with grace. Beating one's wife unjustly is a great evil."
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/113757
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 113757
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy