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The Concept of Witness in the Holy Qur’an
By: Dr. Mohammad Ali Shomali
This paper is based on lecture 12 of a series of lectures delivered by Dr Mohammad Ali Shomali in summer 2004 in Qum.
Abstract
Having a leader and a guide who draws people nearer to righteousness is a blessing and grace of God. The concept of Imamate in Shi‘i Islam deems it necessary to have a guide who will lead the Muslim society after the Prophet’s death by presenting true Islam as well as being a political leader. This guide is appointed by God and possesses qualities of piety, knowledge, wisdom, and infallibility.
Part 4 of this series verified that the Shi‘a understanding of Imamate is compatible with the Qur’an in that God refers to Himself as having rule, governance, sovereignty, and the power to choose, and people are asked to obey Him, the Prophet, and those “vested with authority among the people” (i.e. the infallibles). This part studies the group of verses that refer to the profound concept of witness, including his roles and qualities. According to these verses, there must be a witness amongst every generation of people. The Qur’an indicates that the witness who followed Prophet Muhammad (s) was from him and had knowledge of the Book; these qualities can only be found in Imam Ali (a).
As described in the previous part, in the Qur’an, God refers to Himself as having rule (amr), governance (hukm), full sovereignty (mulk), and the power to choose (ikhtiyar). He is our guardian (wali) and He is to be obeyed (ta‘ah). These attributes ascertain His sole power to choose and legitimize a leader, because He gives it to whomever He pleases. People are asked to obey Him, the Prophet, and those “vested with authority among the people” i.e. the infallibles. These verses without a doubt verify that the Shi‘a understanding of Imamate is compatible with the Qur’an.
Part 1: The Concept of Witness in the Qur’an
According to the Qur’an, the most outstanding groups of people are those upon whom God has bestowed His blessings, and every Muslim at least ten times a day in his prayers asks God to guide him towards their path, the Right Path (1:6 & 7). These groups are four:
 æóãóäú íõØöÚö Çááøóåó æóÇáÑøóÓõæáó ÝóÃõæáóٰÆößó ãóÚó ÇáøóÐöíäó ÃóäúÚóãó Çááøóåõ Úóáóíúåöãú ãöäó ÇáäøóÈöíøöíäó æóÇáøöÏøöíÞöíäó æóÇáÔøõåóÏóÇÁö æóÇáøóÇáöÍöíäó ۚ æóÍóÓõäó ÃõæáóٰÆößó ÑóÝöíÞðÇ 
All who obey God and the messenger are in the company of those on whom is the Grace of God, - of the prophets (who teach), the most truthful, the witnesses (who testify), and the Righteous (who do good): Ah! what a beautiful Fellowship! (4:69)
Thus, the witnesses come in rank in line with the prophets and the most truthful. Indeed, many witnesses were Prophets and all witnesses were undoubtedly truthful. Several verses in the Qur’an refer to who these witnesses are:
æóíóæúãó äóÈúÚóËõ ãöäú ßõáøö ÃõãøóÉò ÔóåöíÏðÇ Ëõãøó áóÇ íõÄúÐóäõ áöáøóÐöíäó ßóÝóÑõæÇ æóáóÇ åõãú íõÓúÊóÚúÊóÈõæäó
One Day We shall raise from all Peoples a Witness: then will no excuse be accepted from Unbelievers, nor will they receive any favours. (16:84)
On the Day of Judgement, when all nations will be brought before Allah, a witness will come from each nation; hence, there is no nation without someone acting as a witness over them. This witness points out the right way and will testify that that divine message was clearly conveyed to all peoples, in addition to the divine signs witnessed in nature. There will then be no room for any excuses. For this reason, the Qur’an says: “No excuse will be accepted from Unbelievers, nor will they receive any favours.” The Qur’an also says:
ÝóßóíúÝó ÅöÐóÇ ÌöÆúäóÇ ãöäú ßõáøö ÃõãøóÉò ÈöÔóåöíÏò æóÌöÆúäóÇ Èößó Úóáóìٰ åóٰÄõáóÇÁö ÔóåöíÏðÇ
So how shall it be, when We bring from every nation a witness and We bring you as a witness to them? (4:41)
æóíóæúãó äóÈúÚóËõ Ýöí ßõáøö ÃõãøóÉò ÔóåöíÏðÇ Úóáóíúåöãú ãöäú ÃóäúÝõÓöåöãú ۖ æóÌöÆúäóÇ Èößó ÔóåöíÏðÇ Úóáóìٰ åóٰÄõáóÇÁö ۚ æóäóÒøóáúäóÇ Úóáóíúßó ÇáúßöÊóÇÈó ÊöÈúíóÇäðÇ áößõáøö ÔóíúÁò æóåõÏðì æóÑóÍúãóÉð æóÈõÔúÑóìٰ áöáúãõÓúáöãöíäó
One day We shall raise from all Peoples a witness against them, from amongst themselves: and We shall bring thee as a witness against these (thy people): and We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things, a Guide, a Mercy, and Glad Tidings to Muslims. (16:89)
Thus, the Qur’an clearly indicates that a witness must be a human being from amongst the people themselves, a witness who understood them and was known to them. This verse also confirms that the Prophet Muhammad (s) will be witness against the people who lived during his mission. He will be a witness against those who believed in him and the Book he brought, and against those who rejected him and his message.
The roles of a witness
The roles and characteristics of witnesses are as follows:
God’s Hujjah
Although hujjah is often translated as a proof or argument, it technically means something or someone that helps you to understand the will of God. Anything or anyone that can be trusted in understanding the will of God or any person is a hujjah. A Hujjah can be used by people to defend their position if they have acted according to him. On the Day of Judgment, both Allah and His servants refer to the hujjah. Allah asks and judges us according to the hujjah He provided us with.
The main hujjah are our intellect (‘aql) and the Prophets (a) who have received divine message for mankind through revelation. Since there must be a hujjah in each age, the Imams are a hujjah after Prophet Muhammad.
Thus, the witnesses are people who can be taken as a hujjah. By looking at them and considering what they do and say, you can have good hujjah to justify your conduct. For example, Allah says:
æóíóæúãó íõäóÇÏöíåöãú ÝóíóÞõæáõ Ãóíúäó ÔõÑóßóÇÆöíó ÇáøóÐöíäó ßõäúÊõãú ÊóÒúÚõãõæäó
æóäóÒóÚúäóÇ ãöäú ßõáøö ÃõãøóÉò ÔóåöíÏðÇ ÝóÞõáúäóÇ åóÇÊõæÇ ÈõÑúåóÇäóßõãú ÝóÚóáöãõæÇ Ãóäøó ÇáúÍóÞøó áöáøóåö æóÖóáøó Úóäúåõãú ãóÇ ßóÇäõæÇ íóÝúÊóÑõæäó
The day He will call out to them and say, ‘Where are My partners that you used to claim’? We shall draw from every nation a witness and say, ‘Produce your evidence’. Then they will know that all reality belongs to God and what they used to fabricate will forsake them. (28:74 & 75)
When Allah asks people regarding what they did and failed to do, He chooses one of them as a witness and asks him to give an account of a) what they were expected to believe and practice, and b) what they actually believed and practiced. In this way, the faults of the wrongdoers and those who have gone astray will be exposed. Thus, the role of a witness is that he serves as a standard in this world and hereafter.
A witness confirms those who lie against Allah
On the Day of Judgment, the witnesses will confirm those who denied the signs of Allah and attributed lies to Him:
æóãóäú ÃóÙúáóãõ ãöãøóäö ÇÝúÊóÑóìٰ Úóáóì Çááøóåö ßóÐöÈðÇ ۚ ÃõæáóٰÆößó íõÚúÑóÖõæäó Úóáóìٰ ÑóÈøöåöãú æóíóÞõæáõ ÇáúÃóÔúåóÇÏõ åóٰÄõáóÇÁö ÇáøóÐöíäó ßóÐóÈõæÇ Úóáóìٰ ÑóÈøöåöãú ۚ ÃóáóÇ áóÚúäóÉõ Çááøóåö Úóáóì ÇáÙøóÇáöãöíäó
Who doth more wrong than those who invent a lie against God. They will be turned back to the presence of their Lord, and the witnesses will say, "These are the ones who lied against their Lord! Behold! the Curse of God is on those who do wrong! (11:18)
Allah says that on the Day of Judgement for both those who have denied divine communications and told lies the witnesses will report the lies they attributed to their Lord.
A witness protects the Divine Book
Another task of witnesses is to protect the Divine Books:
ÅöäøóÇ ÃóäúÒóáúäóÇ ÇáÊøóæúÑóÇÉó ÝöíåóÇ åõÏðì æóäõæÑñ ۚ íóÍúßõãõ ÈöåóÇ ÇáäøóÈöíøõæäó ÇáøóÐöíäó ÃóÓúáóãõæÇ áöáøóÐöíäó åóÇÏõæÇ æóÇáÑøóÈøóÇäöíøõæäó æóÇáúÃóÍúÈóÇÑõ ÈöãóÇ ÇÓúÊõÍúÝöÙõæÇ ãöäú ßöÊóÇÈö Çááøóåö æóßóÇäõæÇ Úóáóíúåö ÔõåóÏóÇÁó ۚ ÝóáóÇ ÊóÎúÔóæõÇ ÇáäøóÇÓó æóÇÎúÔóæúäö æóáóÇ ÊóÔúÊóÑõæÇ ÈöÂíóÇÊöí ËóãóäðÇ ÞóáöíáðÇ ۚ æóãóäú áóãú íóÍúßõãú ÈöãóÇ ÃóäúÒóáó Çááøóåõ ÝóÃõæáóٰÆößó åõãõ ÇáúßóÇÝöÑõæäó
We sent down the Torah containing guidance and light. The prophets, who had submitted, judged by it for the Jews, and so did the rabbis and the scribes, as they were charged to preserve the Book of God and were witnesses to it. So do not fear the people, but fear Me, and do not sell My signs for a paltry gain. Those who do not judge by what God has sent down—it is they who are the faithless. (5:44)
The Prophets who have submitted themselves to Allah ruled or judged the Jews according to the Torah. Afterwards, Allah speaks of the people who were given the task of preserving the Torah - “to them was entrusted the protection of God’s book and they were witnesses thereto.” These people were witnesses upon the Torah: If the Torah was distorted, they will testify on the Day of Judgment as to whether they dutifully maintained the book, or deliberately destroyed it.
Note: Some non-Shi‘a scholars assert that the Prophet (s) was the witness against people of his time and all the future generations until end of this world. However, it can be understood from the Qur’an itself that a witness, in this particular sense, must live with and amongst the people whom he is going to be witness against. According to the Qur’an, when God asks Prophet Jesus (a) whether he told the people to take him and his mother for gods besides God, his answer will be:
ãóÇ ÞõáúÊõ áóåõãú ÅöáøóÇ ãóÇ ÃóãóÑúÊóäöí Èöåö Ãóäö ÇÚúÈõÏõæÇ Çááøóåó ÑóÈøöí æóÑóÈøóßõãú ۚ æóßõäúÊõ Úóáóíúåöãú ÔóåöíÏðÇ ãóÇ ÏõãúÊõ Ýöíåöãú ۖ ÝóáóãøóÇ ÊóæóÝøóíúÊóäöí ßõäúÊó ÃóäúÊó ÇáÑøóÞöíÈó Úóáóíúåöãú ۚ æóÃóäúÊó Úóáóìٰ ßõáøö ÔóíúÁò ÔóåöíÏñ
I did not say to them [anything] except what You had commanded me [to say] “Worship God, my Lord and your Lord.” And I was a witness to them so long as I was among them. But when You had taken me away. You Yourself were watchful over them, and You are witness to all things. (5:117)
Although Jesus (a) did not die, his position as a witness continued only as long as he lived among the people and ended when God raised him and took him away. Thus, there is no way to hold that the Prophet (s) was a witness in this sense for the period after his demise. There must have been a witness after him, and that witness must be followed by another witness; and this continues until end of this world.
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