[Machine] I met one of our scholars from the people of Madinah who stated that the oath should begin with the right hand when it comes to the cases involving a murder committed while the perpetrator was under the influence of alcohol or in a state of doubt. Their opponents do not hold this view. Abu Al-Zinad said that Kharitah bin Zayd informed him that a man from the Ansar was killed while he was intoxicated. Another man hit him with a stick, but there was no conclusive evidence except for a stain or something similar. On that day, amongst the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ and the scholars of the people, there were countless individuals. There was no disagreement among any of them that the witnesses of the murder should swear an oath. They had two options: either to kill the suspect or be shy and embarrassed, so they took fifty oaths and killed him. They would inform that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ decreed that the oath is stronger when it comes to the evidence of stains and doubts than the statement of the opponent. This was witnessed in the case of Suhaybi when he was killed by the Hattabis and in other incidents as well. Ibn Wahb narrated this from Ibn Abi Al-Zinad, and he added that Muawiyah wrote to Sa'id bin Al-'As saying that if what we mentioned is true, then he should make us swear an oath on the murderer and surrender him to us.  

كَانَ مَنْ أَدْرَكْتُ مِنْ فُقَهَائِنَا الَّذِينَ يُنْتَهَى إِلَى قَوْلِهِمْ يَعْنِي مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ يَقُولُونَ يَبْدَأُ بِالْيَمِينِ فِي الْقَسَامَةِ الَّذِينَ يَجِيئُونَ مِنَ الشَّهَادَةِ عَلَى اللَّطْخِ وَالشُّبْهَةِ الْخَفِيَّةِ مَا لَا يَجِيءُ خُصَمَاؤُهُمْ وَحَيْثُ كَانَ ذَلِكَ كَانَتِ الْقَسَامَةُ لَهُمْ قَالَ أَبُو الزِّنَادِ وَأَخْبَرَنِي خَارِجَةُ بْنُ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ أَنَّ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ قَتَلَ وَهُوَ سَكْرَانُ رَجُلًا ضَرَبَهُ بِشَوْبَقٍ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ بَيِّنَةٌ قَاطِعَةٌ إِلَّا لَطْخٌ أَوْ شَبِيهُ ذَلِكَ وَفِي النَّاسِ يَوْمَئِذٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَمِنْ فُقَهَاءِ النَّاسِ مَا لَا يُحْصَى وَمَا اخْتَلَفَ اثْنَانِ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ يَحْلِفَ وُلَاةُ الْمَقْتُولِ وَيَقْتُلُوا أَوْ يَسْتَحْيُوا فَحَلَفُوا خَمْسِينَ يَمِينًا وَقَتَلُوا وَكَانُوا يُخْبِرُونَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَضَى بِالْقَسَامَةِ وَيَرَوْنَهَا لِلَّذِي يَأْتِي بِهِ مِنَ اللَّطْخِ وَالشُّبْهَةِ أَقْوَى مِمَّا يَأْتِي بِهِ خَصْمُهُ وَرَأَوْا ذَلِكَ فِي الصُّهَيْبِيِّ حِينَ قَتَلَهُ الْحَاطِبِيُّونَ وَفِي غَيْرِهِ وَرَوَاهُ ابْنُ وَهْبٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ وَزَادَ فِيهِ أَنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ كَتَبَ إِلَى سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْعَاصِ إِنْ كَانَ مَا ذَكَرْنَا لَهُ حَقًّا أَنْ يُحْلِفَنَا عَلَى الْقَاتِلِ ثُمَّ يُسَلَّمَ إِلَيْنَا