52. Witnesses
٥٢۔ كتاب الشهادات
A man displayed some goods in the market and took a false oath that he had been offered so much for them though he was not offered that amount Then the following Divine Verse was revealed:-- "Verily! Those who purchase a little gain at the cost of Allah's covenant and their oaths . . . Will get painful punishment." (3.77) Ibn Abu ʿAufa added, "Such person as described above is a treacherous Riba eater (i.e. eater of usury).
وَقَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي أَوْفَى النَّاجِشُ آكِلُ رِبًا خَائِنٌ
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever takes a false oath in order to grab another man's (or his brother's) property, then Allah will be angry with him when he will meet him." Then Allah confirmed this by revealing the Divine Verse: "Verily! Those who purchase a little gain at the cost of Allah's Covenant and their oaths . . . Will get painful punishment." (3.77) Al-Ash'ath met me and asked, "What did ʿAbdullah tell you today?" I said, "So and so." He said, "The Verse was revealed regarding my case."
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ مَنْ حَلَفَ عَلَى يَمِينٍ كَاذِبًا لِيَقْتَطِعَ مَالَ رَجُلٍ أَوْ قَالَ أَخِيهِ لَقِيَ اللَّهَ وَهْوَ عَلَيْهِ غَضْبَانُ وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَصْدِيقَ ذَلِكَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَشْتَرُونَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ وَأَيْمَانِهِمْ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلاً} الآيَةَ فَلَقِيَنِي الأَشْعَثُ فَقَالَ مَا حَدَّثَكُمْ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ الْيَوْمَ قُلْتُ كَذَا وَكَذَا قَالَ فِيَّ أُنْزِلَتْ