Deen Track

Hadith 33

hasan

The Burden of Proof

البينة على المدعي

عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم قَالَ: "لَوْ يُعْطَى النَّاسُ بِدَعْوَاهُمْ لَادَّعَى رِجَالٌ أَمْوَالَ قَوْمٍ وَدِمَاءَهُمْ، لَكِنَّ الْبَيِّنَةَ عَلَى الْمُدَّعِي، وَالْيَمِينَ عَلَى مَنْ أَنْكَرَ". حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ، رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيّ، وَغَيْرُهُ هَكَذَا، وَبَعْضُهُ فِي "الصَّحِيحَيْنِ

Translation

On the authority of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Were people to be given everything that they claimed, men would [unjustly] claim the wealth and lives of [other] people. But, the onus of proof is upon the claimant, and the taking of an oath is upon him who denies. A hasan hadeeth narrated by al-Baihaqee and others in this form, and part of it is in the two Saheehs

Narrated by

Abdullah ibn Abbas

عبد الله بن عباس رضي الله عنهما

Source

al-Bayhaqi (part in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)

البيهقي (وبعضه في الصحيحين)

Verify on Sunnah.com

Explanation

This hadith establishes fundamental principles of justice in Islamic courts: the claimant must prove their case, and the defendant swears to their innocence.

Key Lessons

  • 1Claims require evidence
  • 2Denial requires oath
  • 3Justice has clear procedures
  • 4Presumption of innocence exists