If no one else knows that you were the only witness of a severe crime or sin ( rape, murder etc) done by any of the following two against a very poor person.
1. God forbid, if the person is your very close relative ( It can be any memeber of your family and the punishment is expected to be severe )
2. Some dangerous people who could harm you and your whole family if you volunteer to be witness in the court.
If only Allah knows you were the witness.
A. Would you remain quiet and save the life of your close relative in the first case or save your whole family in the second case ?
B. or would you stand for the justice and help the poor and weak person ??
Re: If You Are A Witness Of A Crime Or A Sin, of a very close relative
Legally answer is very complicated depending upon the nature of sin or crime. You questions need to expanded too. e.g. Is person in question caught by authorities ? Is sin is also a crime in the law of land ? What can be after effects of the sin or crime ? & most important of all whats inner conscience of the witness speaks to?
Re: If You Are A Witness Of A Crime Or A Sin, of a very close relative
As I said "only" you are the witness, no one else knows it except the victom. Also no one else knows that you are the witness. So, no one is requesting you to become witness except your "inner voice". Assume, he is not yet caught as the victom knows that the case against him would be very weak due to lack of any witness.
The nature of that sin is considered a severe crime in any society (rape, murder..etc)
Considering the above answer I think the after effects are clear
I didn't get this one. Kindly elaborate a little bit. Just to clarify on the basis of how I have understood it, here I am talking specifically to the readers to put themselves in the position of the witness and reply.
Re: If You Are A Witness Of A Crime Or A Sin, of a very close relative
Since sin is also a crime so lets talk about crime only, because sin has nothing to do with being witness, sin is religious stuff, its been God & victom & sinner.
If murder, victom is dead, of course he knows who killed him. In other cases, 99% chances are that technology is so advanced that its not easy for a criminal to run away easily (unless Pakistan, though things are getting better there), so legally speaking for each crime, many things are counted namely,
1) Wintess
2) Cirumstantial evidence.
3) Victom's statement (unless dead)
4) If at the crime scence Police officials statement.
5) Suspects statements / interviews.
& many more things.
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Considering the above answer I think the after effects are clear
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Witness will of course should put him/herself in victom's shoes & then decide, irrelevant of his/her relationship with criminal, not easy but possible.
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I didn't get this one. Kindly elaborate a little bit. Just to clarify on the basis of how I have understood it, here I am talking specifically to the readers to put themselves in the position of the witness and reply.
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For example, if my relative mistakely (not intentionally, but as a witness I dont know) he comes to me & tells me it was a mistake my inner conscience will automatically will have some sympathy for him.
OR as a second example.
Some said something & we both got angry I stayed quiet because I have more control over my rage then him but before I could stop my relative he fired the pistol & killed the guy & then realised that he didn't want to kill but he was so angry that he couldn't control his rage & now he is regreting (showing remorse etc).
There can be many examples where u cannot actually made a 100% decision what exactly to do.
In most cases I'd rather take my relative myself to authorities & tell them I am the witness but depending upon the intentions of my relative to commit the crime I'll pass on my witness statement. If I can use my brain & know that he commit a severe crime (e.g. murder) but his intentions were not to do so I'd say it in my statement.
Re: If You Are A Witness Of A Crime Or A Sin, of a very close relative
In most cases I'd rather take my relative myself to authorities & tell them I am the witness but depending upon the intentions of my relative to commit the crime I'll pass on my witness statement. If I can use my brain & know that he commit a severe crime (e.g. murder) but his intentions were not to do so I'd say it in my statement.
Rule is simple, hiding a crime is a crime itself.
Well said, though not a very easy step in practical life.
May Allah bless us all with the inner strength to stand for the justice in "all" kind of situations.
Re: If You Are A Witness Of A Crime Or A Sin, of a very close relative
i think most people would be very clear on the point that hiding/supporting a crime is a crime..
but the real question here is
whether to stand up as a witness for the victim
OR
to guard/ensure the wellbeing of your family which could be ur parents, ur kids etc. the closest to you of all
Religously thinking one would say the right thing would be to support the right
i.e. the victim, this is easier when the consequences are held only against you..
however, when the family is involved, its easier said than done..
I am unsure of what the ruling of such a sitution in Islam is.. i.e. protecting ones parents/kids is also ones foremost duty in Islam!
Hazrat Imam Hussain RA, showed us to support the Right even if your family is at stake!
the Cause for his sacrifice was very different to the cause in question here and the consequences of his decision (eitherway) are also very different to the consequences of the event in question here
so anyone who knows what the religious standing here would be, please enlighten
Re: If You Are A Witness Of A Crime Or A Sin, of a very close relative
^ Religiously speaking, as I have been taught, The Prophet (saw) ordered to cut the hands of a women (named fatima, belonging to an influencial family) after she was caught guilty of theft. When, on the request of people of her tribe, a suhabi ( Hazrat Osama (saw), whom the Prophet (saw) loved alot) was sent to request for re-consideration of the decision, the Prophet (saw) replied that I swear by Allah, even if my own daughter fatima (ra) had commited this crime, I would have given her the same punishment.
Also, Hazrat Umar (ra) punished one of his own son to death after he was found guilty of a crime. (I don't remember the crime)
Re: If You Are A Witness Of A Crime Or A Sin, of a very close relative
^ Hmm.. I understand your point.:) Let us see if anyone else is able to come up to a more relevent example or any authentic Islamic source related to the matter
Re: If You Are A Witness Of A Crime Or A Sin, of a very close relative
Allah says in the Quran: Quran 4:135 O ye who believe! Be ye staunch in justice, witnesses for Allah, even though it be against yourselves or (your) parents or (your) relatives, whether (the case be of) a rich man or a poor man, for Allah is nearer unto both (them ye are)....
and he says also: Quran 2:283
*....and do not conceal testimony, and whoever conceals it, his heart is surely sinful; and Allah knows what you do. *
Re: If You Are A Witness Of A Crime Or A Sin, of a very close relative
showing remorse can never be enuff for a case of murder…
the murderer in this case too has to be killed or can be forgiven by the family of the murdered…
during the time of Ali (ra), a man found his wife sleeping with another man and in anger he killed them both…
Ali (ra) ordered the person to be killed in punishment for his crime of murder…
Re: If You Are A Witness Of A Crime Or A Sin, of a very close relative
With time I have realized that doing "Justice" is always easier said than done, specially when it involves close relatives and beloved ones.
May Allah (swt) protect us from such "TESTS" of life, but if HE decides to put us in such a test, than bless us with the courage, wisdom and strength of "Imaan" to be able to take the right decision which pleases Allah (swt). Ameen.
Re: If You Are A Witness Of A Crime Or A Sin, of a very close relative
Well if the life of my family is in danger, i'll think twice b4 becoming a witness, but i won't withdraw from being witness just coz a family member is a criminal.
Re: If You Are A Witness Of A Crime Or A Sin, of a very close relative
one person stays quiet for whatever reason, it becomes a vicious cycle...and it currently is, sadly...ppl only get away with murder/rape/whatever else cuz they know they can based on this weakness of faith...yes, it is indeed weakness of faith...
regardless of who the criminal is (be it someone from ur immediate family), whatever the crime might be, whoever the vicitim might be, and whatever might happen later on (threats again family etc), one should alwayz take a stand for the right thing...
and as i mentioned earlier, if everyone does the right thing, there really would be no repercrussions newayz...
Re: If You Are A Witness Of A Crime Or A Sin, of a very close relative
this is a philosophical dilemma, you presented, brother STP.
it makes very little logical sense. often times standing for the rights is not easy. but it is only integral to do so.
living with a peace of being conscientious is much better than being responsible for a lie.
best,
Dushwari