٦- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ الصَّلْتِ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ قَوْلِ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا شَهادَةُ بَيْنِكُمْ إِذا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ حِينَ الْوَصِيَّةِ اثْنانِ ذَوا عَدْلٍ مِنْكُمْ أَوْ آخَرانِ مِنْ غَيْرِكُمْ قَالَ اللَّذَانِ مِنْكُمْ مُسْلِمَانِ وَاللَّذَانِ مِنْ غَيْرِكُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فَمِنَ الْمَجُوسِ لأنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) سَنَّ فِي الْمَجُوسِ سُنَّةَ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ فِي الْجِزْيَةِ وَذَلِكَ إِذَا مَاتَ الرَّجُلُ فِي أَرْضِ غُرْبَةٍ فَلَمْ يَجِدْ مُسْلِمَيْنِ أَشْهَدَ رَجُلَيْنِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ يُحْبَسَانِ بَعْدَ الصَّلاةِ فَيُقْسِمَانِ بِاللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لا نَشْتَرِي بِهِ ثَمَناً وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَى وَلا نَكْتُمُ شَهَادَةَ اللهِ إِنَّا إِذاً لَمِنَ الآثِمِينَ قَالَ وَذَلِكَ إِذَا ارْتَابَ وَلِيُّ الْمَيِّتِ فِي شَهَادَتِهِمَا فَإِنْ عَثَرَ عَلَى أَنَّهُمَا شَهِدَا بِالْبَاطِلِ فَلَيْسَ لَهُ أَنْ يَنْقُضَ شَهَادَتَهُمَا حَتَّى يَجِي‏ءَ بِشَاهِدَيْنِ فَيَقُومَانِ مَقَامَ الشَّاهِدَيْنِ الأوَّلَيْنِ فَيُقْسِمَانِ بِاللهِ لَشَهَادَتُنَا أَحَقُّ مِنْ شَهَادَتِهِمَا وَمَا اعْتَدَيْنَا إِنَّا إِذاً لَمِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ فَإِذَا فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ نَقَضَ شَهَادَةَ الأوَّلَيْنِ وَجَازَتْ شَهَادَةُ الآخَرَيْنِ يَقُولُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ذلِكَ أَدْنى‏ أَنْ يَأْتُوا بِالشَّهادَةِ عَلى‏ وَجْهِها أَوْ يَخافُوا أَنْ تُرَدَّ أَيْمانٌ بَعْدَ أَيْمانِهِمْ.
6. Muhammad ibn Ahmad has narrated from ibn al-Salt from Yunus ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman from Yahya ibn Muhammad who has narrated the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah , about the meaning of the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘O believing people there must be two just (Muslim) witnesses when anyone of you is about to die or from other people.’ (5:106) Abu ‘Abd Allah , said that in this verse, “‘The two from you”, means two Muslims and “the two from others”, means the people of the book. If two people from the followers of the bible are not found then two Zoroastrians can bear witness. The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, established a Sunnah about Zoroastrians like that for the people of the book in paying al-Jizyah (taxes). Thus, if one dies in loneliness in a strange land and cannot find two Muslims, he can appoint two men from the people of the book who are then kept in custody after Salat (prayer). They will take an oath on Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, saying that they do not sell their oath in exchange for a small price, even in favor of their relatives, that they do not hide the testimony for the sake of Allah; in so doing they will be committing sins.’ He (the Imam) said, ’This applies only when the heirs of the deceased doubt their testimony and it is found out that they have testified falsely. The heir cannot invalidate their testimony without presenting two witnesses who stand in place of the first two witnesses and take the oath on Allah that their testimony is more accurate than the testimony of the first two witnesses; if we transgress, we will be unjust. If this happens then the testimony of the first two becomes invalid and the testimony of the two later witnesses is admitted as valid. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has said, “This will help preserve a proper testimony. The witnesses will be afraid of the rejection of their own testimony by a second pair of witnesses. Have fear of Allah and listen (properly). Allah does not guide the evil doing people.” (5:108)”’ 