سورة البقرة

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) narrates concerning وَإِن کنتُمْ عَلَی سَفَرٍ وَلَمْ تَجِدُواْ کاتِبًا فَرِهانٌ مَّقْبُوضَةٌ فَإِنْ أَمِنَ بَعْضُکم بَعْضًا [And if you are upon a journey and you do not find a scribe, then (there may be) a security taken into possession; but if one of you trusts another], that he said: that is, he should take a pledge from him; and if he trusted him and did not take a pledge from him, then the one who takes the wealth must be mindful of Allah.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): There is no [reliable and acceptable] pledge except that which is taken [by the depositor from the recipient].

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): The one who takes the wealth [without giving a pledge] must be mindful of Allah.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) used to say: Whoever conceals his testimony, or gives a testimony by which the blood of a Muslim is shed or the wealth of a Muslim is destroyed, on the Day of Resurrection his face will be covered with a darkness stretching as far as the eye can see — wherever the eye looks it sees darkness — and on his face marks and scars of wounds will be seen, and people will recognise him by his name and lineage. And whoever gives a truthful testimony by which he revives the wealth of a Muslim, on the Day of Resurrection [he will come] while his face is covered with a light stretching as far as the eye can see, and all people will know his name and lineage. The Imam (peace be upon him) added: Allah the Mighty and Majestic says: وَ أَقِیمُوا الشَّهادَةَ لِلَّه [Give the testimony for (the pleasure of) Allah].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): وَ مَنْ یَکْتُمْها فَإِنَّهُ آثِمٌ قَلْبُهُ [And whoever conceals it, his heart is surely sinful] means that whoever conceals testimony, his heart is a disbeliever.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Imam Kazim (peace be upon him) said: [Amr addressed Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) and said:] "... I would like to know the major sins according to the verses of the Book of Allah the Mighty and Majestic." The Imam said: "Yes, O Amr! The greatest of the major sins is associating partners with Allah the Mighty and Majestic ... Another of the major sins is false testimony and concealing testimony, for Allah the Mighty and Majestic says: وَ مَنْ یَکْتُمْها فَإِنَّهُ آثِمٌ قَلْبُه [And whoever conceals it, his heart is surely sinful]."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) forbade the concealment of testimony and said: "Whoever conceals it, Allah will feed him his own flesh in the presence of the people [he will chew his own tongue with which he concealed his testimony]." And this is the saying of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, who has said: وَ لا تَکْتُمُوا الشَّهادَةَ وَ مَنْ یَکْتُمْها فَإِنَّهُ آثِمٌ قَلْبُهُ وَ اللهُ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ عَلِیم [And do not conceal testimony, and whoever conceals it, his heart is surely sinful; and Allah knows what you do].