Is the statement 'I only know good of him' sufficient for establishing juridical credibility (ta'deel)?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Judiciary
Primary text
The statement 'I only know good of him' is insufficient for establishing the requisite trustworthiness (ta'deel) necessary for bearing witness or testifying. This is the established position of Al-Shafi'i. The reasoning is that the speaker has not explicitly affirmed the person's uprightness (adalah); thus, it does not constitute a valid declaration of trustworthiness, similar to stating, 'I know only good deeds from him' without confirming his overall character integrity.
Supporting text
Abu Yusuf holds that this statement is sufficient for establishing credibility. His reasoning is that if the speaker possesses expertise regarding the person being assessed and reports only positive knowledge of him, then that individual must be considered reliable (adl).