What is the status of testimony from a single, trustworthy woman regarding matters of childbirth, menstruation, waiting period (Iddah), and similar issues?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Testimonies
Primary text
The testimony of a single, trustworthy woman is accepted regarding childbirth, menstruation, the completion of the waiting period, and similar matters. Scholars generally agree on the admissibility of the testimony of individual women in certain contexts.
Supporting text
The acceptable specific contexts for the testimony of individual women include childbirth, the infant's cry (Istihlal), suckling (Rada'ah), concealed defects such as imperforate hymen (Ratq), growths (Qarn), virginity, previous cohabitation (Thiyabah), leprosy (Baras), and the conclusion of the Iddah. Abu Hanifa notably rejected the admissibility of their individual testimony regarding suckling because it is a matter that male Mahrams might observe, analogizing it to marriage which requires male testimony.