LECTURES By
LLB 3 Years Cell: 5515335, WhatsApp: +923135394700
CHAPTER V
السالمي
مفھوم الغیاب في الفقھ إ
THE CONCEPT OF ABSENCE IN ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENCE:
CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Definition
a. Literal meaning
b. Legal meaning
3. Disputed issue
a. First situation
b. Second Situation
c. Third situation
i. Maliki
ii. Shafi
iii. Hanafi
4. Factors of disagreement
5. Evidence
a. Un Justifying
b. Justifying
6. Review Questions
1
LECTURES By
LLB 3 Years Cell: 5515335, WhatsApp: +923135394700
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter we will try to find out the extent of the legality of eliminating the absentee in
Islamic law, because the principle is the presence of the defendant and the defendant before the
judge, so that each of the parties provides evidence and evidence that confirms the correctness
of his position and his case, through which the judge issues his judgment in the dispute.
However, in many cases, the defendant is absent from the country of judgment (the court) or
abstains from attending the judge, and accordingly, the jurists differed about the possibility of
trying the absentee in that case, based on two opinions.
We will deal the issue in to two ways:
In the first one we clarified what is absent from the judiciary, where we knew what is meant by
the absent and we liberated the place of dispute in the issue, the reason for the disagreement and
its result, and
in the second topic we dealt with the statement of the sayings of the jurists in the matter with a
statement of evidence and discussion, and a statement of the most correct opinion.
DEFINITION OF ABSENTEE
LITERAL MEANING:
َ َُ
د والمصدر غیبا وغیبة وغیبوبة وغیااب خالف شھد َوحضر َ أسم فاعل من الفعل الثالثي" غاب "بمعني ابن و بع: الغائب لغة
َّ َّ َ َ َ َّ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َُ
اب فالن عن ِبالده َسافر َوغابتَ الشمس َوغیرھا غربت واستترت عن العین َوالشيء ِفي الشيء َ َ اب فالن بعد َوغ َ َ یقال غ
َ ُ َ َّ ً َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َُ
من َو َرائھ عیوبھ ال ِتي یسترھا.(غیبة ذكر
َ َ نھ اْلمر خ ِفي وعي فالن أو حسھ غیبوبة فقده َوفال
ن َ ھ َویقال غ
َ اب ع َِ توارى ِفی
َ َُ َ
( ویسوؤه ذكرھا فھ َ َو غائِب
A participle noun from the triple verb “absent” meaning that and after, and the infinitive is
absence, absence, coma, and absence, opposite of witness and present.
In something hidden in it, and it is said that the matter was hidden from him, hidden from
consciousness.
So-and-so or his sense lost him, and so-and-so is absent-minded.
2
LECTURES By
LLB 3 Years Cell: 5515335, WhatsApp: +923135394700
LEGAL MEANING
( َفقد جاء في الروض الندي. السالمي ھو عدم وجود المدعى علیھ ببلد القاضي وقت الترافع
یعنى مفھوم الغیاب في الفقھ إ
َ ) وفي حكمھ المستتر الذي اختفى عن بلد القاضي وتعذر حضوره، ما كان – أي المدعي علیھ – یبعد مسافة قصر عن القاضي
The concept of absence in Islamic jurisprudence means the absence of the defendant in the
judge's country at the time of pleading .
As it is mentioned in Al-Rawd Al-Nada (that - i.e. the defendant - is a short distance from the
judge, and in his concealed ruling he who disappeared from the country of the judge and could
not be present)
بأنھ الخصم المدعي علیھ إاذا كان خارج بلد الحكم( المحكمة )أو حالھ وجوده في بلد( المحكمة )لكنھ ممتنع عن الحضور
٢ ( وتستره.( و إاما لختفائھ، ول یقدر القاضي على إاحضاره إاما لسلطتھ وتعززه،إالیھا
Absentee means that he is the defendant if he is outside the country of the court or if he is in the
country (the court) but he refuses to come to it, and the judge is not able to bring him either
because of his authority and reinforcement of it, or because of his disappearance (and his
concealment).
disputed fact تحریر محل النزاع في المسألة
it can be divided in to three following situations :ل یخلو أمر الغائب من ثالث حالت
أن یكون غائبا عن الحكم حاضرا في مجلسھ: الحالة اْلولى
Defendant was present at haring and absent in the time of decree
فأما القضاء على: " یقول الماوردي،فقد اتفق الفقھاء على عدم جواز القضاء على الغائب عن الحكم الحاضر في مجلسھ
فال یجوز،أن یكون غائبا عن الحكم حاضرا في مجلسھ: أحدھا: الغائب بعد سماع البینة علیھ فال تخلو غیبتھ من ثالثة أحوال
" متفق علیھ و إان اختلف في معناه.( وھذا، و إامضاء الحكم علیھ بعد إاعالمھ،الحكم علیھ إال بعد حضوره
In this case, the jurists agreed that it is impermissible to eliminate the one who is absent from the
ruling present haring.
3
LECTURES By
LLB 3 Years Cell: 5515335, WhatsApp: +923135394700
Mawardi says”decree against absentee while he was present during the hearing is of three
situations. First: One of them is that he is Present in hearing absent at the time of decree. It is not
allowed until he is present, the ruling is signed upon him after he is notified, and this is agreed
upon, although it differed in its meaning “.
. حاضرا في بلده،أن یكون غائبا عن مجلس الحكم: الحالة الثانیة
Defendant is present inside the jurisdiction but absent from the court
وأما، فالشافعیة لھم وجهان في ذلك، ومانع،وأما الحالة الثانیة فقد وقع الختالف فیھا بین الشافعیة والحنابلة بین مجوز
َأن یكون غائبا عن مجلس الحكم: والحال الثالثة...... الحنابلة فال یرون القضاء على الغائب عن مجلس الحكم الحاضر في البلد
َ ١.."( وحاضرا في بلده.(
فال یقضى علیھ قبل حضوره في قول أكثر، أو قریب منھ إاذا لم یمنع من الحضور،فأما الحاضر في البلد: فصل: "وقال ابن قدامة
َ ،أھل العلم
Second: As for the second case, there is difference between the Shafi’is and the Hanbalis that whether it
is permissible or not.
the Shafi'is have two opinion in this case, and as for the Hanbalis, they say it is not permissible to
give judgment in this case. .....
( Ibn Qudaamah said ”As for those who are present in the country, or close to it, if they are not
prevented from Attendance, so it is not permissible to give judgment in their issue until they are
present and this is stance of majority of the jurists., and
the companions of Al-Shafi’i said (In the face of them that he eliminates him in his absence
because he is absent from the country
أن یكون غائبا عن بلد الحكم: الحالة الثالثة
Defendant is out of the jurisdiction of the court
، و إالیھا تنصرف َاْلذھان عند الحدیث عن محاكمة الغائب، فھي محل البحث والدراسة،وأما الحالة الثالثة من أحوال الغائب
على أن ذلك ل،الشارة إالى ضابط الغیبة عن بلد الحكم
وذكر َاختالفھم لبد من إ،وقبل الشروع في بسط أقوال أھل العلم
َ –یتأتى عندَاْلحناف؛ كون المشھور من مذھبھم عدم القضاء على الغائب مطلقا
4
LECTURES By
LLB 3 Years Cell: 5515335, WhatsApp: +923135394700
As for the third case of the absent, it is the subject of the lecture. The fact that the famous principle
of Ahnaf is to not give judgment against an absent at all.
But according to the other school of thought they are not agreed upon and rather they
determine the status of absent except some of statement of from Maliki and Shafi in favour of
judgment against absent person in the court.
From this point the various views come up and some of them are in favour and some are against.
Imam Malik
According to Maliki there are different view with regards to determine the meaning of absent.
As narrated by ibn Rushd”Imam Malik has been asked about the judgement against absent
person and he replied “ as far as loan we will decided and all other matters where there is witness
in favour would be handled against absent “.
According to Qadhi there are three kinds of absent person as under;
a. If the person is not far away he is in distance of two to three days journey then he will be
served notice and he has to appear by himself or through lawyer otherwise court will
decided in case of loan and will sale out his property and pay to the creditors and those who
are under his responsibility without asking any prove.
b. If the person away about ten days journey distance then there will be decision against him
except in the case of entitlement of loan etc but it must be prove here in this case.
c. If the person is totally disappeared then the court will decided all the matters against him with
prove.
Imam Shafi
According to shafi R there is also argument about the decision against absent;
The distance of person will determine on the basis of travel distance as Islamic rule. The travel
distance according to sharia is 72 km. it mean if he is away from such distance then he would be
considered disappeared and court has allowed to complete process against him.
Hanabila is with Imam Shafi in this matter.
5
LECTURES By
LLB 3 Years Cell: 5515335, WhatsApp: +923135394700
Ahnaf
According to Ahnaf it is not allowed to process the case against absent person however he is
away.
Summary
The person absent means the one who is not able to reach to the court because of far distance.
FACTORS OF DISAGREEMENT:
1. This is a matter of ijtihad so everyone has his own intellectual understanding of the issue. The
rules on this issue are not definitive rather probable.
2. The hadith of prophet peace be on him with regard this issue is a hukam or fatwa.. Those who
take them as Hukam they are in favour and those who take them as fatwa they are not in favour.
3. There are not conform rule discussing the issue of absent in the court rather it is an issue of
analogy, every jurist has his own view.
4. The disagreement among the jurists in this matter is actually is a result of another issue and that is
like, is it allowed for the judge to decide the case without listening the opposite party rather base
on evidence and before cross examining the case. Those who are in opinion that it is allowed
they are also say that decision on absent person is allowed and those who are not in favour of it
are in favour of that.
EVIDENCE IN CASE FROM BOTH SIDES:
UN JUSTIFYING EVIDENCE
َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ
َض ل ِأل َّو ِل
َ ِ ال تق
َ ف،ن َ َ اضى الی
ِ ك رجال ِ ِاذا تق: قال لي رسول لله صلى لله علیھ وسلم: ما رواه علي بن أبي طالب رضي لله عنھ قال
ُ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ َ آ َ َ َ َ َ َ َّ َ
َ اض ًیا بع
د ِ تق َ ضي )قال علي( ف َما ِزل
ِ ف تق
َ ف تد ِري كی
َ فسو،م اْلخ ِر
َ ع كالَ حتى تسم
Prophet Peace be on him said”don’t decided between two until you listen to other party because
that is how you know how to decide “.
6
LECTURES By
LLB 3 Years Cell: 5515335, WhatsApp: +923135394700
َ ُ َ َ َّ َ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ ُ َّ َ ٌ َ َ َ َ َ َّ
َل بعضكمَ أن َ ولع،ون ِال َّي
َ صم ِ و ِانكمَ تخت،ن بشر َ ِانما أ: قال،أن رسول لله صلى لله علیھ وسلم: ما روتھ أم سلمة رضي لله عنھا
ً َ َُ ُ َ َ َّ َ ْ َ
ُ َ َ ً َ َ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ََ ُ َ َ َ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ُ َ
َ َ ة ِم
ن َ ھ قِطع
َ علَ ف ِان َما أقط،ال یأخذ
َ ھ شیئا ف َ ِ ھ ِمنَ َح
َِ ق أخِ ی َ تلَ فمنَ قضی،ھ على نح ِ َو ما أسمع ََ ض
َ يل ِ و أق
َ ،ض َِ ن ِبح َّج ِت
ٍ ھ ِمنَ بع َ ون ألح
َ یك
َّ
َِ الن
ار
Prophet peace be on him” I am human being like when you bring your dispute to me, some of
you may be stronger than other in evidence and I decided whatever I listen from you if I decide
and give you something from the right of your brother it is not but a peace of fire of hell.
JUSTIFYING EVIDENCE
From Quran
يايها الذين أمنوا كونوا قوامين شهداء بالقسط لله ولو على أنفسكم أو الوالدين والأقربين
In the Verse Allah is ordering to do justice in any situation
إهلَِّا َما أ َ َخ ْذ ُت همنْ ُھ َو ُھ َو،ان َر ُجل َش هحيح َولَیْ َس يُعْ هطی هني َما ي َ ْك هفی هني َو َول َ هدي َ َ ول ه ض
ِّ َ يَا َر ُس: قالت، أن ھند بنت عتبة،بما روي عن عائشة ر ي لله عنها-
َ َ لل إ َِّهن أبَا ُس ْفي
بهال ْ َمعْر ه،يك وول َ َد هك
ه ه ه
» : وف ُ َ َ فَقال ُخذي َما ي َ ْكف، َ يَعْل َ ُم١لا
Here in this Hadith prophet peace be on him decided the case without the presence of Aba
Sufyan RA. It shows that it is allowed to decide in absence of the other party.
،إجماع الصحابة
فأصبح قد،قد سبق الحاج فأدان معرضا: ألا إن أسيفع أسيفع جهینة قد رضي من دينه وأمانته أن يقال:فقد روي عن عمر بن الخطاب " رضي لله عنھ "أنه قال
. فليحضر غدا؛ لنقسم ماله بینهم بالحصص، فمن كان له عليه دين،دين به
Umar RA Said indeed Asfa from juhiana agree with his loan and trust saying that” The pilgrim
proceed and forwarded debt for those who he owed from, let him come tomorrow; Let us
divide his money among them in shares
ولیس لھ مع انتشار قولھ في: " قال الماوردي، ولم يعلم لھ مخالف،)وقد انتشر ذلك في الصحابة. (٥ وكذلك صح عن عثمان رضي لله عنھ القضاء على الغائب
. الناس مخالف فكان إجماعا
It is proved by the Usman RA that he has decided the case with absent of the next party.
7
LECTURES By
LLB 3 Years Cell: 5515335, WhatsApp: +923135394700
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What is the main concept of decision against absentee in the court القضاء على الغيب
2. Define it literally and legally
3. What are three situations of disputed issue? Discuss them in detail with view of different schools.
4. What are factors of disagreement in the issue?
5. Discuss the evidence from both sides.