Tasamu (testimony by repute and hearsay)

Tasamu is knowledge gained by repeated report or wide repute. Testimony by repute is allowed by agreement in six matters: freeing, descent, death, marriage, patronage and endowment; each school adds to these. ^{1 2}

Tasamu comes from people hearing a thing, and it is what has become known through repetition or repute; people are said to have heard of a thing when it became known among them. ¹

• Ifsha': spreading a report openly or secretly. I'lan: openly saying or doing something with the intent that it spread. Ishhar means the same as i'lan. ^{1 2}

Jurists agree that testimony by repute is allowed in six matters: freeing, descent, death, marriage, patronage and endowment. ² The Hanafis add the dower, consummation with the wife, the appointment of a judge, and what is in a person's hand whose slavery is not known. The Malikis add ownership and possession, the removal of a judge, the praise and impugning of witnesses, a person's conversion or unbelief, his maturity or foolishness, divorce, harm, birth, suckling, brigandage, flight, captivity, disappearance, alms, gifts and the sign for retaliation; al-Dasuqi said there are thirty such matters. ^{2 3} The Shafi'is add ownership in the sounder view. The Hanbalis add absolute ownership, birth, divorce, khul, the endowment and its purpose, and dismissal of a judge. ³

The Hanafis require the knowledge to come from a group who could not agree on a lie, or from two just men; for death one just person suffices. The Hanafis allow it by preference, because such matters are known by seeing and their rulings last for generations. ^{3 4} The Shafi'is require hearing from a group that cannot agree on a lie, without requiring justice in them. The Hanbalis allow testimony where the report is widespread and its truth is settled in the witness's heart. ⁴