There are 160 instances of shahida and its derived forms classified into 9 different forms based on grammatical forms as shown in the table below, while 53 instances in the verb form found in 49 verses are described below:
Note: The above table is populated with data obtained from the corpus.quran.com.
Details of instances of shahida
There are 44 instances of shahida in the verb form I meaning “to testify/to bear witness” in the Quran found in 39 verses across 22 Surahs, which are detailed out below:
[2:84] And when we have taken your covenant, “You do not shed your blood, nor do you evict yourselves from your homes. Then you had accepted, while you bear witness (thumma aq’rartum wa-antum tashhaduuna).”
[2:185] Ramadan which is a month, has been revealed in it the Quran as a guidance for mankind, clear proofs of the guidance and the statute book; so, whoever among you has witnessed the month (fa-man shahida minkumu al-shahra), then he should fast in it, and whoever has been ill or on a journey then the prescribed number from other days, God wishes ease for you and He does not wish hardship for you, and that you may complete the prescribed number; and that you may glorify God through which He has guided you, and that you may appreciate.
[3:18] God has borne witness that (shahida allahu annahu) there is no god except He, and (so has done) the angels and possessors of the knowledge established with the justice: there is no god except He, the Almighty, the Wise.
[3:52] Then when Jesus has perceived the disbelief from them he said, “Who are my helpers to God?” The disciples said, “We are God’s helpers; we have believed in God, and bear (Jesus) witness of that we are submitters (wa-ish’had bi-annaa mus’limuuna).”
[3:64] Say, “O people of the scripture, come to a fair agreement between ourselves and between yourselves that we do not worship except God, nor do we associate partner anything with Him, nor does one of us to other take as lords other than God.” Then if they have turned away, then say, “You shall bear witness of that we are submitters (ish’haduu bi-annaa mus’limuuna).”
[3:70] O people of the scripture, why do you deny in God’s revelations, while you bear witness (wa-antum tashhaduuna)?
[3:81] And when God has taken a covenant of the prophets: “Surely, what I have given you from scripture and wisdom, then has come to you a messenger confirming that which is with yourselves. You must believe in him and you must support him.” He said: “Have you affirmed and taken My covenant on that?” They said: “We have affirmed.” He said: “So, you shall bear witness (fa-ish’haduu), and I am with you among the witnesses.”
[3:86] How should God guide a people who have disbelieved after their believing and have witnessed that the messenger is truth (wa-shahiduu anna al-rasuula haqqun), and has come to them the clear proofs? And God does not guide the wicked people.
[4:15] And those who commit the adultery among your women, then you shall call to witness against them four from you; then if they have borne witness (fa-in shahiduu), then you shall confine them in their houses until the death comes to them, or God makes a way for them.
[4:166] But God bears witness of what He has revealed to you (Muhammad) (laa-kini allahu yash’hadu bimaa anzala ilayka); He has revealed it with His knowledge, and the angels bear witness (wal-malaaikatu yash’haduuna). And God has sufficed as a Witness.
[5:111] And when I had inspired to the disciples that you shall believe in Me and My messenger. They said, “We have believed; and bear (God) witness of that indeed, we are submitters (wa-ish’had bi-annaa mus’limuuna).”
[6:19] Say, “Which thing is greatest in testimony?” Say, “God is a Witness between me and you; and has been revealed to me this – the Quran that I may warn you with it and whoever it reaches. Do you indeed, surely testify that with God there are other gods (a’innakum la’tash’haduuna anna ma`a allahi aalihatan ukh’raa)?” Say, “I do not testify (laa-ash’hadu).” Say, “He is only One god, and indeed, I am innocent of what you associate.”
[6:130] O group of the jinn and the human, did not come to you messengers from you to narrate My revelations to you, and to warn you this, a meeting of your day? They said, “We have borne witness against ourselves (shahidnaa `alaa anfusanaa).” And has deluded them the life of the world, and they have borne witness against themselves (wa-shahiduu `alaa anfusihim) that they had been disbelievers.
[6:150] Say: “You shall bring forth your witnesses – those who bear witness that God has forbidden this.” Then if they have borne witness (fa-in shahiduu), then you do not bear witness with them (fa-laa-tash’had), nor do you follow desires of those who have denied in our revelations, and those who do not believe in the Hereafter; while they make equals with their Lord!
[7:37] Then who is more evil than whoever has invented a lie about God, or has denied in His revelations? Those – there reaches them their portion of the record until when has come to them our messengers (angels) to take them in death, they said, “Where is whomever you have done to invoke other than God?” They said, “They have strayed from us,” and they have borne witness against themselves that they have been disbelievers (wa-shahiduu `alaa anfusihim annahum kaanuu kaafireena).
[7:172] And when your Lord had taken from children of Adam of their backs – their descendants, and had made them to bear witness over themselves: “Am I not of your Lord?” They said, “Yes, we have borne witness (balaa shahid’naa).” Lest you cannot say on a Day of the Resurrection: “indeed, we have been unaware of this.”
[9:107] And those who have taken masjid for having harm and disbelief, and division among the believers, and as a station for whoever has warred against God and His messenger before; while surely, they swear: “We have not intended except the good,” and God bears witness that indeed, they are surely liars (wal-lahu yash’hadu innahum la’khaadhibuuna) .
[11:54] “We do not say except that some of our gods have seized you (Hud) with evil.” He (Hud) said, “Indeed, I call God to witness, and you shall bear witness that I am free of what you associate (wa-ish’haduu anni-i bareeon mimmaa tush’rikuuna).
[12:26] He (Yusuf) said, “She had sought to seduce me from myself.” And a witness from her family had borne witness (wa-shahida shaahidan min ah’lihaa): “If it has been his shirt has been torn from the front, then she has told truth, and he is with the liars.
[12:81] Go back to your father, then say, ‘O our father, indeed, your son has stolen, and we have not borne witness except of what we had known (wa-maa shahid’naa illaa bimaa `alim’naa), nor have we been protectors of the unseen.
[21:61] And they said, “So, bring him (Ibrahim) before the eyes of the people so that they may bear witness (la`allahum yash’haduuna).”
[22:28] That they may witness benefits for them (li’yash’haduu manaafi`a lahum). and may remember God’s name on known days over what He has provided them with the four-footed livestock. That you shall eat from it and shall feed the deprived needy.
[24:2] The adulteress and the adulterer that you shall whip each one of them a hundred-lash. And let not withhold you a pity for them in God’s religion if you have been to believe in God and the Last Day, and let witness their punishment a group of the believers (wal-yash’had `adhaabahumaa taaifatun mina al-mu’mineena).
[24:8] And she would prevent the punishment from her that she bears witness by God four testimonies (times) (an tashhada arba`a shahaadaatin) that he is surely, of the liars.
[24:24] On a day, will bear witness against them (tash’hadu `alayhim) of their tongues, and their hands, and their feet for what they have done to accomplish.
[25:72] And those who do not bear witness to the falsehood (wa-alladheena laa-yash’haduuna al-zuura), and when they had encountered with the vain talk, they encountered as dignified ones.
[27:32] She (Sheba) said, “O advisers, advise me in this matter. I have not been a decider of a matter until you present opinion to me (hatta tash’haduuni).”
[27:49] They (nine gangsters) said, “Swear by God: surely, we will attack him (Saleh) by night and his people, then surely, we will tell his tribe – we have not witnessed a destruction of his family (maa- shahid’naa mahlika ah’lihi); indeed, we are truthful ones.”
[36:65] Today we seal their mouths; and will speak to us their hands, and will bear witness their feet ( wa-tash’hadu arjuluhum) of what they had done to earn.
[41:20] Until when they have come to it (Hell), has borne witness against them (shahida `alayhim) their hearing, and their sight, and their skins to what they have done to accomplish.
[41:21] And they said to their skins, “Why have you borne witness against us (lima shahiditum `alaynaa)?” They said , “God has made us speak; He is the One who has made everything speak, and He has created you the first time and to Him you will be returned.”
[41:22] And you had not done to cover yourselves lest bear witness against you (an yash’hada `alaykum) your hearing, nor your vision, nor your skins, but you had thought that God does not know much of what you do.
[43:19] And they have made the angels females, those who – they are servants of the Gracious, Have they witnessed their creation (a’shahiduu khalqahum)? Their witness will be recorded, and they will be questioned.
[43:86] And those whom they call other than Him do not possess power of the intercession, except who has testified with the truth (illaa man shahida bil-haqqi), while they know.
[46:10] Say, “Have you seen if it has been from God and you have disbelieved in it, and has testified a witness (wa-shahida shaahidun) from Children of Israel to the like of it, then he has believed, while you have turned arrogant? Indeed, God does not guide the wicked people.”
[59:11] Do you not see to those who have committed hypocrisy saying to their brothers those who have disbelieved among a people of the scripture, “Surely, if you had been expelled, surely, we would leave with you, and we will not obey anyone ever among you, and if you had been fought, certainly, we would help you.” And God bears witness that they are surely liars (wa-allahu yash’hadu innahum la’khaadhibuuna).
[63:1] When has come to you the hypocrites they have said, “We bear witness that you are surely a messenger of God (nash’hadu innaka la’rasuulu allahi).” And God knows that you are surely His messenger, and God bears witness that the hypocrites are liars (wa-allahu yash’hadu inna la’kaadhibuuna).
[83:21] He (God) will witness it of those who are brought near (yash’haduhu al-muqarabuuna) .
Details of instances of ash’hada
There are 7 instances of ash’hada in the verb form VI meaning “to make to bear witness” in the Quran found in 7 verses across 7 Surahs, which are detailed out below:
[2:204] And from the people whoever pleases you with his word in the life of the world, even he calls God to witness on what is in his heart (wa-yush’hidu allahu `alaa maa fee qalbihi), while he is a most quarrelsome of the opponent ones.
[2:282] O you who have believed when you have contracted with one another of a debt for a fixed term, then you shall write it. And let a scribe write between you with the justice. And a scribe shall not refuse to write as God has taught him. So let him write and let the one on him is the right dictate and let him fear God, his Lord, and do not diminish anything from it. Then if the one on him is the right has been limited knowledge, or weak or he is not able to dictate, then let dictate his guardian with the justice. And you shall call to witness two witnesses from your men. And if there are not two men, then a man and two women from whoever you have agreed of the witnesses that one of the two errs, then the other of the two will remind, and cannot refuge the witnesses when as they have been called. And do not tire as you write it for its term whether small or large. That is more just with God and is more uprightness for the testimony and is better that you do not doubt, except that a transaction you carry out among you will be on the spot, then there is no sin on you that do not write it. And you shall make to witness (wa-ash’hiduu) when you have made business transaction. And neither a scribe nor a witness will be harmed, and if you do, then indeed, it is an evil conduct for you, while you shall fear God. And God teaches you and God is Knower of everything.
[4:6] And the orphans shall be tested until when they have reached an age of the marriage, then if you have deemed in them sound judgment, then you shall handover their wealth to them, and do not consume it in extravagance and haste that they will grow up. And whoever has been rich he shall refrain, but whoever has been poor, then he shall consume (a portion of it) in a fair manner. So when you have handed over their wealth to them, then you shall make to witness on them (fa-ash’hiduu `alayhim). And it has been sufficed with God as a Reckoner.
[7:172] And when your Lord had taken from children of Adam of their backs – their descendants, and had made them to bear witness over themselves (wa-ash’hadahum `alaa anfusihim): “Am I not of your Lord?” They said, “Yes, we have borne witness.” Lest you cannot say on a Day of the Resurrection: “indeed, we have been unaware of this.
[11:54] “We do not say except that some of our gods have seized you (Hud) with evil.” He (Hud) said, “Indeed, I call God to witness (inni-i ush’hidu allaha), and you shall bear witness that I am free of what you associate.
[18:51] I have not made them to bear witness (maa ash’hadttuhum) to the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor the creation of themselves, nor have I been One to take help of the misleaders.
[65:2] So when they have reached their term, then you may retain them in a fair manner, or they shall be separated in a fair manner, and shall make to bear witness of two just men from you (wa-ash’hiduu dhaway `adlin min’kum), and establish the testimony of God. That is instructed with it whoever has been to believe in God and the Last Day; and whoever fears God, He will make a way out for him.
Details of instances of is’tash’hidu
There are 2 instances of is’tash’hidu in the verb form X meaning “to call to witness” in the Quran found in 2 verses across 2 Surahs, which are detailed out below:
[2:282] O you who have believed when you have contracted with one another of a debt for a fixed term, then you shall write it. And let a scribe write between you with the justice. And a scribe shall not refuse to write as God has taught him. So let him write and let the one on him is the right dictate and let him fear God, his Lord, and do not diminish anything from it. Then if the one on him is the right has been limited knowledge, or weak or he is not able to dictate, then let dictate his guardian with the justice. And you shall call to witness two witnesses from your men (wa-is’tash’hiduu shahaadaatin min rijaalikum) . And if there are not two men, then a man and two women from whoever you have agreed of the witnesses that one of the two errs, then the other of the two will remind, and cannot refuge the witnesses when as they have been called. And do not tire as you write it for its term whether small or large. That is more just with God and is more uprightness for the testimony and is better that you do not doubt, except that a transaction you carry out among you will be on the spot, then there is no sin on you that do not write it. And you shall make to witness when you have made business transaction. And neither a scribe nor a witness will be harmed, and if you do, then indeed, it is an evil conduct for you, while you shall fear God. And God teaches you and God is Knower of everything.
[4:15] And those who commit the adultery among your women, then you shall call to witness against them four from you (fa-is’tash’hiduu `alayhinna arba`atan min’kum); then if they have borne witness, then you shall confine them in their houses until the death comes to them, or God makes a way for them.
In brief, the review of 53 instances in the Quran confirm that there is no god except God and God Himself has borne witness of that. The disbelievers will bear witness that they have been disbelievers in two times: at the time of their death and on a day when they will meet their Lord, and their hearing, their sight and their skins will bear witness against them what they have done to accomplish, while the hypocrites are liars and they cannot hide from God what is in their hearts.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (11/25/2022).