Testimony of Children

“I once asked Isma’il ibn Ja’far, ’When it is permissible for a boy to testify?’ He said, ’It is permissible when he becomes ten years old.’ I then asked, ‘Can he issue a command?’ He said, ‘The Messenger of Allah (sw) went to bed with ‘A’ishah when she was ten years old, and it is not permissible to go to bed with a girl unless she is a woman. When a boy becomes ten years old his commanding is permissible and his testimony is admissible.’”

“I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), if presenting testimony by children is permissible. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, in the case of murder his first words are accepted but not his second ones.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the testimony of children. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, except in the case of murder, in which case his first words are accepted but his second words are not accepted.’”

“About the case of a child if his bearing testimony to an existing testimony, he (the Imam) said, ‘If his reason can comprehend when he becomes mature that it is right, it then is permissible.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali (a.s.), has said, ‘If children are asked to bear testimony if they did so as children it is permissible, when they grow up, to present it if they have not forgotten.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a child if he can testify in the case of murder. He (the Imam) said, ‘His first words are accepted but his second words are not accepted.’”