was the last chapter of the Quran to be revealed, and that nothing in its verses could
be abrogated.

(١٨) ٠ you who believe! Let there be witnesses between you when death draws nigh to one of you, at the time of bequest-two witnesses, just men from among you, or two others from among others than you. (Q. ٥:١٠٦)

The Imami Shiites maintain that the verse is precise [in its instruction] and that, hence, it sanctions testimony by the people of the Book on behalf of Muslims on a journey, if that witnessing is in the matter of a testament. This opinion was adopted by a group of Companions and the second generation, among whom are AbdAllah b. Qays, Ibn Abbas, Shurayi)., SaId b. al-Musayyib, SaId b. Jubayr, Ubayda, Mui).ammad b. Sirin, al-Shabi, Yai).ya b. Yamar, and al-Suddi. Among the jurists who upheld this view are Sufyan al-Thawri and Aba Ubayd. The latter was inclined to al-Thawris opinion because of the large number of those who maintained this view. However, Zayd b. Aslam, Malik b. Anas, al-ShafiI, and Aba f.lanifa maintained that the verse was abrogated, and that it was not permissible under any condition for a nonbeliever to serve as a witness.aO
The fact is that the view that the verse was abrogated is false. There are several factors that support such a conclusion:

١. Numerous traditions related by both the Sunnis and the Shiites prove the effica‌ ciousness of a testimony by people of the Book in the matter of a testament, when witnessing by a Muslim is impossible. Among these traditions are the following:

a. Al-Kulayni reported from Hisham b. al-J:Iakam, who received it from the Imam al‌ Sadiq when the latter explained the meaning of the phrase "or two others from among others than you." The Imam said, "If a man was in a foreign land where no [other] Muslim is at hand, the witnessing of a non-Muslim of a testament is permissible."١١١
b. Al-Shabi related:

A Muslim was about to die in Daqaqa and could find no Muslim who would bear witness to his testament. So he called upon two men from the people of the Book to witness it. [After he died], these two men came to Kufa and went to Aba Masa al-Ashari [the governor of Kufa], and informed him about the will and turned over the deceased persons bequest and his testament. Al-Ashan said, "This is something that has not occurred since the time of the Prophet." Follow‌ ing the afternoon prayers, he made them take an oath that they had not cheated, lied, [or] substituted, concealed, or changed [the bequest], and that it was defi‌ nitely the testament and the bequest left by [that] person. Hence, he endorsed their witnessing.l١٢

٢. All the abovementioned traditions that state that "Sarat al-Maida" was revealed all at once, and that it was the last of the revelations, and that it does not contain anything that was abrogated.

٣. That abrogation cannot be established without a reason that indicates it. All the reasons provided by those who maintain that the verse was abrogated do not estab‌ lish that. Among these reasons are the following: