A critique of the doubts raised in leiden's qur'an encyclopaedia on woman's testimony; referring to verse 282 of surah al-baqarah

One of the important issues in the field of women's studies is woman's testimony; therefore, its accurate investigation is an important step in the direction of raising the sublime concepts of Islam, dignifying woman, and removing the doubt of the inequality of the rights of woman and man. And because of the importance of this issue, it has long been the focus of Muslim and non-Muslim researchers. Some of the authors of the Leiden Qur'an Encyclopedia, referring to verse 282 of Surah Al-Baqarah, have raised doubts on the issue of women's testimony and considered the unequal number of women and men in testifying as a discrimination in law and (an indication to) lack of women's memory, by comparing Islamic jurisprudence to the Talmud. This article tries to answer these doubts with a descriptive-analytical method through the library sources. And it has reached the results that in Islam, men and women have duties and rights which have been legislated wisely and in an equal manner and based on their interests. And the issue of women's testimony, is among their legitimate duties and it is completely optional so the difference in number with man does not mean woman's lack of memory or discrimination and inequality of rights. In some cases, only woman has the right to testify. Onesidedness in the use of sources, presentation of superficial and conjectural analysis, incorrect comparison between the Quran and Talmud, and confusion of Orientalists in legal issues have led to their incorrect view on the women's testimony.