What it means
شاهد عدل (shâhed-e adl) is a formal noun phrase meaning a witness in a court case, specifically one whose testimony is given under oath and is considered credible. شاهد (shâhed) comes from the Arabic root ش-ه-د (sh-h-d, to witness, to be present, to testify), and عدل (adl) comes from the Arabic root ع-د-ل (adl, justice, equity). Together the phrase means, roughly, a witness of justice or a lawful witness, and it belongs to the register of courtroom and legal document language. In ordinary conversation, Iranians are more likely to say simply شاهد (shâhed) for witness, or استشهاد (esteshhâd) for the act of calling a witness. The fuller form شاهد عدل appears in official depositions, legal filings, and religious court documents.
How to use it
- دادگاه از شاهد عدل خواست که شهادت بده. (Dâdgâh az shâhed-e adl khâst ke shahâdat bede.) “The court asked the witness to give testimony.”
- بدون شاهد عدل، اثبات جرم سخته. (Bedun-e shâhed-e adl, esbât-e jorm sakhte.) “Without a credible witness, proving the crime is difficult.”
- اون به عنوان شاهد عدل احضار شد. (Un be onvân-e shâhed-e adl ehzâr shod.) “He was summoned as a court witness.”
- شهادت شاهد عدل در پرونده تعیینکننده بود. (Shahâdat-e shâhed-e adl dar parvande tayin-konande bud.) “The testimony of the witness was decisive in the case.”
Cultural note
In Iran’s legal system, which operates under Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), the concept of a شاهد عدل carries specific religious and procedural weight. Classical Islamic law requires witnesses to be considered just (adl), meaning they have not committed major sins and their character is sound. This religious framing makes the compound شاهد عدل more than a neutral descriptor. It signals a witness who meets both the procedural and moral criteria of the court. In practice, judges in Iranian courts assess witness credibility through both the formal legal record and testimony under oath, and the phrase appears frequently in court rulings and legal commentaries.