Short answer
It is not half in every matter. The Quran asks for two women in place of one man as witnesses to a debt contract, and gives its own reason: so that if one forgets, the other can remind her. In the Hanafi school a woman's testimony is accepted alone in matters only women usually see, and a woman's narration of hadith counts the same as a man's.
In debts and most civil matters, including marriage and divorce, the Hanafi school accepts one man and two women. In hudud and qisas only men testify. In matters only women usually witness, such as birth and women's private conditions, the testimony of one trustworthy woman is accepted.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- One man and two women are accepted only in financial matters; marriage and divorce need two men; in matters only women see, four women are required.
- Maliki
- One man and two women in financial matters only; in matters only women see, two women are enough.
- Hanbali
- One man and two women in financial matters; in matters only women see, one trustworthy woman is accepted.
Explanation
The verse is about writing down a debt. Allah tells the believers to bring two male witnesses, and if there are not two men, then one man and two women, so that if one of the women errs, the other can remind her. The verse gives its own reason: support in recalling the details of a transaction. It is not a verdict on a woman's worth or intelligence.
Scholars note that women at that time were seldom part of trade deals, so a woman called to witness one might not follow its details, and the second woman is there to support her. The ruling stays as it is, but its stated reason shows what it is about.
Where women's testimony is equal, or stands alone:
- Hadith: a woman's narration is accepted exactly like a man's. Aishah alone is one of the largest sources of the sunnah.
- Li'an: in the sworn testimony between spouses, the wife's oaths balance the husband's, one for one.
- Matters only women see: in the Hanafi school one trustworthy woman's word is accepted.
- The Ramadan crescent: in the Hanafi school, when the sky is cloudy, one trustworthy witness, man or woman, is accepted.
In the hadith where the Prophet ﷺ spoke of women's lighter religious duties, he explained the "lack of intellect" by this testimony rule; see are most people in Hell women for that context. For equal worth and reward, see are men and women equal.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:282
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا تَدَايَنتُم بِدَيْنٍ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍۢ مُّسَمًّۭى فَٱكْتُبُوهُ ۚ وَلْيَكْتُب بَّيْنَكُمْ كَاتِبٌۢ بِٱلْعَدْلِ ۚ وَلَا يَأْبَ كَاتِبٌ أَن يَكْتُبَ كَمَا عَلَّمَهُ ٱللَّهُ ۚ فَلْيَكْتُبْ وَلْيُمْلِلِ ٱلَّذِى عَلَيْهِ ٱلْحَقُّ وَلْيَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ رَبَّهُۥ وَلَا يَبْخَسْ مِنْهُ شَيْـًۭٔا ۚ فَإِن كَانَ ٱلَّذِى عَلَيْهِ ٱلْحَقُّ سَفِيهًا أَوْ ضَعِيفًا أَوْ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ أَن يُمِلَّ هُوَ فَلْيُمْلِلْ وَلِيُّهُۥ بِٱلْعَدْلِ ۚ وَٱسْتَشْهِدُوا۟ شَهِيدَيْنِ مِن رِّجَالِكُمْ ۖ فَإِن لَّمْ يَكُونَا رَجُلَيْنِ فَرَجُلٌۭ وَٱمْرَأَتَانِ مِمَّن تَرْضَوْنَ مِنَ ٱلشُّهَدَآءِ أَن تَضِلَّ إِحْدَىٰهُمَا فَتُذَكِّرَ إِحْدَىٰهُمَا ٱلْأُخْرَىٰ ۚ وَلَا يَأْبَ ٱلشُّهَدَآءُ إِذَا مَا دُعُوا۟ ۚ وَلَا تَسْـَٔمُوٓا۟ أَن تَكْتُبُوهُ صَغِيرًا أَوْ كَبِيرًا إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلِهِۦ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ أَقْسَطُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَأَقْوَمُ لِلشَّهَٰدَةِ وَأَدْنَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَرْتَابُوٓا۟ ۖ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَ تِجَٰرَةً حَاضِرَةًۭ تُدِيرُونَهَا بَيْنَكُمْ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَلَّا تَكْتُبُوهَا ۗ وَأَشْهِدُوٓا۟ إِذَا تَبَايَعْتُمْ ۚ وَلَا يُضَآرَّ كَاتِبٌۭ وَلَا شَهِيدٌۭ ۚ وَإِن تَفْعَلُوا۟ فَإِنَّهُۥ فُسُوقٌۢ بِكُمْ ۗ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۖ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌۭ ﴿٢٨٢﴾
O you who have believed, when you contract a debt for a specified term, write it down. And let a scribe write [it] between you in justice. Let no scribe refuse to write as Allah has taught him. So let him write and let the one who has the obligation dictate. And let him fear Allah, his Lord, and not leave anything out of it. But if the one who has the obligation is of limited understanding or weak or unable to dictate himself, then let his guardian dictate in justice. And bring to witness two witnesses from among your men. And if there are not two men [available], then a man and two women from those whom you accept as witnesses - so that if one of the women errs, then the other can remind her. And let not the witnesses refuse when they are called upon. And do not be [too] weary to write it, whether it is small or large, for its [specified] term. That is more just in the sight of Allah and stronger as evidence and more likely to prevent doubt between you, except when it is an immediate transaction which you conduct among yourselves. For [then] there is no blame upon you if you do not write it. And take witnesses when you conclude a contract. Let no scribe be harmed or any witness. For if you do so, indeed, it is [grave] disobedience in you. And fear Allah. And Allah teaches you. And Allah is Knowing of all things.
The verse gives the reason for two women in debt contracts.
Quran, Surah An-Noor 24:6
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَرْمُونَ أَزْوَٰجَهُمْ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُمْ شُهَدَآءُ إِلَّآ أَنفُسُهُمْ فَشَهَٰدَةُ أَحَدِهِمْ أَرْبَعُ شَهَٰدَٰتٍۭ بِٱللَّهِ ۙ إِنَّهُۥ لَمِنَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ ﴿٦﴾
And those who accuse their wives [of adultery] and have no witnesses except themselves - then the witness of one of them [shall be] four testimonies [swearing] by Allah that indeed, he is of the truthful.
In li'an the spouses' testimonies are equal in number.
Sahih al-Bukhari 304
Sahih... أليس شهادة المرأة مثل نصف شهادة الرجل ...
"Is not the testimony of a woman like half the testimony of a man?"
The hadith refers to the rule of two women in place of one man as witnesses.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Shahadat, the categories of testimony. One man and two women in rights other than hudud and qisas; one woman in what men do not see.
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Sawm, sighting the crescent. With a cloudy sky the testimony of one upright person, man or woman, is accepted for Ramadan.
- al-Mughni (Ibn Qudama), Kitab al-Shahadat. Sets out the other schools' positions on women's testimony.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.