وَالْخَبَرُ وَإِنْ فَارَقَ مَعْنَاهُ مَعْنَى الشَّهَادَةِ فِي بَعْضِ الْوُجُوهِ، فَقَدْ يَجْتَمِعَانِ فِي أَعْظَمِ مَعَانِيهِمَا، إِذْ كَانَ خَبَرُ الْفَاسِقِ غَيْرَ مَقْبُولٍ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ، كَمَا أَنَّ شَهَادَتَهُ مَرْدُودَةٌ عِنْدَ جَمِيعِهِمْ
Translation: A report and testimony differ in some respects but share a fundamental concern: the report of a fāsiq lacks acceptance among scholars just as his testimony is rejected.
Al-Nawawī distinguishes reports from courtroom testimony in conditions such as number of persons and particular eligibility rules: one upright narrator may transmit a report, while testimony can require multiple witnesses or other qualifications. Muslim’s analogy concerns the common relevance of integrity and truthfulness, not identity of every legal condition.