Chapter 2.0
13 hadiths
Abu Bakra told that he heard God’s Messenger say, “No judge must give judgment between two people when he is angry.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)
عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «لَا يَقْضِيَنَّ حَكَمٌ بَيْنَ اثْنَيْنِ وَهُوَ غَضْبَانُ»
‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr and Abu Huraira reportad God’s Messenger as saying, “When a judge gives a decision having tried his best to decide correctly and is right, he will have a double reward; and when he gives a decision having tried his best to decide correctly and is wrong, he will have a single reward.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)
وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو وَأَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَا: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا حَكَمَ الْحَاكِمُ فَاجْتَهَدَ فَأَصَابَ فَلَهُ أَجْرَانِ وَإِذَا حَكَمَ فَاجْتَهَدَ فَأَخْطَأَ فلهُ أجرٌ واحدٌ»
Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “He who has been appointed a <i>qadi</i> among the people has been killed without a knife.”* Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it. *This phrase has troubled commentators. Perhaps the best explanation is that he will have reason to repent of his manner of life, for there are many traditions which express disapproval of undertaking such an office. A somewhat ingenious explanation is that his evil characteristics must be cut away, this being a kind of slaughter.
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مِنْ جُعِلَ قَاضِيًا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ فَقَدْ ذُبِحَ بِغَيْرِ سِكِّينٍ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ
Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone desires and asks for the office of <i>qadi</i> he will be left to his own devices, but if anyone is forced to accept it God will send down an angle who will direct him aright.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.
وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنِ ابْتَغَى الْقَضَاءَ وَسَأَلَ وُكِلَ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ أُكْرِهَ عَلَيْهِ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ مَلَكًا يُسَدِّدُهُ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُد وَابْن مَاجَه
Buraida reported God’s Messenger as saying, "<i>Qadis</i> are of three types, one of whom will go to paradise and two to hell. The one who will go to paradise is a man who knows what is right and gives judgment accordingly; but a man who knows what is right and acts tyrannically in his judgment will go to hell, and a man who gives judgment for people when he is ignorant will go to hell.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.
وَعَنْ بُرَيْدَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:
الْقُضَاةُ ثَلَاثَةٌ: وَاحِدٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَاثْنَانِ فِي النَّارِ فَأَمَّا الَّذِي فِي الْجَنَّةِ فَرَجُلٌ عَرَفَ الْحَقَّ فَقَضَى بِهِ وَرَجُلٌ عَرَفَ الْحَقَّ فَجَارَ فِي الْحُكْمِ فَهُوَ فِي النَّارِ وَرَجُلٌ قَضَى لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى جَهْلٍ فَهُوَ فِي النَّارِ
. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ
Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone seeks the office of <i>qadi</i> among Muslims till he gets it and his justice prevails over his tyranny, he will go to paradise; but the man whose tyranny prevails over his justice will go to hell." Abu Dawud transmitted it.
وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ طَلَبَ قَضَاءَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ حَتَّى يَنَالَهُ ثُمَّ غَلَبَ عَدْلُهُ جَوْرَهُ فَلَهُ الْجَنَّةُ وَمَنْ غَلَبَ جَوْرُهُ عَدْلَهُ فَلَهُ النَّار» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد
Mu'adh b. Jabal told that when God’s Messenger sent him to the Yemen he asked him how he would judge when the occasion arose, and he replied that he would judge in accordance with God’s Book. He asked what he would do if he could not find guidance in God’s Book, and he replied that he would act in accordance with God’s Messenger’s <i>sunnah</i>. He asked what he would do if he could find no guidance in God’s Messenger’s <i>sunnah</i>, and he replied that he would do his best to form an opinion and spare no pains. God’s Messenger then tapped him on the breast and said, “Praise be to God who has disposed His Messenger’s Messenger to something with which God’s Messenger is pleased!" Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it.
وَعَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَمَّا بَعَثَهُ إِلَى الْيَمين قَالَ: «كَيْفَ تَقْضِي إِذَا عَرَضَ لَكَ قَضَاءٌ؟» قَالَ: أَقْضِي بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: «فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ؟» قَالَ: فَبِسُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ فِي سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ؟» قَالَ: أَجْتَهِدُ رَأْيِي وَلَا آلُو قَالَ: فَضَرَبَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى صَدْرِهِ وَقَالَ: «الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي وَفَّقَ رَسُولَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ لِمَا يَرْضَى بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ وَأَبُو دَاوُد والدارمي
‘Ali said:
God's Messenger sent me to the Yemen as <i>qadi</i> and I said, “Messenger of God, are you sending me when I am young and have no knowledge of the duties of <i>qadi</i> He replied, “God will guide your heart and keep your tongue true. When two men bring a case before you do not decide in favour of the first till you hear what the other has to say, for it is best that you should have a clear idea of the best decision." He said he had no doubts about a decision afterwards. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.
عَن عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: بَعَثَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَى الْيَمَنِ قَاضِيًا فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ تُرْسِلُنِي وَأَنَا حَدِيثُ السِّنِّ وَلَا عِلْمَ لِي بِالْقَضَاءِ؟ فَقَالَ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَيَهْدِي قَلْبَكَ وَيُثَبِّتُ لِسَانَكَ إِذَا تَقَاضَى إِلَيْكَ رَجُلَانِ فَلَا تَقْضِ لِلْأَوَّلِ حَتَّى تَسْمَعَ كَلَامَ الْآخَرِ فَإِنَّهُ أَحْرَى أَنْ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكَ الْقَضَاءُ» . قَالَ: فَمَا شَكَكْتُ فِي قَضَاءٍ بَعْدُ. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ
‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud reported God’s Messenger as saying, “No judge who pronounces judgment among men will fail to come on the day of resurrection with an angel holding the back of his neck. He* will then raise his head to heaven, and if God gives orders to cast him down, he will cast him into an abyss forty years deep." Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and Baihaqi in <i>Shu'ab al-lman</i> transmitted it. *i.e. the angel.
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:
مَا مِنْ حَاكِمٍ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ إِلَّا جَاءَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَمَلَكٌ آخِذٌ بِقَفَاهُ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَإِنْ قَالَ: أَلْقِهْ أَلْقَاهُ فِي مَهْوَاةٍ أَرْبَعِينَ خَرِيفًا
. رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ والْبَيْهَقِيُّ فِي شُعَبِ الْإِيمَان
‘A’isha reported God's Messenger as saying, “The day of resurrection will come to the just <i>qadi</i> and he will wish he had never given judgment between two men about a single date.”* Ahmad transmitted it. * He will wish he had never given judgment even about the most insignificant matters.
وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «لَيَأْتِيَنَّ عَلَى الْقَاضِي الْعَدْلِ يومُ القيامةِ يَتَمَنَّى أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَقْضِ بَيْنَ اثْنَيْنِ فِي تَمْرَة قطّ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمد
'Abdallah b. Abu Aufa reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God is with the <i>qadi</i> as long as he is not tyrannical, but when he is He departs from him and the devil attaches himself to him.” A version has, “When he is tyrannical He leaves him to his own devices.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.
وَعَنْ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي أَوْفَى قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْقَاضِي مَا لَمْ يَجُرْ فَإِذَا جَارَ تَخَلَّى عَنْهُ وَلَزِمَهُ الشَّيْطَانُ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: «فَإِذَا جارَ وَكله إِلَى نَفسه»
Said b. al-Musayyib told that a Muslim and a Jew brought a dispute before ‘Umar, and as he considered the Jew was in the right he pronounced judgment in his favour; but when the Jew said, “I swear by God that you have pronounced just judgment,” he struck him with the whip and asked him what caused him to know that. The Jew replied, “I swear by God that we find in the Torah that no <i>qadi</i> judges rightly without having an angel at his right hand and an angel at his left who direct him and dispose him to what is right as long as he adheres to the right; but when he abandons the right they ascend and leave him.” Malik transmitted it.
وَعَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ: أَنَّ مُسْلِمًا وَيَهُودِيًّا اخْتَصَمَا إِلَى عُمَرَ فَرَأَى الْحَقَّ لِلْيَهُودِيِّ فَقَضَى لَهُ عُمَرُ بِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْيَهُودِيُّ: وَاللَّهِ لَقَدْ قَضَيْتَ بِالْحَقِّ فَضَرَبَهُ عُمَرُ بِالدِّرَّةِ وَقَالَ: وَمَا يُدْريكَ؟ فَقَالَ الْيَهُودِيُّ: وَاللَّهِ إِنَّا نَجِدُ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ قَاضٍ يَقْضِي بِالْحَقِّ إِلَّا كَانَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ مَلَكٌ وَعَنْ شِمَالِهِ مَلَكٌ يُسَدِّدَانِهِ وَيُوَفِّقَانِهِ لِلْحَقِّ مَا دَامَ مَعَ الْحَقِّ فَإِذَا تركَ الحقَّ عرَجا وترَكاهُ. رَوَاهُ مَالك
Ibn Mauhib told that when ‘Uthman b. ‘Affan asked Ibn ‘Umar to act as <i>qadi</i> among the people he asked the commander of the faithful to excuse him. He asked him what objection he had to that when his father had been holding such an office, and he replied that it was because he had heard God’s Messenger say, “If anyone is a <i>qadi</i> and fulfils the office with justice he should rather turn away from it with neither credit nor blame.”* After that he did not ask him again. Tirmidhi transmitted it. * Or, ‘without reward or punishment’. Razin’s version on the authority of Nafi' tells that Ibn ‘Umar said to ‘Uthman, “Commander of the faithful, I shall not pronounce judgment between two men.” He replied, “Your father used to do so.” He said, “If anything was dubious to my father he asked God’s Messenger, and if anything was dubious to God’s Messenger he asked Gabriel, but I can find no one to ask, and I heard God’s Messenger say, ‘He who seeks refuge in God has sought refuge in a great One.’ I also heard him say, ‘Grant refuge to him who seeks refuge in God’, and I seek refuge in God from your making me a <i>qadi</i>." So he excused him, but said, “Do not tell anyone.” Razin.
وَعَنِ ابْنِ مَوْهَبٍ: أَنَّ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ لِابْنِ عُمَرَ: اقْضِ بَين النَّاس قَالَ: أَو تعاقبني يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ؟ قَالَ: وَمَا تَكْرَهُ مِنْ ذَلِك وَقد كَانَ أَبوك قَاضِيا؟ قَالَ: لِأَنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «مَنْ كَانَ قَاضِيًا فَقَضَى بِالْعَدْلِ فَبِالْحَرِيِّ أَنْ يَنْقَلِبَ مِنْهُ كَفَافًا» . فَمَا راجعَه بعدَ ذَلِك. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ نَافِعٍ أَنَّ ابْنَ عُمَرَ قَالَ لِعُثْمَانَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَا أَقْضِي بَيْنَ رَجُلَيْنِ: قَالَ: فَإِنَّ أَبَاكَ كَانَ يَقْضِي فَقَالَ: إِنَّ أَبِي لَوْ أُشْكِلَ عَلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَلَوْ أُشْكِلَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ شَيْءٌ سَأَلَ جِبْرِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَإِنِّي لَا أَجِدُ مَنْ أَسْأَلُهُ وَسَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «مَنْ عَاذَ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدْ عَاذَ بِعَظِيمٍ» . وَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ: «مَنْ عَاذَ بِاللَّهِ فَأَعِيذُوهُ» . وَإِنِّي أَعُوذُ باللَّهِ أنْ تجعلَني قاضِياً فأعْفاهُ وَقَالَ: لَا تُخبرْ أحدا