The Prophet ﷺ was the Imaam, ruler, and judge of Muslims,and adjudicated and settled the disputes between them. In this hadeeth, Al-Zubayr ibn Al-‘Awwaam (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he once quarreled with a man from the Ansaar who had participated in (the battle of) Badr. The man referred the dispute - over a water stream in Al-Harrah that was used by both of them for irrigation - to Allah's Messengerﷺ. Al-Harrah was an open area with black stones,on the outskirts of Al-Madeenah. They both used to irrigate their gardens from this water stream; the water would run through Al-Zubayr’s garden first and then the other man’s. Al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) used to block the water until he had irrigated his garden, and then allow it to flow and reach his neighbor’s garden. The Prophet ﷺ commanded Al-Zubayr to reasonably irrigate his garden first, and then let the water flow to his neighbor’s garden, but the man from the Ansaar became angry and said, "O Allah's Messengerﷺ! Is it because he is your cousin?" He was referring to the fact that Al-Zubayr was the son of Safiyyah bint ‘Abd Al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with them) and suggested that the Prophet ﷺ judged in his favor because he was his relative! Thereupon, the complexion of Allah's Messengerﷺ changed, because of anger which was written all over his face, given this man’s disrespect for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his heinous accusation. It should be noted that it was a mere slip of the tongue on part of the man (may Allah be pleased with him). He ﷺ said (to Al-Zubayr), "Irrigate (your garden) and then withhold the water till it reaches the walls (surrounding the palms),” meaning until he (may Allah be pleased with him) had finished irrigating the whole garden. Thus, Allah's Messengerﷺ gave Al-Zubayr his full right. Before that, Allah's Messengerﷺ had given a generous judgment that was beneficial for both Al-Zubayr and the man from the Ansaar, out of courtesy, and to settle their dispute peacefully, suggesting that Al-Zubayr should irrigate his garden by taking the least amount of water sufficient for irrigation and then allow it to flow to his neighbor’s garden. However, when the man refused and irritated Allah's Messengerﷺ, he gave Al-Zubayr his full right according to the relevant Laws of Islam provisions. It goes without saying that the Prophet ﷺ did not let his anger drive him to undermine this man’s rights or give Al-Zubayr more than what he was entitled to at the expense of his neighbor. Al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "By Allah, I think the following ayah was revealed concerning that case (which means): {But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.} [Quran 4:65]. In the ayah, Allah, Exalted is He, swears by His name that no one truly believes unless he accepts the Prophet ﷺ as judge to settle all disputes and would be perfectly content with his judgment, hasten to comply with it and submissively adhere to it. This serves as a reprimand from Allah, Exalted is He, to those who do not seek the judgment of His Messenger ﷺ, negating (the perfection of) their faith until they should be content with his judgment. It is deduced from the hadeeth that a ruler may pass his judgment based on what he believes to be the truth based on clear evidence, after urging the litigants to opt for reconciliation and the refusal of any of them. The hadeeth urges Muslims to follow the example of the Prophet ﷺ at times of anger and contentment, and in all situations.It encourages a believer to restrain his anger, keep it in check, refrain from allowing it to drive him to infringe on the rights of others and wrong them, and rather to opt for forgiveness and pardon. The hadeeth also urges Muslims to seek reconciliation and commands them to do so. It is inferred therefrom that a ruler may give each litigant his right in full if the litigants refuse to reconcile or accept his proposal of a possible middle way. It also rebukes whoever disrespects the ruler and governor and punish him accordingly without wronging him. .