Hadith Commentary: The Reward of Judicial Effort

This noble hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, also referenced in Bulugh al-Maram 1400, addresses the divine recompense for judges who exert sincere effort in reaching verdicts according to Islamic law.

Meaning and Context

The Prophet (ﷺ) establishes that a judge receives reward in both correct and incorrect rulings when they have performed ijtihad (legal reasoning) to the best of their ability. The double reward for correctness encompasses both the effort expended and the accuracy achieved. The single reward for error acknowledges the sincere striving despite the mistaken conclusion.

Scholarly Interpretation

Imam al-Nawawi explains in his commentary on Sahih Muslim that this hadith demonstrates Allah's immense mercy toward those who undertake the heavy responsibility of judicial authority. The condition for receiving reward is that the judge must have reached the level of mujtahid (qualified jurist) and exerted appropriate effort in examining evidence and applying legal principles.

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani notes in Fath al-Bari that this ruling applies specifically to matters where textual evidence is subject to interpretation, not to clear-cut rulings established by definitive proofs from Quran and Sunnah.

Legal Implications

This hadith provides crucial guidance for Islamic judiciary systems. It encourages qualified scholars to accept judicial positions without fear of divine punishment for unintended errors. It also establishes that the earthly consequences of judicial rulings remain valid and enforceable, even when based on erroneous ijtihad, provided proper procedures were followed.

The ruling emphasizes that intention and effort are fundamental in Islamic worship and responsibilities, reflecting the principle that deeds are judged by intentions as established in another foundational hadith.