Sunan Ibn Majah
Sunan Ibn Majah 2310
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَعْلَى، وَأَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُرَّةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الْبَخْتَرِيِّ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ بَعَثَنِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى الْيَمَنِ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ تَبْعَثُنِي وَأَنَا شَابٌّ أَقْضِي بَيْنَهُمْ وَلاَ أَدْرِي مَا الْقَضَاءُ قَالَ فَضَرَبَ فِي صَدْرِي بِيَدِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ " اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِ قَلْبَهُ وَثَبِّتْ لِسَانَهُ " . قَالَ فَمَا شَكَكْتُ بَعْدُ فِي قَضَاءٍ بَيْنَ اثْنَيْنِ .
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
ʿAli said: The Messenger of Allah sent me to Yemen. I said, ‘Messenger of Allah, you are sending me to judge between them, though I am young and do not know how to judge.’ He struck my chest with his hand, then said, ‘O Allah, guide his heart and make his tongue firm.’ After that, I never doubted when judging between two people.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The report retains ʿAli’s statement about his youth and inexperience, the Prophet’s supplication, and his later confidence in judging between litigants.