Sunan Ibn Majah
Sunan Ibn Majah 2315
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ تَوْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا خَلَفُ بْنُ خَلِيفَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو هَاشِمٍ، قَالَ لَوْلاَ حَدِيثُ ابْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " الْقُضَاةُ ثَلاَثَةٌ اثْنَانِ فِي النَّارِ وَوَاحِدٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ رَجُلٌ عَلِمَ الْحَقَّ فَقَضَى بِهِ فَهُوَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَرَجُلٌ قَضَى لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى جَهْلٍ فَهُوَ فِي النَّارِ وَرَجُلٌ جَارَ فِي الْحُكْمِ فَهُوَ فِي النَّارِ " . لَقُلْنَا إِنَّ الْقَاضِيَ إِذَا اجْتَهَدَ فَهُوَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ .
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Hashim said: Were it not for the report of Ibn Buraydah, from his father, from the Messenger of Allah, we would have said that there are three kinds of judges: two are in the Fire and one is in Paradise. A man who knows the truth and judges by it is in Paradise; a man who judges for people in ignorance is in the Fire; and a man who acts unjustly in judgment is in the Fire. Were it not for that report, we would have said that a judge, whenever he exercises independent judgment, is in Paradise.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The opening and closing ‘were it not for’ statements are Abu Hashim’s own comments framing the quoted report, not part of the Prophet’s direct wording. The report classifies judges by knowledge and justice.
قَالَ لَوْلاَ حَدِيثُ ابْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ،
The source names Ibn Buraydah’s report from his father but does not give its contents before quoting the three-judge report.
Does the opening introduce the following report as the statement that qualifies Abu Hashim’s hypothetical conclusion?