The Offices of Commander and Qadi

Abu Dharr told that he heard God’s Messenger say, “If anyone claims what is not his he does not belong to us, and let him come to his seat in hell.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told that two men disputed about an animal but could produce no proof, so the Prophet said, “Cast lots about the oath.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

A Jew and I shared some land and he denied my right, so I took him to the Prophet who asked me whether I had any proof. When I replied that I had none and he told the Jew to swear an oath, I said, “Messenger of God, he will swear an oath and go off with my property.” Then God most high sent down, “Those who barter for a small price God’s covenant and their oaths . . .” (Al-Qur’an, 3:77)Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

‘A’isha reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The testimony of a deceitful man or woman, or of one who has been flogged for transgressing the bounds set by God, or of one who harbours rancour against his brother, or of one suspected regarding the patrons he claims or relationship, or of one who is dependent on a family is not allowable."Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition and that the traditions of Yazid b. Ziyad ad-Dimashqi, the transmitter, are rejected.

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, “You will be eager for the office of commander, but it will become a cause of regret on the day of resurrection. It is a good suckler but an evil weaner.”* Bukhari transmitted it.*In the beginning it causes pleasure, but later such pleasures are cut off. The idea is that one gladly undertakes high office, but later finds it to be a cause of grief.

Ma'qil b. Yasar told that he heard God’s Messenger say, “Any governor in charge of Muslim subjects who dies while acting dishonestly towards them will be excluded by God from paradise.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A’isha reported God’s Messenger as saying, “O God, cause distress to him who has any charge over my people and causes them distress, and be gentle to him who has any charge over my people and is gentle to them.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “He who has been ruler over ten people will be brought on the day of resurrection shackled till justice loosens his chains or tyranny brings him to destruction.”* Darimi transmitted it.*The reference is to the justice or tyranny he has displayed in the administration of his office.

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Woe to the governors, woe to the chiefs, woe to the superintendents! On the day of resurrection people will wish that their forelocks were tied to the Pleiades, that they were swinging between heaven and earth, and that they had never exercised any rule.”* It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna. Ahmad transmitted it, his version saying, “that their flowing hair were tied to the Pleiades, that they were dangling between heaven and earth, and that they had never been made governors over anything.”* The idea of their swinging between heaven and earth is that they will wish they had been far removed from the world during their lifetime so that they would not have exercised rule.

Ghalib al-Qattan quoted a man who stated on the authority of his father that his grandfather reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The office of a chief is necessary, for people must have chiefs, but the chiefs will go to hell.”* Abu Dawud transmitted it.* Mirqat. iv, 133 says this means those who are unjust, or is a warning against the temptations to injustice arising from their office.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported the Prophet as saying, “He who lives in the desert will become rough, he who follows the chase will become negligent, and he who goes to a ruler will be led astray.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it. Abu Dawud’s version has, “He who attaches himself to a ruler will be led astray, and the nearer a man comes to a ruler the farther he goes from God.”

Al-Miqdam b. Ma'dikarib told that God’s Messenger struck him on his shoulders and then said, “You will attain success, Qudaim,* if you die without having been a ruler, a secretary, or a chief.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.* This form is used as a diminutive of Miqdam, the diminutive being used as an affectionate form of address.

Abu Sa'id reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The one who will be dearest to God and nearest to Him in station of the day of resurrection will be a just imam, and the one who will be most hateful to God on the day of resurrection and will receive the severest punishment (or as a version has, will be farthest from Him in station) will be a tyrannical imam.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan gharib tradition.

Abu Dharr told that God’s Messenger said to him for six days, “Comprehend, Abu Dharr, what will be said to you afterwards.” Then when the seventh day came he said, “I counsel you to observe fear of God both secretly and openly; when you do wrong do a good deed; do not ask anyone for anything, even if your whip falls;* do not accept a trust; and do not give a decision between two people.”Ahmad.* This means that help is to be asked only from God and that one should not ask another human being for even the smallest help.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Seek refuge in God from the beginning of the year seventy and the governorship exercised by boys.”*Ahmad. *This tradition is direction against some of the Umayyads.

Yahya b. Hashim quoted Yunus b. Abu Ishaq who, on his father’s authority, reported God’s Messenger as saying, “As you are so will you have rulers put over you.”Baihaqi transmitted in Shuab al iman. This tradition has a broken isnad and that its transmission is weak.

Ibn ‘Umar reported the Prophet as saying, “The sultan is God’s shade on the earth to which each one of His servants who is wronged repairs. When he is just he will have a reward, and it is the duty of the common people to be grateful; but when he acts tyrannically the burden rests on him, and it is the duty of the common people to show endurance.”Baihaqi transmitted in Shuab al iman.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The perfidious one will have a standard set up for him on the day of resurrection, and announcement will be made that this is the perfidy* of so and so, the son of so and so.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)* This is explained as meaning the sign, result, or punishment of his perfidy.

Anas reported the Prophet as saying, “Every perfidious one will have a standard on the day of resurrection by which he will be recognized.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Amr b. Murra told that he said to Mu'awiya he had heard God’s Messenger say, "If anyone is put by God in authority over any matter concerning the Muslims and turns away from dealing with their need, destitution and poverty, God will turn away from dealing with his need, destitution and poverty.” Mu'awiya then appointed a man to deal with the needs of the people. Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it. A version by Ahmad and Tirmidhi has, “God will lock the gates of heaven upon his destitution, need and poverty.”