The Book of the Etiquette of Judges

It was narrated from Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As that the Prophet said: The just will be with Allah, Most High, on pulpits of light at the right hand of the Most Merciful. They are those who act justly in their judgments, with their families, and in all that is entrusted to their care. Muhammad (one of the narrators) added in his version: ‘And both of His hands are right hands.’

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah said: Seven are those whom Allah, Mighty and Sublime, will shade with His shade on the Day of Resurrection, when there will be no shade except His: a just ruler; a young person who grows up in the worship of Allah; a man who remembers Allah in solitude and whose eyes overflow with tears; a man whose heart is attached to the mosque; two men who love one another for Allah’s sake; a man whom a woman of high standing and beauty invites to sin, but who says, ‘I fear Allah’; and a man who gives charity secretly, so that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given.

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: The Messenger of Allah said: ‘If a judge exercises independent reasoning and reaches the correct judgment, he receives two rewards; if he exercises independent reasoning but errs, he receives one reward.’

It was narrated that Abu Musa said: Some people from among the Ash'aris came to me and said, ‘Come with us to the Messenger of Allah, for we have a request.’ I went with them, and they said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, appoint us to work for you.’ Abu Musa said: I apologized for what they had said and told him that I did not know what they intended to ask. He accepted my explanation and excused me, then said, ‘We do not appoint to our work anyone who asks us for it.’

It was narrated from Usaid bin Hudair that a man from among the Ansar came to the Messenger of Allah and said, ‘Will you not appoint me as you appointed so-and-so?’ He replied, ‘You will encounter favoritism after I am gone, so be patient until you meet me at the Cistern.’

It was narrated from Abd al-Rahman bin Samurah that the Messenger of Allah said: ‘Do not ask for authority. If it is granted to you because you asked for it, you will be left to manage it on your own; but if it is granted to you without your asking, you will be helped in carrying it out.’

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet said: You will eagerly seek authority, but it will become regret and grief on the Day of Resurrection. How excellent it is as a nursing mother, and how terrible it is as a weaning mother.

It was narrated from Abdullah bin Az-Zubair that a delegation from Banu Tamim came to the Prophet. Abu Bakr said, ‘Appoint Al-Qa'qa' bin Ma'bad,’ while Umar said, ‘No, appoint Al-Aqra' bin Habis.’ They disputed until their voices rose. Then these words were revealed concerning the matter: ‘O you who believe, do not put yourselves forward before Allah and His Messenger…’ until the verse: ‘If they had been patient until you came out to them, it would have been better for them.’

It was narrated from Shuraih bin Hani' that his father Hani' came to the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet heard people calling Hani' by the kunya Abu al-Hakam, so he called him and said, ‘Allah is the Judge, and judgment belongs to Him. Why are you called Abu al-Hakam?’ Hani' replied, ‘When my people disagree about something, they come to me, and I judge between them; both parties are satisfied.’ He said, ‘How good that is. What children do you have?’ Hani' said, ‘Shuraih, Abdullah, and Muslim.’ He asked, ‘Which is the eldest?’ Hani' replied, ‘Shuraih.’ He said, ‘Then you are Abu Shuraih.’ He then prayed for Hani' and his children.

It was narrated that Abu Bakrah said: Allah protected me through something I had heard from the Messenger of Allah. When Chosroes died, he asked, ‘Whom have they appointed as his successor?’ They replied, ‘His daughter.’ He said, ‘A people who entrust their affairs to a woman will never prosper.’

It was narrated from Al-Fadl bin Abbas that he was riding behind the Messenger of Allah on the morning of the Day of Sacrifice. A woman from Khath'am came and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, Allah’s obligation of Hajj has become due upon His servants, but my father is an old man who can only ride seated sideways on a mount. May I perform Hajj on his behalf?’ He replied, ‘Yes, perform Hajj on his behalf. If he owed a debt, would you not pay it for him?’

It was narrated from Sulaiman bin Yasar that Ibn Abbas told him: A woman from Khath'am asked the Messenger of Allah a question while Al-Fadl was riding behind him. She said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, Allah’s obligation of Hajj has come due, but my father is an elderly man who cannot sit upright on a mount. Would it suffice for me to perform Hajj on his behalf?’ Mahmud’s version has: ‘Would it discharge his duty if I perform Hajj on his behalf?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ Abu Abd al-Rahman said: More than one narrator transmitted this report from al-Zuhri without including the wording that al-Walid bin Muslim reported.

It was narrated that Abdullah bin Abbas said: Al-Fadl bin Abbas was riding behind the Messenger of Allah when a woman from Khath'am came to ask him a question. Al-Fadl began looking at her, and she at him, so the Messenger of Allah turned Al-Fadl's face toward the other side. She said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, Allah’s obligation of Hajj has come due, but my father is an elderly man who cannot sit firmly on a mount. May I perform Hajj on his behalf?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ This took place during the Farewell Pilgrimage.

It was narrated from Ibn Shihab that Sulaiman bin Yasar told him, from Ibn Abbas, that a woman from Khath'am said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, Allah’s obligation of Hajj has come due, but my father is an elderly man who cannot sit upright on a mount. Would it discharge his duty if I perform Hajj on his behalf?’ The Messenger of Allah replied, ‘Yes.’ Al-Fadl began turning toward her—she was a beautiful woman—so the Messenger of Allah turned Al-Fadl's face toward the other side.

It was narrated from Abdullah bin Abbas that a man asked the Messenger of Allah: ‘The obligation of Hajj has come due while my father is an elderly man who cannot sit securely on his mount. If I tie him on, I fear he may die. May I perform Hajj on his behalf?’ He asked, ‘What do you think: if he owed a debt and you paid it for him, would that discharge it?’ The man said, ‘Yes.’ He replied, ‘Then perform Hajj on behalf of your father.’

It was narrated from Al-Fadl bin Abbas that he was riding behind the Prophet when a man came and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, my mother is very old. If I put her on a mount, she cannot stay seated; if I tie her on, I fear I may kill her. What do you think: if your mother owed a debt, would you pay it for her?’ The man said, ‘Yes.’ He replied, ‘Then perform Hajj on behalf of your mother.’

It was narrated from Sulaiman bin Yasar, reporting from Al-Fadl bin Abbas, that a man came to the Prophet and said, ‘O Prophet of Allah, my father is an elderly man who cannot perform Hajj. If I put him on a mount, he cannot sit securely. May I perform Hajj on his behalf?’ He replied, ‘Perform Hajj on behalf of your father.’ Abu Abd al-Rahman said: Sulaiman did not hear directly from Al-Fadl bin Abbas.

It was narrated from Ibn Abbas that a man came to the Prophet and said, ‘My father is an elderly man. May I perform Hajj on his behalf?’ He replied, ‘Yes. Consider this: if he owed a debt and you paid it for him, would that discharge it?’

It was narrated that Abd al-Rahman bin Yazid said: One day people put many questions to Abdullah, and he said: ‘There was a time when we did not pass judgments and were not in a position to do so. Then Allah, Mighty and Sublime, decreed that we reach the state you now see. Whoever among you is asked to judge after today, let him judge by what is in the Book of Allah. If a matter is not addressed in the Book of Allah, let him judge according to what His Prophet ruled. If neither the Book of Allah nor His Prophet’s rulings address it, let him judge according to what the righteous ruled. If the matter is addressed neither in the Book of Allah, nor by His Prophet, nor by the righteous, let him exercise his own reasoning, and not say, “I am afraid, I am afraid.” The lawful is clear and the unlawful is clear, and between them are matters that are doubtful. Leave what makes you doubt for what does not make you doubt.’ Abu Abd al-Rahman said: This hadith is good—very good.

It was narrated that Abdullah bin Mas'ud said: There was a time when we did not pass judgments and were not in a position to do so. Then Allah, Mighty and Sublime, decreed that we reach the state you now see. Whoever is asked to judge after today should judge according to what is in the Book of Allah. If a matter is not addressed in the Book of Allah, let him judge according to what His Prophet ruled. If neither the Book nor His Prophet's rulings address it, let him judge according to what the righteous ruled. Let none of you say, ‘I am afraid, I am afraid.’ The lawful is clear and the unlawful is clear, and between them are matters that are doubtful. Leave what makes you doubt for what does not make you doubt.