Jami' at-Tirmidhi
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1325
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْجَهْضَمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْفُضَيْلُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ أَبِي عَمْرٍو، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ وَلِيَ الْقَضَاءَ أَوْ جُعِلَ قَاضِيًا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ فَقَدْ ذُبِحَ بِغَيْرِ سِكِّينٍ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ . وَقَدْ رُوِيَ أَيْضًا مِنْ غَيْرِ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever takes up the office of judge or is appointed to judge between people has been slaughtered without a knife.” Abū ʿĪsā said: This is a ḥasan gharīb hadith through this chain. It has also been narrated from Abu Hurairah through another chain.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The expression is a warning about the grave burden and danger of judicial office.