Hadith about the judiciary

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "If people were given whatever they claimed (in disputes), some people would claim the lives and wealth of others; but the oath (of denial) must be taken by the defendant." [Agreed upon]. al-Baihaqi has reported with a Sahih (authentic) chain of narrators: "But the proof…

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اَللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا; أَنَّ اَلنَّبِيَّ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-قَالَ: { "لَوْ يُعْطَى اَلنَّاسُ بِدَعْوَاهُمْ, لَادَّعَى نَاسٌ دِمَاءَ رِجَالٍ, وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ, وَلَكِنِ اَلْيَمِينُ عَلَى…

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās + 6 other versions

The Prophet (ﷺ) was sitting among the people in Tabuk. He (ﷺ) said, "What happened to Ka'b bin Malik?" A person from the tribe of Banu Salamah said: "O Messenger of Allah! the embellishment of his cloak and an appreciation of his sides have allured him, and he was thus detained." Mu'adh bin Jabal…

وعن كعب بن مالك رضي الله عنه في حديثه الطويل في قصة توبته وقد سبق في بابه التوبة‏.‏ قال‏:‏ قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو جالس في القوم بتبوك‏:‏ ‏"‏ما فعل كعب مالك‏؟‏ فقال رجل من بني سلمة‏:‏ يا رسول الله حبسه برداه…

Narrated by Ka‘b ibn Mālik + 37 other versions

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He who takes oath to acquire the property of a Muslim unjustly will meet Allah and He will be angry with him" then he recited: "Verily, those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's Covenant and their oaths, they shall have no portion in the Hereafter. Neither will…

"‏من خلف على مال امرئ مسلم بغير حقه، لقي الله وهو عليه غضبان‏"

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd + 22 other versions

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Verily, I am only a human and the claimants bring to me (their disputes); perhaps some of them are more eloquent than others. I judge according to what I hear from them). So, he whom I, by my judgment, (give the undue share) out of the right of a Muslim, I in fact give…

"إنما أنا بشر، وإنكم تختصمون إلي، ولعل بعضكم أن يكون ألحن بحجته من بعض، فأقضي له بنحو ما أسمع ، فمن قضيت له بحق أخيه فإنما أقطع له قطعة من النار"

Narrated by Umm Salamah + 19 other versions

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) say, "No judge should give judgement between two people while he is angry." [Agreed upon].

" لَا يَحْكُمُ أَحَدٌ بَيْنَ اِثْنَيْنِ, وَهُوَ غَضْبَانُ"

Narrated by Abu Bakrah + 10 other versions

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "There were two women, each had her child with her. A wolf came and took away the child of one of them. One woman said to her companion: 'The wolf has taken your son.' The other said: 'It has taken your son.' So both of them took the dispute to Prophet Dawud (David)…

"‏كانت امرأتان معهما ابناهما، جاء الذئب فذهب بابن إحداهما، فقالت لصاحبتها‏:‏ إنما ذهب بابنك، وقالت الأخرى إنما ذهب بابنك فتحاكما إلى داود صلى الله عليه وسلم فقضى به للكبرى، فخرجتا على سليمان بن داود، صلى الله عليه وسلم…

+ 6 other versions

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Shall I not inform you who is the best witness? He is the one who produces his testimony before he is asked for it." [Reported by Muslim].

"أَلَا أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِخَيْرِ اَلشُّهَدَاءِ? اَلَّذِي يَأْتِي بِشَهَادَتِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُسْأَلَهَا"

Narrated by Zayd ibn Khālid al-Juhani + 8 other versions

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A man bought a piece of land from another man, and the buyer found a jar filled with gold in the land. The buyer said to the seller: 'Take your gold, as I bought only the land from you and not the gold.' The owner of the land said: 'I sold you the land with everything in it.'…

"‏ اشترى رجل من رجل عقاراً، فوجد الذي اشترى العقار في عقاره جرة فيها ذهب، فقال له الذي اشترى العقار خذ ذهبك‏:‏ إنما اشتريت منك الأرض، ولم أشتر الذهب، وقال الذي له الأرض‏:‏ إنما بعتك الأرض وما فيها، فتحاكما إلى رجل، فقال…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 5 other versions

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, "When a judge utilizes his skill of judgement and comes to a right decision, he will have a double reward, but when he uses his judgement and commits a mistake, he will have a single reward." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

"‏إذا حكم الحاكم، فاجتهد، ثم أصاب، فله أجران، وإن حكم واجتهد، فأخطأ، فله أجر‏"

Narrated by Amr ibn al-‘Ās + 5 other versions

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: "He who has been appointed a Qadi (judge) has been slaughtered without a knife." [Reported by Ahmad and al-Arba'a. Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibban graded it Sahih (authentic)].

"مَنْ وَلِيَ اَلْقَضَاءَ فَقَدْ ذُبِحَ بِغَيْرِ سِكِّينٍ"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 7 other versions

The Prophet (ﷺ) suggested to some people that they should take an oath (Yamin) and when they hastened to do so he ordered that lots should be cast among them concerning the oath, as to which of them should take it. [Reported by al-Bukhari].

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ‏- رضى الله عنه ‏- { أَنَّ اَلنَّبِيَّ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-عَرَضَ عَلَى قَوْمٍ اَلْيَمِينَ, فَأَسْرَعُوا, فَأَمَرَ أَنْ يُسْهَمَ بَيْنَهُمْ فِي اَلْيَمِينِ, أَيُّهُمْ يَحْلِفُ } رَوَاهُ…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 2 other versions

"al-Qudat (judges) are of three types, two of whom will go to Hell and one to Paradise. The one who will go to Paradise is a man who knows what is right and gives judgement accordingly. However, a man who knows what is right, and does not give judgement accordingly and acts unjustly in his…

"اَلْقُضَاةُ ثَلَاثَةٌ: اِثْنَانِ فِي اَلنَّارِ, وَوَاحِدٌ فِي اَلْجَنَّةِ.‏ رَجُلٌ عَرَفَ اَلْحَقَّ, فَقَضَى بِهِ, فَهُوَ فِي اَلْجَنَّةِ.‏ وَرَجُلٌ عَرَفَ اَلْحَقَّ, فَلَمْ يَقْضِ بِهِ, وَجَارَ فِي اَلْحُكْمِ, فَهُوَ…

Narrated by Buraydah + 3 other versions

He heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) say. "The testimony of a bedouin against a city dweller is not permissible." [Reported by Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah].

"لَا تَجُوزُ شَهَادَةُ بَدَوِيٍّ عَلَى صَاحِبِ قَرْيَةٍ"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 3 other versions

A man disputed with az-Zubayr about streamlets in the lava plain which was irrigated by them. The Ansari said: Release the water and let it run, but az-Zubayr refused. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) said to az-Zubayr: Water (your ground), Zubayr, then let the water run to your neighbour. The Ansari then…

اسْقِ يَا زُبَيْرُ ثُمَّ أَرْسِلْ إِلَى جَارِكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَغَضِبَ الأَنْصَارِيُّ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنْ كَانَ ابْنَ عَمَّتِكَ فَتَلَوَّنَ وَجْهُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ اسْقِ ثُمَّ…

Narrated by Abdullāh ibn Az-Zubayr + 7 other versions

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) heard voices arguing at the door of his house.

Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) heard voices arguing at the door of his house. He went out to them and said: "I am only a human being, and you refer your disputes to me. Perhaps some of you are more eloquent…

سَمِعَ جَلَبَةَ خَصْمٍ بِبَابِ حُجْرَتِهِ فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ وَإِنَّهُ يَأْتِينِي الْخَصْمُ فَلَعَلَّ بَعْضَهُمْ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَبْلَغَ مِنْ بَعْضٍ فَأَحْسِبُ أَنَّهُ صَادِقٌ فَأَقْضِي…

Narrated by Umm Salamah + 3 other versions Explained

That his father said, "The Prophet (ﷺ) sent Mu`adh and Abu Musa to Yemen telling them. 'Treat the people with ease and don't be hard on them; give them glad tidings and don't fill them with aversion; and love each other, and don't differ."

يَسِّرَا وَلاَ تُعَسِّرَا، وَبَشِّرَا وَلاَ تُنَفِّرَا، وَتَطَاوَعَا وَلاَ تَخْتَلِفَا ‏"

Narrated by Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari + 6 other versions

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) issued judgments based on an oath and a witness

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) issued judgments based on an oath and a witness.

بِيَمِينٍ وَشَاهِدٍ ‏.‏

Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbās Explained

Anyone who takes a false oath at this pulpit of mine, even concerning a green tooth-stick, will surely occupy his seat in Hell

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: ''Anyone who takes a false oath at this pulpit of mine, even concerning a green tooth-stick, will surely occupy his seat in Hell – or he will surely enter…

وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا يَحْلِفُ أَحَدٌ عِنْدَ مِنْبَرِي هَذَا عَلَى يَمِينٍ آثِمَةٍ وَلَوْ عَلَى سِوَاكٍ أَخْضَرَ إِلَّا تَبَوَّأَ مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ…

Narrated by Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh + 2 other versions Explained

Your oath should be about something regarding which your companion will believe you. 'Amr said: By which your companion will believe you.

يَمِينُكَ عَلَى مَا يُصَدِّقُكَ عَلَيْهِ صَاحِبُكَ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah + 1 other version

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the one who gives a bribe and the one who receives a bribe to influence a judgment

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the one who gives a bribe and the one who receives a bribe to influence a judgment.

الرَّاشِي وَالْمُرْتَشِي فِي الْحُكْمِ ‏

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr Explained

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent me to the Yemen as judge, and I asked: Messenger of Allah, are you sending me when I am young and have no knowledge of the duties of a judge? He replied: Allah will guide your heart and keep your tongue true. When two litigants sit in front of you, do not decide till…

إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَيَهْدِي قَلْبَكَ وَيُثَبِّتُ لِسَانَكَ فَإِذَا جَلَسَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ الْخَصْمَانِ فَلاَ تَقْضِيَنَّ حَتَّى تَسْمَعَ مِنَ الآخَرِ كَمَا سَمِعْتَ مِنَ الأَوَّلِ فَإِنَّهُ أَحْرَى أَنْ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكَ…

Narrated by Ali + 2 other versions

“A Bedouin came to the Prophet (ﷺ) to ask him to pay back a debt that he owed him, and he spoke harshly, saying: 'I will make things difficult for you unless you repay me.' His Companions rebuked him and said: 'Woe to you, do you know who you are speaking to?' He said: 'I am only asking for my…

"‏ أُولَئِكَ خِيَارُ النَّاسِ إِنَّهُ لاَ قُدِّسَتْ أُمَّةٌ لاَ يَأْخُذُ الضَّعِيفُ فِيهَا حَقَّهُ غَيْرَ مُتَعْتَعٍ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri