The Book of the Etiquette of Judges

It was narrated that 'Abbad bin Shurahbil said: "I came to Al-Madinah with my paternal uncles and entered one of its gardens, where I rubbed an ear of grain (to take some grains). The owner of the garden came, took my cloak and hit me. I came to the Messenger of Allah [SAW] and sought his help against him. He sent for the man and they brought him. He said: 'What made you do that?' He said: 'O Messenger of Allah, he entered my garden and took one of the ears of grain and rubbed it.' The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'You did not teach him if he was ignorant, nor feed him if he was hungry. Give him back his cloak.' And the Messenger of Allah [SAW] ordered me with a Wasq or half a Wasq."

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah and Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani that: Two men referred a dispute to the Messenger of Allah [SAW]. One of them said: "O Messenger of Allah, pass judgment between us according to the Book of Allah." The other, who was wiser, said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah, and allow me to speak." He said: "My son was a laborer serving this man, and he committed Zina with his wife. They told me that my son was to be stoned to death, but I ransomed him with one hundred sheep and a slave girl of mine. Then I asked the people of knowledge, who told me that my son was to be given one hundred lashes and exiled for a year, and that his (the man's) wife was to be stoned to death." The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: "By the One in Whose hand is my soul, I will pass judgment between you according to the Book of Allah. As for your sheep and your slave girl, take them back." Then he gave his son one hundred lashes, and exiled him for one year, and he ordered Unais to go to the wife of the other man and if she confessed, to stone her to death. She did confess, so he stoned her to death.

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah, Zaid bin Khalid and Shibl said: "We were with the Prophet [SAW] when a man stood up and said: 'I adjure you, by Allah, pass judgment between us according to the Book of Allah.' His opponent, who was wiser than him, stood up and said: 'He is right, pass judgment between us according to the Book of Allah.' He said: 'Speak.' He said: 'My son was a laborer serving this man, and he committed Zina with his wife. I ransomed him with one hundred sheep and a servant.' It is as if he was told that his son was to be stoned to death but he ransomed him from that. 'Then I asked some knowledgeable men and they told me that my son was to be given one hundred lashes and exiled for a year.' The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said to him: 'By the One in Whose hand is my soul, I will pass judgment between you according to the Book of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime. As for the one hundred sheep and the servant, take them back, and your son is to be given one hundred lashes and exiled for a year. O Unais, go tomorrow to the wife of this man and if she confesses, then stone her to death.' She did confess, so he stoned her to death."

It was narrated from Abu Umamah bin Sahl bin Hunaif that: A woman who had committed Zina was brought to the Prophet [SAW]. He said: "With whom?" She said: "With the paralyzed man who lives in the garden of Sa'd." He was brought and placed before (the Prophet [SAW]) and he confessed. The Messenger of Allah [SAW] called for a bunch of palm leaves and hit him. He took pity on him because of his disability and was lenient with him.

Sahl bin Sa'd Al-Sa'idi said: "Words were exchanged between two clans of the Ansar, to the point that they began to throw rocks at one another. The Prophet [SAW] went to reconcile between them. The time for prayer came, so Bilal called Adhan and waited for the Messenger of Allah [SAW], but he was delayed. He said the Iqamah and Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, went forward (to lead the prayer). Then the Prophet [SAW] came while Abu Bakr was leading the people in prayer, and when the people saw him they clapped. Abu Bakr would not turn around when he was praying, but when he heard them clapping, he turned around and saw the Messenger of Allah [SAW]. He wanted to step back but (the Prophet [SAW]) gestured to him to stay where he was. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, raised his hands, then he moved backward and the Messenger of Allah [SAW] came forward and led (the rest of) the prayer. When the Messenger of Allah [SAW] finished praying, he said: 'What prevented you from staying where you were?' He said: 'I would not like Allah to see the son of Abu Quhafah standing in front of His Prophet.' Then he (the Prophet [SAW]) turned to the people and said: 'If you noticed something while you were praying, why did you clap? That is for women. Whoever notices something while he is praying, let him say: "Subhan Allah."

It was narrated from Ka'b bin Malik that: He owed a debt by 'Abdullah bin Abi Hadrad Al-Aslami. He met him, and asked him to pay it off. They exchanged words until their voices became loud. The Messenger of Allah [SAW] passed by them and said: "O Ka'b!" and he gestured with his hand to say half. So he took half of what was owed and let him off the other half.

It was narrated that Wa'il said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah [SAW] when a killer was brought by the heir of the victim by a string. The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said to the heir of the victim: 'Will you forgive him?' He said: 'No.' He said: 'Will you accept the Diyah?' He said: 'No.' He said: 'Will you kill him?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Take him away.' When he went and turned away from him, he called him back and said: 'Will you forgive him?' He said: 'No.' He said: 'Will you accept the Diyah?' He said: 'No.' He said: 'Will you kill him?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Take him away.' When he went and turned away from him, he called him back and said: 'Will you forgive him?' He said: 'No.' He said: 'Will you accept the Diyah?' He said: 'No.' He said: 'Will you kill him?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Take him away.' At that point the Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'But if you forgive him, he will carry his own sin and the sin of your companion.' So he forgave him, and I saw him dragging his string."

It was narrated from 'Urwah that 'Abdullah bin Az-Zubair narrated to him that: A man among the Ansar disputed with Az-Zubair concerning a stream in Al-Harrah from which they both used to water their date palm trees. The Ansari said: "Let the water flow," but he (Az-Zubair) refused. They brought their dispute to the Messenger of Allah [SAW]. The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: "Irrigate (your land), O Zubair, then let the water flow to your neighbor." The Ansari became angry and said: "O Messenger of Allah, is it because he is your cousin?" The face of the Messenger of Allah [SAW] changed color (because of anger) and he said: "O Zubair, irrigate (your land) then block the water until it flows back to the walls." Az-Zubair said: "I think that this Verse was revealed concerning this matter: 'But no, by your Lord, they can have no faith.'"

It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas that: The husband of Barirah was a slave called Mughith. It is as if I can see him walking behind her weeping, with the tears running down onto his beard. The Prophet [SAW] said to Al-'Abbas: "O 'Abbas, are you not amazed by the love of Mughith for Barirah and the hatred of Barirah for Mughith?" The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said to her: "Why don't you take him back, for he is the father of your child?" She said: "O Messenger of Allah, are you commanding me (to do so)?" He said: "I am just interceding." She said: "I have no need of him."

It was narrated that Jabir bin 'Abdullah said: "A man among the Ansar stated that his salve was to be set free after he died; he was in need, and he owed a debt. The Messenger of Allah [SAW] sold him (the slave) for eight hundred Dirhams, and he gave (the money) to him and said: 'Pay off your debt and spend on your dependents.'"

It was narrated from Abu Umamah that : The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: "Whoever seizes the wealth of a Muslim unlawfully by means of his (false) oath, Allah makes the Fire required for him, Paradise unlawful for him." A man said to him: "O Messenger of Allah, even if it is something small?" He said: "Even if it is a twig of an Arak tree."

It was narrated that 'Aishah said: "Hind came to the Messenger of Allah [SAW] and said : 'O Messenger of Allah, Abu Sufyan is a stingy man who does not spend enough on my child and I. Can I take from his wealth without him realizing?' He said: 'Take what is sufficient for you and your child on a reasonable basis.'"

It was narrated that 'Abdullah bin Abi Bakrah, who was a governor in Sijistan, said: "Abu Bakrah wrote to me, saying: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah [SAW] say: No one should pass two judgments on one issue, and no one should pass judgment between two disputing parties while he is angry.'"

It was narrated that Umm Salamah said: "The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'You refer your disputes to me, but I am only human. And some of you may be more eloquent in arguing their case than others, and I may pass judgment on the basis of what I hear. If I pass judgment in favor of one of you against his brother's rights, then it is a piece of the fire that I am giving him.'"

It was narrated that 'Aishah said: "The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'The most hated of men to Allah is the most quarrelsome of opponents.'"

It was narrated from Abu Musa: That two men referred a dispute to the Prophet [SAW] concerning an animal, and neither of them had any evidence, so he ruled that it be shared equally between them.

It was narrated from Nafi' bin 'Umar, that Ibn Abi Mulaikah said: "There were two female neighbors who used to do leatherwork (with an awl) in At-Ta'if. One of them came out with her hand bleeding and claimed that her companion had injured her, but the other one denied it. I wrote to Ibn 'Abbas concerning that. He wrote, (saying) that the Messenger of Allah [SAW] ruled that the person against whom the claim was made should swear an oath. For if people were to be given what they claimed was theirs, then people would make claims against the wealth and blood of others." So he called her and recited this Verse to her: "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..." until the end of the Verse. He called her and recited that to her, and she confessed to that. News of that reached him and he was happy.

It was narrated that Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri said: "Mu'awiyah, (may Allah be pleased with him,) said: 'The Messenger of Allah [SAW] went out to a circle - meaning, of his Companions - and said: 'What are you doing?' They said: 'We have come together to pray to Allah and praise Him for guiding us to His religion, and blessing us with you.' He said: 'I ask you, by Allah, is that the only reason?' They said: 'By Allah, we have not come together for any other reason.' He said: 'I am not asking you to swear to an oath because of any suspicion; rather Jibril came to me and told me that Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, is boasting of you to the angels.'"

It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said: "The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'Isa bin Mariam, peace be upon him, saw a man stealing, and said to him: Are you stealing? He said: No, by Allah besides Whom there is no other God! 'Isa, peace be upon him, said: I believe in Allah and I disbelieve my eyes.'"