30/3. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1713c — Truth Beyond Winning a Case
So the judgement of the judge does not change what happened
Hadith About Court Judgment, Eloquence, and True Rights
Sahih Muslim : 1713c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1713c
وَحَدَّثَنِي حَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ، شِهَابٍ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتِ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم 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 لَهُ فَمَنْ قَضَيْتُ لَهُ بِحَقِّ مُسْلِمٍ فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ قِطْعَةٌ مِنَ النَّارِ فَلْيَحْمِلْهَا أَوْ يَذَرْهَا " .
Umm Salamah Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) heard the clamour of contenders at the door of his apartment. He went to them, and said: I am a human being and the claimants bring to me (the dispute) and perhaps some of them are more eloquent than the others. I judge him to be on the right, and thus decide in his favour. So he whom I, by my judgment, (give the undue share) out of the right of a Muslim,. I give him a portion of Fire; he may burden himself with it or abandon it.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1713cIn-book reference : Book 30, Hadith 6USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 18, Hadith 4249
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1713c
This hadith about court judgment gives a vivid scene. Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم heard the noise of contenders at the door of his apartment, went out, and reminded them that he was a human being. Claimants may come, and one may be more eloquent than another. He may think the stronger speaker is truthful and judge in his favor. But if that judgment gives someone a Muslim’s right, it is described as a portion of Fire, which he may carry or leave. The teaching is plain: do not hide behind legal success if the right is not yours. Truth matters beyond winning a dispute.
What we learn from this hadith
- A judge may decide by what he hears from the disputants.
- Eloquence can make a claim sound stronger than it is.
- A person should abandon any right awarded to him if it is not truly his.
