Law and Justice in Islam
Total Hadiths 4
Authentic Hadiths on Law and Justice in Islam
These authentic narrations detail how the Prophet Muhammad established absolute justice and resolved legal disputes using divine law. In one case involving a boundary dispute over irrigation water, the Prophet initially offered a lenient compromise, but when the neighbor questioned his impartiality, he strictly applied the literal letter of the law to give the rightful owner his full due. Another hadith demonstrates that legal penalties like retaliation (Qisas) for physical injuries are fixed by divine decree, though the victim's family retains the right to forgive or accept financial compensation (Irsh). Furthermore, legal rulings regarding illegal intercourse show that judges must rule strictly by scripture, returning unlawful ransoms and implementing prescribed sentences. According to Islamic scholars, these texts illustrate that divine law protects individual rights and cannot be swayed by personal emotions or bias.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الأَنْصَارِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي حُمَيْدٌ، أَنَّ أَنَسًا، حَدَّثَهُمْ أَنَّ الرُّبَيِّعَ ـ وَهْىَ ابْنَةُ النَّضْرِ ـ كَسَرَتْ ثَنِيَّةَ جَارِيَةٍ، فَطَلَبُوا الأَرْشَ وَطَلَبُوا الْعَفْوَ، فَأَبَوْا فَأَتَوُا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَمَرَهُمْ بِالْقِصَاصِ. فَقَالَ أَنَسُ بْنُ النَّضْرِ أَتُكْسَرُ ثَنِيَّةُ الرُّبَيِّعِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لاَ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ لاَ تُكْسَرُ ثَنِيَّتُهَا فَقَالَ " يَا أَنَسُ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ الْقِصَاصُ ". فَرَضِيَ الْقَوْمُ وَعَفَوْا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ مِنْ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ مَنْ لَوْ أَقْسَمَ عَلَى اللَّهِ لأَبَرَّهُ ". زَادَ الْفَزَارِيُّ عَنْ حُمَيْدٍ عَنْ أَنَسٍ فَرَضِيَ الْقَوْمُ وَقَبِلُوا الأَرْشَ.
Anas Narrated from:
Ar-Rabi, the daughter of An-Nadr broke the tooth of a girl, and the relatives of Ar-Rabi` requested the girl's relatives to accept the Irsh (compensation for wounds etc.) and forgive (the offender), but they refused. So, they went to the Prophet (ﷺ) who ordered them to bring about retaliation. Anas bin An-Nadr asked, "O Allah"; Apostle! Will the tooth of Ar-Rabi` be broken? No, by Him Who has sent you with the Truth, her tooth will not be broken." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O Anas! Allah"; law ordains retaliation."Later the relatives of the girl agreed and forgave her. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "There are some of Allah's slaves who, if they take an oath by Allah, are responded to by Allah i.e. their oath is fulfilled). Anas added, "The people agreed and accepted the Irsh."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 2703In-book reference : Book 53, Hadith 13USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 3, Book 49, Hadith 866
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّ الزُّبَيْرَ، كَانَ يُحَدِّثُ أَنَّهُ خَاصَمَ رَجُلاً مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي شِرَاجٍ مِنَ الْحَرَّةِ كَانَا يَسْقِيَانِ بِهِ كِلاَهُمَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِلزُّبَيْرِ " اسْقِ يَا زُبَيْرُ ثُمَّ أَرْسِلْ إِلَى جَارِكَ ". فَغَضِبَ الأَنْصَارِيُّ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ آنْ كَانَ ابْنَ عَمَّتِكَ فَتَلَوَّنَ وَجْهُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ قَالَ " اسْقِ ثُمَّ احْبِسْ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ الْجَدْرَ ". فَاسْتَوْعَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَئِذٍ حَقَّهُ لِلزُّبَيْرِ، وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ أَشَارَ عَلَى الزُّبَيْرِ بِرَأْىٍ سَعَةٍ لَهُ وَلِلأَنْصَارِيِّ، فَلَمَّا أَحْفَظَ الأَنْصَارِيُّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم اسْتَوْعَى لِلزُّبَيْرِ حَقَّهُ فِي صَرِيحِ الْحُكْمِ. قَالَ عُرْوَةُ قَالَ الزُّبَيْرُ وَاللَّهِ مَا أَحْسِبُ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ نَزَلَتْ إِلاَّ فِي ذَلِكَ {فَلاَ وَرَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ} الآيَةَ.
`Urwa bin Az-Zubair Narrated from:
Az-Zubair told me that he quarreled with an Ansari man who had participated in (the battle of) Badr in front of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about a water stream which both of them used for irrigation. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to Az-Zubair, "O Zubair! Irrigate (your garden) first, and then let the water flow to your neighbor." The Ansari became angry and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Is it because he is your cousin?"On that the complexion of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) changed (because of anger) and said (to Az-Zubair), "I irrigate (your garden) and then withhold the water till it reaches the walls (surrounding the palms)." So, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) gave Az-Zubair his full right. Before that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had given a generous judgment beneficial for Az-Zubair and the Ansari, but when the Ansari irritated Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) he gave Az-Zubair his full right according to the evident law.Az-Zubair said, "By Allah ! I think the following Verse was revealed concerning that case:"But no by your Lord They can have No faith Until they make you judge In all disputes between them." (4.65)
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 2708In-book reference : Book 53, Hadith 18USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 3, Book 49, Hadith 871
حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الزُّهْرِيُّ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، وَزَيْدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ، رضى الله عنهما قَالاَ جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ اقْضِ بَيْنَنَا بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ. فَقَامَ خَصْمُهُ فَقَالَ صَدَقَ، اقْضِ بَيْنَنَا بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ. فَقَالَ الأَعْرَابِيُّ إِنَّ ابْنِي كَانَ عَسِيفًا عَلَى هَذَا، فَزَنَى بِامْرَأَتِهِ، فَقَالُوا لِي عَلَى ابْنِكَ الرَّجْمُ. فَفَدَيْتُ ابْنِي مِنْهُ بِمِائَةٍ مِنَ الْغَنَمِ وَوَلِيدَةٍ، ثُمَّ سَأَلْتُ أَهْلَ الْعِلْمِ، فَقَالُوا إِنَّمَا عَلَى ابْنِكَ جَلْدُ مِائَةٍ وَتَغْرِيبُ عَامٍ. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لأَقْضِيَنَّ بَيْنَكُمَا بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ، أَمَّا الْوَلِيدَةُ وَالْغَنَمُ فَرَدٌّ عَلَيْكَ، وَعَلَى ابْنِكَ جَلْدُ مِائَةٍ وَتَغْرِيبُ عَامٍ، وَأَمَّا أَنْتَ يَا أُنَيْسُ ـ لِرَجُلٍ ـ فَاغْدُ عَلَى امْرَأَةِ هَذَا فَارْجُمْهَا ". فَغَدَا عَلَيْهَا أُنَيْسٌ فَرَجَمَهَا.
Abu Huraira and Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani Narrated from:
A bedouin came and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Judge between us according to Allah's Laws." His opponent got up and said, "He is right. Judge between us according to Allah's Laws." The bedouin said, "My son was a laborer working for this man, and he committed illegal sexual intercourse with his wife. The people told me that my son should be stoned to death; so, in lieu of that, I paid a ransom of one hundred sheep and a slave girl to save my son. Then I asked the learned scholars who said, "Your son has to be lashed one-hundred lashes and has to be exiled for one year."The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "No doubt I will judge between you according to Allah's Laws. The slave-girl and the sheep are to go back to you, and your son will get a hundred lashes and one year exile." He then addressed somebody, "O Unais! go to the wife of this (man) and stone her to death" So, Unais went and stoned her to death.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 2695, 2696In-book reference : Book 53, Hadith 6USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 3, Book 49, Hadith 860
حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الزُّهْرِيُّ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، وَزَيْدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ، رضى الله عنهما قَالاَ جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ اقْضِ بَيْنَنَا بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ. فَقَامَ خَصْمُهُ فَقَالَ صَدَقَ، اقْضِ بَيْنَنَا بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ. فَقَالَ الأَعْرَابِيُّ إِنَّ ابْنِي كَانَ عَسِيفًا عَلَى هَذَا، فَزَنَى بِامْرَأَتِهِ، فَقَالُوا لِي عَلَى ابْنِكَ الرَّجْمُ. فَفَدَيْتُ ابْنِي مِنْهُ بِمِائَةٍ مِنَ الْغَنَمِ وَوَلِيدَةٍ، ثُمَّ سَأَلْتُ أَهْلَ الْعِلْمِ، فَقَالُوا إِنَّمَا عَلَى ابْنِكَ جَلْدُ مِائَةٍ وَتَغْرِيبُ عَامٍ. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لأَقْضِيَنَّ بَيْنَكُمَا بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ، أَمَّا الْوَلِيدَةُ وَالْغَنَمُ فَرَدٌّ عَلَيْكَ، وَعَلَى ابْنِكَ جَلْدُ مِائَةٍ وَتَغْرِيبُ عَامٍ، وَأَمَّا أَنْتَ يَا أُنَيْسُ ـ لِرَجُلٍ ـ فَاغْدُ عَلَى امْرَأَةِ هَذَا فَارْجُمْهَا ". فَغَدَا عَلَيْهَا أُنَيْسٌ فَرَجَمَهَا.
Abu Huraira and Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani Narrated from:
A bedouin came and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Judge between us according to Allah's Laws." His opponent got up and said, "He is right. Judge between us according to Allah's Laws." The bedouin said, "My son was a laborer working for this man, and he committed illegal sexual intercourse with his wife. The people told me that my son should be stoned to death; so, in lieu of that, I paid a ransom of one hundred sheep and a slave girl to save my son. Then I asked the learned scholars who said, "Your son has to be lashed one-hundred lashes and has to be exiled for one year."The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "No doubt I will judge between you according to Allah's Laws. The slave-girl and the sheep are to go back to you, and your son will get a hundred lashes and one year exile." He then addressed somebody, "O Unais! go to the wife of this (man) and stone her to death" So, Unais went and stoned her to death.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 2695, 2696In-book reference : Book 53, Hadith 6USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 3, Book 49, Hadith 860
