Scrupulous Muslim Rulers
The standard of piety set by the great Muslim rulers was indeed lofty and rare. Due to the fear of Allah (Glory be He, Most High) and accountability in the divine court, they displayed extreme caution. Public property was regarded as a trust in their hands and they took care of it prudently. Once, some musk (perfume) came to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiallahu anhu) from Bahrain. He asked for someone who would weigh it carefully, so that it may be equally distributed among the Muslims. His wife, Atikah, volunteered, but ‘Umar (radiallahu anhu) refused to give it to her. When she inquired why, he replied, “I fear that, while weighing it, some of it may rub-off onto your hand and body. This will give me an unfair advantage over the other Muslims.” A similar...
Read MoreJudge Passes Verdict Against His Son
Qadhi Shuraih ibn al-Harith (radiallahu anhu) was an outstanding Muslim judge who was appointed by Umar (radiallahu anhu). He served as a judge for sixty years. One day, his son said to him: “I have a dispute with a group of people. Please advise me how to handle the matter. If I am correct in your opinion, then I will proceed with the matter in court, otherwise, I will drop the case.” He then related the case to his father. Qadhi Shuraih (radiallahu anhu) heard the story and advised his son to proceed with the case. When it was brought to the court, Qadhi Shuraih (radiallahu anhu) gave the verdict against his son. When they returned home, his son said to him: “By Allah, had I not presented the case to you in court, you would not have been constrained to...
Read MoreSpeak the Truth Even if it is Bitter
Once during the days of the British occupation of India, a dispute arose between the Hindus and Muslims in Muzaffarnagar District, Kandhla, over a piece of land which both of them claimed as their place of worship. They referred the matter to the English ruler of the district. He heard the case and evidence presented by both parties, but could not reach a verdict. He asked the Hindus, “Is there a Muslim in the area whose word you trust.” The Hindus replied, “Yes, we do,” and they mentioned the name of a Muslim scholar. The ruler, thereupon, summoned the Muslim scholar to his court. The scholar agreed and came to the court. He stood with his back turned towards the ruler and declared, “The Hindus are right. The land in dispute belongs to them.” The...
Read MoreNo person is above the law
Ali (radiallahu anhu) the Caliph (ruler of the Islamic Empire that ruled half the world at the time) was walking in the market place when he saw a shield, that had been stolen from him some time ago, in the possession of a Jew. He confronted the Jew and informed him that the shield belonged to him. The Jew refused to return it and claimed that it was his. Ali (radiallahu anhu) decided to take the matter to court and requested Qadi Shuraih to settle the dispute between them. Qadi Shuraih was the Muslim judge of Kufa at the time and had been appointed by Ali (radiallahu anhu) himself. The following discussion took place in court: Shuraih: “O Amir al-Muminin (The Caliph), what is your claim?” Ali (radiallahu anhu): “This shield belongs to me. It was stolen from...
Read MoreCompassion in the battlefield
Qadhi ibn Shaddad (rahmatullahi alayhi) was the personal advisor of Salahuddin Ayyubi (rahmatullahi alayhi). They travelled together on a number of expeditions. He explains: “I was riding in the service of Salahuddin in an expedition against the Europeans, when a soldier brought a woman to us. She was crying uncontrollably and repeatedly beating her chest. It was obvious that she was seriously traumatised. The soldier explained, “This woman has come from the European ranks and asked to be taken to the Sultan, so I brought her here.” The Sultan asked an interpreter to question her regarding her story. She explained, “Muslim thieves entered my tent last night and stole my baby girl. I have been crying out for help throughout the night. I was advised by my...
Read More