Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever asks for a position of judgment is left to his own self, and whoever is compelled to accept judgment, an angel descends from the sky to guide him.

Hazrat Harith says that whenever a person from Bani Israel was appointed as a judge, he was assisted by prophethood.

The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever is appointed as a judge, it is as if he has been slaughtered without a knife.

Hazrat Shurayh says that judgment is a burning coal; through witnesses, keep the burning coal away from yourself.

Hazrat Shurayh used to say to the witnesses that I neither invite (call) both of you nor do I prevent both of you from standing, surely the decision will be made because of both of you, surely I protect myself from both of you, so both of you should also protect yourselves.

A person said to Hazrat Sha’bi, “Judge between us according to the knowledge Allah has given you.” Hazrat Sha’bi replied, “I do not judge according to my own opinion.”

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdur Rahman that when Hazrat Dawood (peace be upon him) was given the command of judgment, he became cut off from making a decision (i.e., he could not decide). Allah Almighty sent revelation to him: Ask those people for witnesses and make them swear an oath.

It is narrated from Hazrat Amr that Hazrat Hakam bin Ayyub wrote a letter to a group and asked them to work for Qada (judgment): Hazrat Jabir bin Zaid said: If he had sent a letter to me, I would have run away.

It is narrated from Ayyub that when Abdur Rahman bin Azniyyah passed away, the matter of the office of judge was mentioned to Abu Qilabah. He fled to Syria, and coincidentally, the governor of Syria was also deposed during that period, so he fled from there to Yamamah. After that, I met him and he said: I have found the judge to be like a person swimming in the sea, and it is very rare that a swimmer does not drown.

The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever is appointed as a judge over the people, he has been slaughtered without a knife.