Al-Muqaddimāt al-Mumahhidāt - Ibn Rush al-Jadd - (2/262)

Al-Muqaddimāt al-MumahhidātIbn Rush al-Jadd

Thus, when a judge exercises independent legal judgment, he receives a reward for his effort even if he errs. It is related that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “When a judge exercises independent legal judgment and reaches the correct decision, he has two rewards; when he exercises independent legal judgment and errs, he has one reward.”

Section

This applies when he is qualified to exercise independent legal judgment. If he is not qualified, however, he sins even if he reaches the correct decision, because he has rashly ventured to judge without knowledge, showing audacity before Allah.

Section

The judge should rule according to what is in the Book of Allah. If he finds nothing there, he should rule according to what has been transmitted from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, provided it is supported by established practice. If there is a report but established practice supports another, he should rule according to the one supported by practice. It is a well-known principle of Mālik, may Allah have mercy on him, that established practice takes precedence over solitary reports. Likewise, according to Abū Bakr al-Abharī’s understanding of his position, analogical reasoning takes precedence over solitary reports. If he finds nothing concerning the matter in the Sunnah, he should examine the opinions of the Companions and rule according to what they agreed upon. If they differed, he should rule according to whichever opinion is supported by established practice. If he cannot establish that practice accords with the opinion of any of them, he should choose from among their opinions without adopting a position contrary to them all.

It has also been said that he may exercise independent legal judgment even if his conclusion differs from all of theirs. The same rule applies to the consensus of the Successors after the Companions, and to every consensus reached in every age until the Day of Resurrection, because Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says:

“Whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows a path other than that of the believers, We will leave him to what he has chosen and cast him into Hell—an evil destination.” [al-Nisā’: 115]

And because the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “My community will never agree upon misguidance,” and also said: “Allah’s Hand is over the community.”

فإذا اجتهد الحاكم فله أجر الاجتهاد وإن أخطأ باجتهاده. روي عن النبي- ﵇ أنه قال: «إذا اجتهد الحاكم فأصاب فله أجران، وإذا اجتهد فأخطأ فله أجر». فصل وهذا إذا كان من أهل الاجتهاد، وأما إن لم يكن من أهل الاجتهاد، فهو آثم وإن أصاب باجتهاده لتقحمه وجرأته على الله في الحكم بغير علم. فصل فيحكم الحاكم بما في كتاب الله، فإن لم يكن، ففيما جاء عن رسول الله ﷺ إذا صحبته الأعمال؛ فإذا كان خبرا صحبت غيره الأعمال، قضى بما صحبته الأعمال، وهذا معلوم من أصول مالك ﵀ أن العمل مقدم على أخبار الآحاد، وكذلك القياس عنده مقدم على أخبار الآحاد، على ما ذهب إليه أبو بكر الأبهري، فإن لم يجد في السنة في ذلك شيئا، نظر في أقوال الصحابة فقضى بما اتفقوا عليه، فإن اختلفوا قضى بما صحبته الأعمال من ذلك فإن لم يصح عنده أيضا اتصال العمل بقول بعضهم، تخير من أقوالهم ولم يخالفهم جميعا. وقد قيل: إن له أن يجتهد وإن خالفهم جميعا، وكذلك الحكم في إجماع التابعين بعد الصحابة، وفي كل إجماع ينعقد في كل عصر من الأعصار إلى يوم القيامة؛ لقول الله ﷿: ﴿وَمَنْ يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَى وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّى وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا﴾ [النساء: ١١٥]. ولقول رسول الله- ﷺ: «لن تجتمع أمتي على ضلالة»، وأنه قال: «يد الله على الجماعة».