another narration: “It is a blessing that he has denied” (1), as narrated by Muslim.
The strength required to judge between people comes down to knowledge of the justice established by the Quran and Sunnah, and to the ability (2) to enforce judgments.
Trustworthiness comes down to fearing Allah Most High, refraining from fearing people (3), and not trading His revelations for a paltry price. These are the three qualities that Allah requires of everyone who judges people, as He says: “So do not fear people; fear Me. Nor trade My revelations for a paltry price. Those who do not judge by what Allah has revealed are indeed the disbelievers” [al-Mā’idah: 44]. Hence, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Judges are of three kinds: two are in Hell and one is in Paradise. A man who recognizes (4) the truth but judges contrary to it is in Hell; a man who judges people out of ignorance is in Hell; and a man who knows the truth and judges by it is in Paradise.” It was narrated by the compilers of the Sunan works (5).
(1) This is part of the aforementioned hadith of Uqba in the Sunan collections, though its wording is: “…for it is a blessing that he abandoned—or, he said, for which he showed ingratitude.” The author’s wording occurs in a hadith of Abū Hurayra, recorded by al-Tabarānī in *al-Saghīr* (1/197), al-Khatīb in *Tārīkh Baghdād* (7/452), and others. Abū Hātim al-Rāzī said in *al-Ilal* (939): “This is a rejected hadith.” This version is not found in Muslim.
(2) The original manuscript reads “strength,” but the reading found in the other manuscripts is more accurate.
(3) In (ي، ظ، ز), the phrase “and refraining from fearing people” occurs after “paltry.”
(4) The remaining manuscripts read “knew,” which occurs in some versions of the hadith.
(5) Recorded by Abū Dāwūd (3573), al-Tirmidhī (1322), al-Nasā’ī in *al-Kubrā* (5891), Ibn Mājah (2315), al-Hākim (4/90), al-Bayhaqī (10/116), and others, through several chains and with varying wordings, from the hadith of Burayda (may Allah be pleased with him).
Abū Dāwūd said: “This is the soundest report on the subject—namely, the hadith of Ibn Burayda: ‘Judges are of three kinds.’” Al-Hākim said: “This hadith has an authentic chain of transmission.” It was also authenticated by Ibn Hazm in *al-Ihkām* (6/215), Ibn al-Mulaqqin in *al-Badr al-Munīr* (9/552), and al-Irāqī in *Takhrīj al-Ihyā’* (1/40). Al-Hāfiz Ibn Hajar devoted a separate treatise to its chains of transmission.