and not fearing people. These are the three qualities Allah has required of everyone who judges between people, in His words, Most High:

“So do not fear people, but fear Me, and do not exchange My verses for a small price. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed—it is they who are the disbelievers.”

For this reason, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Judges are of three kinds: two are in the Fire and one is in Paradise. A man who knows the truth but judges contrary to it is in the Fire. A man who judges between people in ignorance is in the Fire. A man who knows the truth and judges according to it is in Paradise.”

Reported by the compilers of the Sunan collections. The term ‘judge’ applies to everyone who decides and passes judgment between two people, whether a caliph, sultan, deputy, governor, someone appointed to judge according to Islamic law, or that person’s deputy. It even includes someone who judges children’s handwriting when they compete with one another. This is how the Companions of Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, described it, and this is evident.

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Capability and trustworthiness are seldom combined in one person. For this reason, ʿUmar ibn al-Khattāb, may Allah be pleased with him, used to say:

“O Allah, I complain to You of the wicked man’s vigor and the trustworthy man’s incapacity.”

Thus, every office must be entrusted to the person best suited to its particular requirements. If the choice is confined to two men, one more trustworthy and the other more capable, preference is given to whichever of them is more beneficial to that office and less