“I am only a human being, and a disputant comes before me. Perhaps one of you is more eloquent than another, so I deem him truthful and rule in his favour accordingly. Thus, whoever I rule to be entitled to a right belonging to a Muslim, it is only a portion of the Fire; let him take it or leave it.”
It was recorded by al-Bukhari (3/101; 8/116–117), Muslim (5/129), al-Tahawi (2/287), and Ahmad (6/308), from Ibn Shihab, who said: ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr informed me that Zaynab, the daughter of Abu Salamah, told him that Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, informed her that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, heard disputants at the door of his chamber. He went out to them and said”—then he cited it.
It has a supporting narration with the wording: “I am only a human being, and perhaps one of you is more skilful than another in presenting his case. So, whoever I award a portion of his brother’s right, I am only awarding him a portion of the Fire.”
It was recorded by Ibn Majah (2/51–52), al-Tahawi (2/287), and Abu Ya‘la in his Musnad (4/1416, Maktab photographic edition), through Muhammad ibn ‘Amr, from Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman, from Abu Hurayrah, attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. He said in al-Zawa’id: “Its chain is authentic, and its narrators are those of the Sahih.”
I say: Rather, it has only a good chain of transmission, for al-Bukhari narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Amr only in conjunction with another narrator, while Muslim narrated from him only as supporting evidence.
Al-Tabarani also narrated it in al-Awsat from the hadith of Ibn ‘Umar, who said: Two men brought a dispute before the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and he said”—then he cited it. He said in al-Majma‘ (4/198): “Its chain includes al-Qasim ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Umar, who is abandoned.”
Ibn Abi Shaybah also narrated it in al-Musannaf from Anas, as found in Mukhtasar Kanz al-‘Ummal (2/201).
1163 — “At the end of time, there will be people who sit in the mosques in circle after circle, with worldly life as their leader. Do not sit with them, for Allah has no need of them.”
It was narrated by al-Tabarani (3/78/2) and Abu Ishaq al-Muzakki in al-Fawa’id al-Muntaqah.