Between Two Narratives: A Lesson on an Adjudicator’s Impartiality 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Khalid Bin Mi’dan, may Allah have mercy upon him, reported: 

Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb, may Allah be pleased with him, appointed Saʿīd ibn ʿĀmir ibn Judhaym al-Jumaḥī, may Allah be pleased with him, as our governor over us in Ḥimṣ. When Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb arrived in Ḥimṣ, he said, “O people of Ḥimṣ! How have you found your governor?” So they complained about him (Sa’id) to him (Umar). It used to be said about the people of Ḥimṣ ‘the Little Kufa’ because of their complains about the governors.

They said, “We complain regarding four things: he does not come out to us until late into the day”. Umar said, “What a serious matter!” He asked: “And what else?” They said: “He does not respond to anyone at night”. He said: “And (also) serious matter”. He asked: “And what else?” They said: “He has one day each month when he does not come out to us”. He said, “A serious matter”.

He said: “What else?” They said: “He takes a short sleep during the days”, meaning that he would be overwhelmed by sleep resembling death (i.e. deep sleep)”. 

So Umar gathered them together with Saʿīd and said: “O Allah! Do not let my judgement concerning him be mistaken today! What is your complaint about him?” They said: “He does not come out to us until late into the day”. He (Saʿīd) said: “By Allah! Even though I dislike mentioning this, (but) my family does not have a servant. So, I knead my dough, wait until it rises and bake my bread, perform ablution and come out to them”. 

He (Umar) asked: “What (else) is your complaint about him?” They said: “He does not respond to anyone at night”. Umar said: “What do you (Sa’id) say (about this?)” He said: “By Allah! Even though I dislike mentioning this, indeed, I devote the daytime to them and the night to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic”. 

Umar asked: “And what (else) is your complaint about him?” They said: “Indeed, he has one day each month when he does not come out to us”. Umar said: “What do you say (about this)?” He (Saʿīd) said: “Neither do I have a servant to wash my clothes nor do I have any other clothes to change into. Therefore, I wait until they dry up, scrub them (my clothes), and then I come out to them (the people) towards the end of the day”.

Umar asked: “What (else) is your complaint (about him)?” They said: “He takes a short sleep during the days”. He (Saʿīd) said: “I witnessed the scene in which Khubayb al-Anṣārī was killed in Makkah. Quraysh had cut his flesh into pieces, then placed him on a wooden trunk. They said to him: ‘Would you love that Muḥammad was to be in your place instead of you?’ So, he (Khubayb) said: ‘By Allah, I would not like to be with my family and children while Muhammad is pricked by even a thorn’. Whenever I (Sa’id) remember that day and how I had abandoned supporting him in that situation, while I was still a polytheist and did not believe in Allah, the Most Great, I would think that Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, would never forgive me for that sin. Then that great distress would overcome me”.

So, Umar said: “All praise is due to Allah, Who has not made me mistaken in my insight”. He then sent him a thousand dinars and said: “Use this to aid you with your affairs.” His wife said: “All praise is due to Allah, Who has made us independent of your service.” He said to her: “Would you like something better than that? We can give it to those who will come to us when we are most in need of it.” She replied: “Yes.” He then called a man from his household whom he trusted, divided the money into purses, and said: “Take these to the widow of the family of so-and-so, the orphan of the family of so-and-so, the needy person of the family of so-and-so, and the afflicted person of the family of so-and-so.” One gold coin remained, so he said: “Spend this one.” He then returned to his work. His wife said: “Why don’t you buy us a servant? What happened to that money?” He replied: “It will come to you when you are most in need of it.”  [1] 

In this regard, we remind ourselves regarding the hadith: Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: “When two men come to you seeking judgement, do not judge for the first until you have heard the statement of the other. Soon you will know how to judge.’” ‘Ali said: “I did not err since then.” [2]

Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters in Manchester, we learn a good lesson from this. May Allah guide us and all the Muslims towards every noble moral conduct. Amin.

[1] Hilyah al-Awliya 1/310] [End of quote]

[2] at-Tirmidhi 1331