In Islam, there is a clear emphasis on avoiding judgment and passing verdicts on others. Stay with Saed News to learn more about this topic.
Hadiths About Judging and Passing Judgment
Today, judging others has become a prevalent social issue that many people engage in—even the smallest details of individuals’ lives are often judged. In most cases, these judgments and the tendency to act as a judge have negative consequences.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever is put in a position to judge among Muslims must treat them equally in his gaze, gestures, seating, and manner of sitting.”
(Kanz al-‘Ummāl: 15032, Muntakhab Mīzān al-Ḥikmah: 470)
“Whoever seeks the position of judge and uses others to gain it, Allah will leave him to himself; but if someone is compelled to accept it, Allah will send an angel to guide and support him.”
(Kanz al-‘Ummāl: 14994, Muntakhab Mīzān al-Ḥikmah: 470)
“On the Day of Judgment, the just judge will be brought forth and held to such a strict account that he will wish he had never judged between even two people over a single date.”
(Kanz al-‘Ummāl: 14988, Muntakhab Mīzān al-Ḥikmah: 470)
“Whoever judges between two people and does not do so justly, may Allah’s curse be upon him.”
(Nahj al-Faṣāḥah)
“There are two judges: one in Paradise and the other in Hell. The judge who knows the truth and rules accordingly is in Paradise; the one who knows the truth and deliberately deviates from it or judges without knowledge—both are in Hell.”
(Nahj al-Faṣāḥah)
“Allah supports the judge as long as he is not unjust. Once he becomes unjust, Allah abandons him and Satan becomes his companion.”
(Nahj al-Faṣāḥah)
“When Allah wills good for a people, He appoints the wise among them as rulers, the knowledgeable as judges, and gives wealth to the generous. When He wills evil for them, He places the foolish as rulers, the ignorant as judges, and gives wealth to the miserly.”
(Nahj al-Faṣāḥah)
“If any of you is appointed to judge among Muslims, he must avoid judging while angry, and should not show any difference in gaze, seating, or gestures between the parties.”
(Nahj al-Faṣāḥah)
“It is forbidden for an emir (leader) to accept gifts, and for a judge to take bribes—it is disbelief.”
(Nahj al-Faṣāḥah)
“When you judge, judge justly; and when you speak, speak kindly—for Allah is Good and loves those who do good.”
(Nahj al-Faṣāḥah, Hadith 200)
“Allah loves servants who are gentle in buying and selling, and also gentle in judging and accepting judgments.”
“A judgment based on speculation and assumption is not just.”
(Nahj al-Balāgha, Wisdom 220)
“There are five matters in which the judge must act according to the apparent: guardianship, marriage, inheritance, slaughter (halal meat), and testimonies. If witnesses appear trustworthy, their testimony is accepted without investigating their inner intentions.”
(Al-Khiṣāl: 311 / 88, Muntakhab Mīzān al-Ḥikmah: 472)
“The hand of Allah’s mercy hovers over the judge’s head. If he acts unjustly, Allah will leave him to himself.”
(Al-Kāfī: 7 / 410 / 1)
[To the judge Shurayḥ] “Do not whisper in someone’s ear during court. If you become angry, leave the court and never judge while in a state of anger.”
(Al-Kāfī: 7 / 413 / 5)
“Do not sit in the court of judgment unless you have eaten something beforehand.”
(Al-Kāfī: 7 / 413 / 1, Muntakhab Mīzān al-Ḥikmah: 472)
“Do not show fatigue or distress in the court of judgment. It is a place where Allah has placed rewards and prepared a good reserve for those who judge justly.”
(Al-Kāfī: 7 / 413 / 1)
“There are four types of judges: three are in Hell, and one is in Paradise.
A man who knowingly gives an unjust verdict—he is in Hell.
A man who gives an unjust verdict without knowing—he is in Hell.
A man who unknowingly gives a correct verdict—he is still in Hell.
But the man who knowingly and correctly judges with justice—he is in Paradise.”
(Al-Kāfī: 7 / 407 / 1, Muntakhab Mīzān al-Ḥikmah: 472)
“The pit of Hell called Nawāwīs complained to Allah about its extreme heat. Allah replied: 'Be silent! The place of judges is even hotter than you!’”
(Al-Faqīh: 3 / 6 / 3226, Muntakhab Mīzān al-Ḥikmah: 470)
“Avoid judgment, for it belongs only to an Imam who is knowledgeable in judging and rules justly among Muslims—a prophet or the successor of a prophet.”
(Al-Kāfī: 7 / 406 / 1, Muntakhab Mīzān al-Ḥikmah: 470)
Surah al-Ḥujurāt, Verse 11:
“O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them. Nor let women ridicule other women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not defame yourselves or call each other by offensive nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after [one’s] faith. And whoever does not repent—then it is those who are the wrongdoers.”
The word yaskhar (یَسْخَر) means to ridicule or mock, which includes any word, gesture, act, or expression that causes someone to feel humiliated. No one should mock or ridicule another person. The verse emphasizes this by stating that “perhaps they may be better than them.”
The Qur'an's reasoning:
You don’t know who is better in the sight of Allah. Since we only see the outward appearance of people and are unaware of their inner state or worth before Allah, we should not judge based on appearances.
Mockery is forbidden both in public and private settings—whether spoken, written, or shared online. Even a single joke mocking a person or group can spread to thousands or millions of people and become a form of collective wrongdoing.
