The Prophet, , encouraged us to be just. He said: “Allah will shade seven [types of people] by His shade on a Day when there will be no shade but His: A just ruler, a youth who has been brought up in the worship of Allah [i.e. worships Allah sincerely from childhood]….” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

In a Hadeeth on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, he said that the Prophet, , said: “The just people are on pulpits of light on the right Hand of Allah The Almighty and both His Hands are right. The just people are those who are just in their verdicts, families and with those whom they are in charge of.” [Muslim]

There are great examples of the justice of the Prophet, , some of which are:

The Prophet, , was the most just human on earth in all his affairs and judgments. A good example of this is the story of the woman from the Banu Makhzoom tribe who stole. He, cut off her hand in spite of the intercession of Usaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, for her. The Prophet, , did not accept this intercession as was in regard to a punishment that was prescribed by Allah The Almighty.

The Quraysh were concerned because of the issue of a woman from the Banu Makhzoom tribe who had stolen during the life of the Prophet in the Makkan conquest. Thus, they said, “Who can talk to the Prophet about this matter?” The reply was that nobody would dare do this except Usaamah, who was the Prophet’s beloved one. When the woman was brought before the Prophet Usaamah ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him, attempted to intercede for her with the Prophet . Due to this, the face of the Prophet changed [in anger] and he said to him: “Are you attempting to intercede in one of the prescribed punishments of Allah?” Usaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “O Messenger of Allah! Ask Allah to forgive me.” That evening, the Prophet delivered a speech in which he praised Allah The Almighty, then said: “O people! Nothing destroyed the peoples before you except the fact that they used to release the honorable people when they would steal and apply the prescribed punishment on the weak people when they stole. By Allah, If Faatimah - the daughter of Muhammad - stole, I would cut her hand off.” Then, the Prophet ordered that the hand of the woman be cut off.

‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “She repented sincerely after that and married. She would come to me to submit her issues to the Prophet .”[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

• {And when you testify, be just, even if [it concerns] a near relative.} [Quran 6:152]
• {And [He orders you] when you judge between people to judge with justice} [Quran 4:58]

There is no doubt that the Muslims are required to follow the example of the Prophet, , and adopt all his great and noble morals.

My father gave me a present so ‘Amrah bint Rawaahah [the mother of An-Nu’maan] said, “I will not agree [to this] unless you take the Prophet as a witness.” My father thus went to the Prophet and said, “O Messenger of Allah! I gave my son from ‘Amrah bint Rawaahah a present and she ordered me to take you as a witness.” The Prophet said to him:“Did you give all your children likewise?” My father replied, “No.”The Prophet said:“Then fear Allah and treat your children fairly.”

The wording of another narration of this incident reads, “The Prophet asked:‘Do you have any other children?’He replied, ‘Yes.’ So the Prophet said:‘Do not take me as a witness to falsehood.’”Another narration reads: “I will not be a witness to injustice.” The wording of a third narration reads:“I gave my son a slave-boy as a present.’ The Prophet asked:‘Did you give all your children the same?’He replied, ‘No.’ The Prophet said:‘Then take it back.’” The wording of the narration in Muslim reads,“ ‘Do you not want them [the rest of your children] to be dutiful to you just as you want this son to be?’He said, ‘Yes.’ So, the Prophet said:‘I will not bear witness.’”[Al-Bukhari]

In this Hadeeth, the Prophet, , was keen on being fair when dealing with children. The Prophet, , advised us to fear Allah The Almighty and to be fair when dealing with our children or anyone else. I heard Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Baaz saying, “It is clear that it is impermissible to prefer some children over others as this causes enmity and hatred among the children. According to the sound opinion, the male gets from the parents what is equal to the share of two females, just the same as inheritance. The father should be fair when treating both his obedient and disobedient children. Nevertheless, the disobedient children should be advised and directed.”

The Justice of the Prophet - I