Adjudication Disciplines

سَمِعْتُ عَلِيّاً ص يَقُولُ لِشُرَيْحٍ انْظُرْ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْمَعْكِ وَ الْمَطْلِ‌[1] وَ دَفْعِ حُقُوقِ النَّاسِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَقْدُرَةِ وَ الْيَسَارِ مِمَّنْ يُدْلِي بِأَمْوَالِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَى الْحُكَّامِ فَخُذْ لِلنَّاسِ بِحُقُوقِهِمْ مِنْهُمْ وَ بِعْ فِيهَا الْعَقَارَ وَ الدِّيَارَ فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص يَقُولُ مَطْلُ الْمُسْلِمِ الْمُوسِرِ ظُلْمٌ لِلْمُسْلِمِ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ عَقَار

“I heard ’ Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali (a.s.), saying to Shurayh, ’Keep an eye on those who delay payment of debts on them and on the procrastinators and on defending the rights of people against the capable and the affluent ones who throw the wealth of the Muslims to the ruling parties. Take the rights of people from them a

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَنِ ابْتُلِيَ بِالْقَضَاءِ فَلَا يَقْضِي وَ هُوَ غَضْبَانُ.

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘One whose task is adjudication he must not take his seat to adjudicate when angry.’”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص‌ مَنِ ابْتُلِيَ بِالْقَضَاءِ فَلْيُوَاسِ بَيْنَهُمْ فِي الْإِشَارَةِ وَ فِي النَّظَرِ وَ فِي الْمَجْلِسِ.

“’Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali (a.s.), has said, ‘One who has the task of adjudication must comfort people by means of his gestures, look and seating positions.’”

أَنَّ رَجُلًا نَزَلَ بِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فَمَكَثَ عِنْدَهُ أَيَّاماً ثُمَّ تَقَدَّمَ إِلَيْهِ فِي خُصُومَةٍ لَمْ يَذْكُرْهَا لِأَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فَقَالَ لَهُ أَ خَصْمٌ أَنْتَ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ تَحَوَّلْ عَنَّا إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص نَهَى أَنْ يُضَافَ الْخَصْمُ إِلَّا وَ مَعَهُ خَصْمُهُ.

“A man once became a guest of ’Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali (a.s.), and stayed with him for several days. He then presented a case before him (the Imam) for adjudication, which he had not mentioned to him (the Imam) before. He (the Imam) asked, ‘Are you the plaintiff?’ The man replied, ‘Yes, I am the plaintiff.’ He (the Imam)

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع لِشُرَيْحٍ لَا تُسَارَّ أَحَداً فِي مَجْلِسِكَ وَ إِنْ غَضِبْتَ فَقُمْ فَلَا تَقْضِيَنَّ فَأَنْتَ غَضْبَانُ قَالَ وَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ص لِسَانُ الْقَاضِي وَرَاءَ قَلْبِهِ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَهُ قَالَ وَ إِنْ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْسَكَ‌[2].

“’Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali (a.s.), once said to Shurayh, ’You must not please anyone in your adjudicating session, and if you become angry, you must stand up and must not issue a judgment when you are angry.’ Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his famil

إِذَا كَانَ الْحَاكِمُ يَقُولُ لِمَنْ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ لِمَنْ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ مَا تَرَى مَا تَقُولُ فَعَلَى ذَلِكَ‌ لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ وَ الْمَلائِكَةِ وَ النَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ* أَلَّا يَقُومُ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ وَ تُجْلِسُهُمْ مَكَانَهُ‌[1].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If a judge, to those on his right or left side, says, “What do you think, what do you say?” He is condemned by Allah, the angels and all people. Why must he not move away and make them sit in his place?”’