Download PDF: [S] The Qadi was Just

It is mentioned that during the time of Khalifah Mansur, the Qadi was Sawaar bin Abdullah who was actually the Qadi of Basrah.

 

Some people went to the Khalifah and informed him that this Qadi was someone who looked at people’s faces and made decisions and that he was also someone who took sides with different people.

 

When he heard these complaints, the Khalifah called the Qadi into his court to answer for these accusations. However, when the Qadi presented himself in the court of the Khalifah, at that precise moment, the Khalifah sneezed and the eminent scholar remained silent. The Khalifah then angrily asked him, “Why did you not say ‘Yar hama kumullah’ when I sneezed.”

 

The eminent scholar replied, “The reason is that you did not say ‘Al hamdu lillah’ when you sneezed.”

 

The Khalifah then said that he had read these words silently. However, the scholar was not afraid with the anger of the Khalifah and he also replied that he said these silently himself.

 

The Khalifah was surprised by the immediate answer of this scholar and did not say anything. The Khalifah then said to him, “Go and maintain your position as the Qadi. When you do not even agree with me on certain decisions, I am now certain that you cannot be taking the part of people when you are making your decisions. When you are unafraid of me, I can see that you can never make decisions in favour of someone without any reason.” (Taarikh Al Khulafah, 185)