Fairness

Our Holy Prophet (S.A.W) was the most fair and just of all – an equality acknowledged by even the fiercest rivals, for even they used to address him by titles of ‘Ameen’ (trustworthy) and ‘Saadiqul-Wa’ad’ (a person true to his promise) prior to his announcement of Prophet hood.

Hazrat Rabee’ bin Khatheem (R.A) states, “Rasoolullah (S.A.W) would judge all cases of the Makkans (people living in Makkah), as they regarded him to be the most just of all people of the city. Never was His judgement against fairness or rejected by people- rather, they would unconditionally accept it and say, “This is the ruling of Al-Ameen”. (Shifaa Shareef, Vol. 1, Pg. 78-9)

The following Hadith is testimony to Rasoolullah’s (S.A.W) fairness and infallible decisiveness.

It is narrated in Bukhari Shareef that there was a woman from the Banu Makhzoom of the Quraish tribe who had once committed theft, and the Islamic punishment of which decrees that the right hand be cut.

The Quraish were disturbed by this for feeling that they may be looked down upon by the other tribes, and thus, in order to save their tribal pride, they convinced Hazrat Usamah bin Zaid (R.A) (who was very beloved to Rasoolullah (S.A.W)), to go and convince Him (S.A.W) not to cut the woman’s hand off.

When Hazrat Usamah (R.A) pleaded with the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) for the lady, He (S.A.W) angrily asked, “Usamah (R.A), are you asking for a reprieve in an order that Allah (S.W.T) has initiated?!”

Rasoolullah (S.A.W) then stood up to deliver a khutba and said,“O people! The nations before you became astray because they used to lift the punishment of a ‘respected’ person if he or she stole, and enforce it when a weak person did.

Oath on Allah (S.W.T)! If the daughter of Muhammad (S.A.W), Fatima (R.A) had to steal, I would surely cut off her hand”. (Bukhari Shareef, Vol. 2, Pg. 103)