Salafi Research Institute SRI
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
قال الدارقطني: نا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ ، نا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ حَنْبَلٍ ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي ، نا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ ، نا إِدْرِيسُ الْأَوْدِيُّ ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ وَأَخْرَجَ الْكِتَابَ ، فَقَالَ: هَذَا كِتَابُ عُمَرَ ، ثُمَّ قُرِئَ عَلَى سُفْيَانَ: مِنْ هَاهُنَا إِلَى أَبِي مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيِّ ، أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ الْقَضَاءَ فَرِيضَةٌ مُحْكَمَةٌ وَسُنَّةٌ مُتَّبَعَةٌ ، فَافْهَمْ إِذَا أُدْلِيَ إِلَيْكَ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَنْفَعُ تَكَلَّمٌ بِحَقٍّ لَا نَفَاذَ لَهُ ، آسِ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ فِي مَجْلِسِكَ وَوَجْهِكَ وَعَدْلِكَ حَتَّى لَا يَطْمَعَ شَرِيفٌ فِي حَيْفِكَ وَلَا يَخَافَ ضَعِيفٌ جَوْرَكَ ، الْبَيِّنَةُ عَلَى مَنِ ادَّعَى وَالْيَمِينُ عَلَى مَنْ أَنْكَرَ ، الصُّلْحُ جَائِزٌ بَيْنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَّا صُلْحًا أَحَلَّ حَرَامًا أَوْ حَرَّمَ حَلَالًا ، لَا يَمْنَعُكُ قَضَاءٌ قَضَيْتَهُ بِالْأَمْسِ رَاجَعْتَ فِيهِ نَفْسَكَ وَهُدِيتَ فِيهِ لِرُشْدِكَ أَنْ تُرَاجِعَ الْحَقَّ فَإِنَّ الْحَقَّ قَدِيمٌ وَإِنَّ الْحَقَّ لَا يُبْطِلُهُ شَيْءٌ وَمُرَاجَعَةَ الْحَقِّ خَيْرٌ مِنَ التَّمَادِي فِي الْبَاطِلِ ، الْفَهْمَ الْفَهْمَ فِيمَا يُخْتَلَجُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ فَاعْمَدْ إِلَى أَحَبِّهَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَأَشْبَهِهَا بِالْحَقِّ فِيمَا تَرَى وَاجْعَلْ لِلْمُدَّعِي أَمَدًا يَنْتَهِي إِلَيْهِ فَإِنْ أَحْضَرَ بَيِّنَةً وَإِلَّا وَجَّهْتَ عَلَيْهِ الْقَضَاءَ ، فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَجْلَى لِلْعَمَى وَأَبْلَغُ فِي الْعُذْرِ ، الْمُسْلِمُونَ عُدُولٌ بَيْنَهُمْ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ إِلَّا مَجْلُودًا فِي حَدٍّ أَوْ مُجَرَّبًا فِي شَهَادَةِ زُورٍ أَوْ ظَنِينًا فِي وَلَاءٍ أَوْ قَرَابَةٍ ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَلَّى مِنْكُمُ السَّرَائِرَ وَدَرَأَ عَنْكُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ ، ثُمَّ إِيَّاكَ وَالضَّجَرَ وَالْقَلَقَ وَالتَّأَذِّيَ بِالنَّاسِ وَالتَّنَكُّرَ لِلْخُصُومِ فِي مَوَاطِنِ الْحَقِّ الَّتِي يُوجَبُ بِهَا الْأَجْرُ وَيَحْسُنُ بِهَا الذِّكْرُ ، فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ يُخْلِصُ نِيَّتَهُ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ اللَّهِ يَكْفِهِ اللَّهُ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ النَّاسِ ، وَمَنْ تَزَيَّنَ لِلنَّاسِ بِمَا يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ، شَانَهُ اللَّهُ
Sa’īd bin Abī Burdah brought out a letter and said: ‘This is the letter of ‘Umar’ then it was (also) read upon Sufyān (as follows):
“From here (‘Umar) to Abū Mūsā al-Ash’arī:
- To proceed, Indeed judgement is obligatory, unabrogated and it is a Sunnah (from the prophet) that is followed.
- Therefore, have insight when (a case) is presented to you for there is no benefit in a speaker of truth without it being implemented.
- Treat people equally in your gatherings, in your attention, and in your justice, so that the noble one does not expect your partiality, and the weak does not fear your injustice.
- The (burden of) proof is upon the claimant and the oath is upon the one who denies.
- Reconciliation is permissible between Muslims, except a reconciliation that permits the Ḥarām or forbids the Ḥalāl.
- Let not a judgment you passed yesterday after which you reconsidered and were guided to the right course, prevent you from returning to the truth. For indeed, truth is timeless and indeed, nothing invalidates the truth. And (remember) that returning to the truth is better than persisting in falsehood.
- Have understanding, Have understanding regarding what stirs doubt in you and resort to that which is dearest to Allah and most resembles the truth, in your view.
- Grant the claimant a fixed period that ends. If he brings proof, (judge accordingly); otherwise, direct the judgment against him. For that is clearer in removing blindness (ambiguity) and more conclusive for the justification (in judgement).
- Muslims are considered reliable witnesses for or against each other, except for one who has been flogged for a Ḥadd, one proven to have given false testimony, or one accused (of bias) due to allegiance or kinship.
- Indeed Allah has taken charge of the secrets amongst you and averted (judgment based on suspicion) from you by means of clear proofs.
- Then, beware of weariness, anxiety, causing harm to others, being hostile to opponents in situations where upholding truth guarantees reward (from Allah) and honorable mention (afterwards).
- For whoever purifies their intention between themselves and Allah, Allah suffices them in their dealings with people. But whoever deceives people with what Allah knows to be false, Allah will expose them.”[Sunan al-Dāraquṭnī 4472 with Ṣaḥiḥ Isnād]
Shaykh al-Albānī said in Irwā al-Ghalīl 8/241: “And it is a Ṣaḥiḥ Wijādah (narrating from someone through their writings), from the most authentic Wijādāt and it is an evidence.”
Ahmad Shākir said in his ta’leeq on al-Muḥallā (1/60): “This is a Ṣaḥiḥ Wijādah given the strength of the Ṣaḥiḥ Isnād”
A number of scholars have explained this letter or parts of it such as al-Suyūṭī (al-Ashbāh wa al-Naẓāir p. 7 onwards), Ibn al-Qayyim (I’lām/A’lām al-Muwaqqi’īn 1/187), Ibn al-Qāsim (al-Iḥkām sharḥ uṣūl al-Aḥkām 4/506 onwards) and Ṣiddīq Ḥasan Khān (Ẓifr al-Lāḍī p. 77 onwards)
قال البيهقي:ـ
وَهُوَ كِتَابٌ مَعْرُوفٌ مَشْهُورٌ لَابُدَّ لِلْقُضَاةِ مِنْ مَعْرِفَتِهِ وَالْعَمَلِ بِهِ [معرفة السنن ١٤/ ٢٤٠]
al-Bayhaqi said:
“And it is a well-known letter, it’s incumbent on the judges to be familiar with it and act upon it” [Ma’rifat al-Sunan 14/240]
ابن تيمية:ـ
وَرِسَالَةُ عُمَرَ الْمَشْهُورَةُ فِي الْقَضَاءِ إِلَى أَبِي مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيِّ تَدَاوَلَهَا الْفُقَهَاءُ، وَبَنَوْا عَلَيْهَا وَاعْتَمَدُوا عَلَى مَا فِيهَا مِنَ الْفِقْهِ وَأُصُولِ الْفِقْهِ [منهاج السنة ٦/ ٧١]
Ibn Taymiyyah said:
“The famous letter of ‘Umar in judiciary to Abū Mūsā al-Ash’ari has been widely circulated amongst the Fuqahā, they built upon it (principles) and they relied upon it what it contains of Fiqh and Uṣūl al-Fiqh” [Minhāj al-Sunnah 6/71]
قال ابن القيم:ـ
وهذا كتاب جليل تلقَّاه العلماء بالقبول، وبنَوا عليه أصول الحكم والشهادة. والحاكمُ والمفتي أحوجُ شيء إليه، وإلى تأمُّلِه، والتفقُّهِ فيه
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
“And this is a great letter which has been accepted by the scholars, they built upon it principles of rulings and witnesses. The ruler and the Muftī are in greatest need of it as well as pondering over it and gaining understanding through it.” [I’lām/A’lām al-Muwaqqi’īn 1/187]
قال ابن كثير:ـ
هذا أثر مشهور [مسند الفاروق ٢/ ٤٣٧]
Ibn Kathīr said:
“This is a well-known athar” [Musnad al-Fārūq 2/437]
