Hadith Details

Discover timeless wisdom from the authentic teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Read this hadith in Arabic and English, share it with others, or explore related narrations from the same chapter.

Sunan Abi Dawud

كتاب الأقضية

The Office of the Judge (Kitab Al-Aqdiyah)

Chapter 25Hadith 3573

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَسَّانَ السَّمْتِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا خَلَفُ بْنُ خَلِيفَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ الْقُضَاةُ ثَلاَثَةٌ وَاحِدٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَاثْنَانِ فِي النَّارِ فَأَمَّا الَّذِي فِي الْجَنَّةِ فَرَجُلٌ عَرَفَ الْحَقَّ فَقَضَى بِهِ وَرَجُلٌ عَرَفَ الْحَقَّ فَجَارَ فِي الْحُكْمِ فَهُوَ فِي النَّارِ وَرَجُلٌ قَضَى لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى جَهْلٍ فَهُوَ فِي النَّارِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَهَذَا أَصَحُّ شَىْءٍ فِيهِ يَعْنِي حَدِيثَ ابْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ ‏"‏ الْقُضَاةُ ثَلاَثَةٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Judges are of three types, one of whom will go to Paradise and two to Hell. The one who will go to Paradise is a man who knows what is right and gives judgment accordingly; but a man who knows what is right and acts tyrannically in his judgment will go to Hell; and a man who gives judgment for people when he is ignorant will go to Hell. Abu Dawud said: On this subject this is the soundest tradition, that is, the tradition of Ibn Buraidah: Judges are of three types.

Get Random Hadith

More from The Office of the Judge (Kitab Al-Aqdiyah)

Other hadiths from the same chapter

Explore Hadith Collections

Discover more authentic hadiths from major Islamic collections.

View all books

Hadith Questions & Answers

Common questions about reading, sharing, and understanding Islamic hadith.

What is hadith in Islam?
A hadith is a narration of what Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, did, or approved. Hadith complement the Quran and help Muslims understand how to practice their faith in daily life. Each entry on Random Hadith shows the Arabic text, English translation, and full citation so you can read and verify the source.
How can I share this hadith?
Every hadith on Random Hadith has a unique URL with an id parameter, such as randomhadith.com/?id=1234. Copy the address from your browser, use the share options on the page, or bookmark the link to return to the same narration later. Shared links stay fixed so family and friends always see the same text.
Where does this hadith come from?
Each narration displayed on Random Hadith includes its book, chapter, and hadith number. These references point to established Islamic collections such as Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and the Sunan works. You can use the citation to locate the same report in printed editions or to explore related hadiths from the same chapter on this site.
When Allah wants two hearts to meet, what is the hadith?
A widely quoted teaching states that when Allah wants two people to meet, He makes their paths converge — often summarized as when He wants two hearts to meet, they will meet. Muslims frequently reflect on this narration as a reminder of divine decree (qadar), trust in Allah's plan, and patience regarding relationships and life events. Always verify wording and grading with qualified scholars and authentic sources.