Shuraih Al-Qadhi
Encyclopedia
Shuraih ibn al-Hârith (died c.630 - 632) ibn Qays ibn al-Jahm al-Kindî accepted Islam
in Yemen
during the lifetime of Muhammad
though he never met him. During the reign of Abû Bakr al-Siddîq, he relocated to Kufah
in Iraq
.
It is said that he spent sixty years in that office. He also served as judge in Basra
for a year. He succeeded Abdullah ibn Masood as the Qadi of Kufa. He was well known throughout the country for his intelligence and keen sense of judgment. He was regarded as a model judge. Ali used to call him iiAqd-ul-Arabi, that is the most judicious of all the judges of Arabia.
Shuraih was known for his extensive knowledge of Islamic law and respected for his good judgment. The caliph
s showed deference to him.
Caliph Mu`âwiyah then transferred him to Damascus
. On account of this, Shuraih became known as “the Judge of the Two Great Cities”. He retired from office only a year before his death, and he is supposed to have lived to the age of 108 or 110. The date of his death was either in the year AD 630-632.
It is related that
Once a woman came to `Alî with a case against her husband in a matter of divorce. After she presented her case to him, `Alî turned to Shuraih and said: “Judge between them.” Shuraih said: “O Commander of the Faithful! (Should I presume to do so) while you are right here?” `Alî repeated: “Judge between them.”
Shurayh was renowned for his impeccable sense of justice and for holding all people equal before the law.
About Shuraih's appointment as a judge, it is related that Umar purchased a horse on approval, and gave it to somebody to try it. The horse got hurt in the ride, and Umar wanted to return it, but the owner refused to take it back. In the dispute that arose as a consequence, Shuraih was chosen as the arbitrator. He gave the verdict that if the horse was ridden with the permission of the owner it could be returned; otherwise not. Umar said that that was the right decision and at once appointed Shuraih as the Qadi of Kufa.
Another well known incidence records Ali’s shield being stolen. Ali recognised his shield when he saw it in the possession of a Jew. He instituted a claim in the court of Qadhi Shuraih who asked that Ali produce his witnesses to prove his claim. Ali presented his son and then his emancipated slave. According to Qadhi Shuraih the testimony of a son in favour of his father or an emancipated slave was not admissible, hence he ordered Ali to present another witness. When Ali was unable to do so, Qadhi Shuraih dismissed his original claim to the shield. Ali, the caliph of the time, emerged from the court cheerfully.
On seeing this high degree of justice where the leader of the Muslim world could lose a case in the face of a just ruling, the Jew recited the Muslim testification of faith embraced Islam. He later presented the shield to Ali saying that he did indeed steal the shield and that it did belonged to him. Ali responded: “I have made it a gift for you". Thereafter the Jew remained perpetually in the company of Ali and was martyred in the battle of Siffeen.
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
in Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
during the lifetime of Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
though he never met him. During the reign of Abû Bakr al-Siddîq, he relocated to Kufah
Kufah
Kufah may refer to:* Ovophis okinavensis, a.k.a. the Okinawa pitviper, a venomous pitviper species found in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan.* Alternative English spelling for Kufa, a city in modern Iraq....
in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.
"Umar appointed him to be the judge of Kufah and he was very young at the time. Abû Nu`aym relates from Umm Dâwûd al-Wâbishiyyah that “people took their disputes before Shuraih at a time when he still had no beard.”
It is said that he spent sixty years in that office. He also served as judge in Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
for a year. He succeeded Abdullah ibn Masood as the Qadi of Kufa. He was well known throughout the country for his intelligence and keen sense of judgment. He was regarded as a model judge. Ali used to call him iiAqd-ul-Arabi, that is the most judicious of all the judges of Arabia.
Shuraih was known for his extensive knowledge of Islamic law and respected for his good judgment. The caliph
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
s showed deference to him.
Caliph Mu`âwiyah then transferred him to Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. On account of this, Shuraih became known as “the Judge of the Two Great Cities”. He retired from office only a year before his death, and he is supposed to have lived to the age of 108 or 110. The date of his death was either in the year AD 630-632.
It is related that
"Alî assembled the people in the public square, saying: 'I am going to leave you, so assemble in the public square.' The people came and began to petition him with their questions until they were finished and no one remained but Shuraih, who sat upon his knees and began to ask him. `Alî said: “Go, for indeed you are the most knowledgeable of Arabs in matters of judicial verdicts.” [Hilyah al-Awliyâ’ (4/134)]
Once a woman came to `Alî with a case against her husband in a matter of divorce. After she presented her case to him, `Alî turned to Shuraih and said: “Judge between them.” Shuraih said: “O Commander of the Faithful! (Should I presume to do so) while you are right here?” `Alî repeated: “Judge between them.”
Shurayh was renowned for his impeccable sense of justice and for holding all people equal before the law.
About Shuraih's appointment as a judge, it is related that Umar purchased a horse on approval, and gave it to somebody to try it. The horse got hurt in the ride, and Umar wanted to return it, but the owner refused to take it back. In the dispute that arose as a consequence, Shuraih was chosen as the arbitrator. He gave the verdict that if the horse was ridden with the permission of the owner it could be returned; otherwise not. Umar said that that was the right decision and at once appointed Shuraih as the Qadi of Kufa.
Another well known incidence records Ali’s shield being stolen. Ali recognised his shield when he saw it in the possession of a Jew. He instituted a claim in the court of Qadhi Shuraih who asked that Ali produce his witnesses to prove his claim. Ali presented his son and then his emancipated slave. According to Qadhi Shuraih the testimony of a son in favour of his father or an emancipated slave was not admissible, hence he ordered Ali to present another witness. When Ali was unable to do so, Qadhi Shuraih dismissed his original claim to the shield. Ali, the caliph of the time, emerged from the court cheerfully.
On seeing this high degree of justice where the leader of the Muslim world could lose a case in the face of a just ruling, the Jew recited the Muslim testification of faith embraced Islam. He later presented the shield to Ali saying that he did indeed steal the shield and that it did belonged to him. Ali responded: “I have made it a gift for you". Thereafter the Jew remained perpetually in the company of Ali and was martyred in the battle of Siffeen.