Divine (allah’s) Judgment (hokm) Versus Human Judgment (hokm)

Justice Prevails

Since Allah (SWT) is the absolute Justice and He has established His kingdom based on absolute Justice, then it is inevitable that the scale of justice should become balanced after it has become unbalanced on earth due to human injustice and deviation. So when will the balance of this scale of justice take place?!

It will become balanced on the Day of Resurrection when the only Judgment will be for Allah (SWT) alone, and injustice which the people committed will be invalidated and people will come to know that Day the real divine judgment in every case, conflict, dispute, argument, and matter. They will discover their injustices and Allah (SWT) will invalidate the injustices they have committed in this world and the oppressors will be punished while the oppressed will receive their confiscated rights.

Hence we can understand Allah’s words in these verses:

“And most surely your Lord will judge between them on the resurrection day concerning that about which they differed.” [16:124]

“All sovereignty that day is for Allah; He will judge between them.” [22:56]

“Then to Me shall be your return, so l will judge between you concerning that in which you differed.” [3:55]

“Then wait patiently until Allah judges between us; and He is the best of the Judges.” [7:87]

As the abovementioned verses indicate, the final verdict will not belong to anyone except Allah (SWT) alone since He is the Owner of the Day of Judgment and the Day where truth is separated from falsehood.

We present here an example of an event which took place during the prophetic life which clearly confirms this fact. After the conclusion of the Battle of Al Ahzab (The Allies), the Muslims encircled the Jews of Bani Quraydha as a punishment to their deception and betrayal of the pact with the Muslims and their alliance with the polytheists against the Muslims. When the duration of encirclement became long, the Jews decided to surrender so they requested for a judgment to be made on them.

The Prophet (SA) asked them who they would like to judge them, so they chose Sa’d ibn Mu’adh, the Chief of Al-Aws tribe since he was their ally long ago at the Time of Ignorance. Sa'd has been severely injured in the Battle of Al-Khandaq (Al Ahzab) and he became ill afterwards. So, the Prophet (SA) brought forth Sa'd and asked the Jews again whether they would be pleased with the judgment of Sa'd in their regards?!

They answered yes in consensus, so the Prophet (SA) said to Sa'd: "Issue your verdict on them Oh Sa'd!" Sa'd was, at that time, very ill and in pain and he said, "I sentence that their fighters be executed, their women and progeny be taken as captives, and their properties be distributed among the Muslims. The Jews were stunned and the Prophet (SA) said to Sa'd, "God is Great! By Allah, you have judged them with what Allah (SWT) has judged from above the seven heavens, Oh Sa'd!"

From this statement of the Holy Prophet (SA), it is clear that the verdict of Sa'd in this case coincides with Allah's verdict. It may not have coincided if Sa'd ruled otherwise! Therefore, human verdict may agree or disagree

with the divine. So, any ruling, verdict, judgment, sentence, or decision in this life may coincide with that of Allah (SWT), and that is very rare. And it may not, and that is most common.

It is only what coincides with Allah’s judgment that incorrect and valid in the heavens and on earth. As for those which do not, it is then invalid in the heavens even if it has been passed and carried out on earth.

If Allah’s judgment is applied on earth then justice has been established. If that is due to faith in Allah (SWT) and obedience to His commands, then that is justice and true faith (Iman) and the parties involved (whether the judge or the one is being judged) will be rewarded in this life and the Hereafter.

And if the verdict accidentally coincides with Allah’s judgment or is made simply due to conviction to that appropriate judgment or mere human justice and righteousness, then that is also justice, but it is not considered to be true faith and the parties involved will not be rewarded in the Hereafter, although they may receive the reward of the justice in this life. We have to clearly distinguish between the two cases.

Another example demonstrating this is when the Muslims nation finally gave their pledge of allegiance to Imam Ali (AS) for the caliphate. Was that in obedience to the command of Allah (SWT)? No, it was only due to special circumstances and instability caused after the assassination of Uthman, the previous Caliph. Therefore, even though the intentions were merely according to the principles of this world, it was not due to heavenly and spiritual faith.