Refuting Only Allah can Judge

Compiled by Ali Hussain Dhuniya

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بِسۡمِ اللهِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِيۡمِ
In the Name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

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The Types of Judging People

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Introduction

Judging people (taḥkīm or taḥākum) is a serious matter in Islam. It relates to justice, rights, and truth, and it must be done with knowledge, fairness, and intention for Allah’s sake.
Allah commanded:

“Indeed, Allah commands you to judge with justice.”
 (An-Nisāʾ 4:58)

However, there are boundaries to judgment.
Not every judgment is allowed, and not everyone is allowed to judge in every situation.
The people of Sunnah distinguish between three types of judging:

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1️⃣ Judging Open Sinners (Ẓāhir al-Maʿṣiyah)

These are people who openly commit sins and make them public, without shame or repentance — such as:

• Alcoholics who drink openly,
  
• Fornicators or rapists known for their crime,
  
• Those who publicly insult religion,
  
• Those who openly deal in interest (ribā),
  
• Or people who promote music, immorality, and disobedience.
  

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“All of my Ummah will be forgiven except those who commit sins openly.”
 (al-Bukhārī 6069, Muslim 2990)

When someone commits sin publicly, he himself removes the veil of Allah’s concealment (sitr).
Thus, such a person can be judged and warned against by others, especially when his actions harm society or mislead people.

Ruling:

• It is allowed — even required — to warn others from his evil and call him to repentance.
  
• It is not backbiting when done for the sake of protecting others or preserving the religion.
  

Imām an-Nawawī said:
“Backbiting is allowed for six reasons, one of them is warning against open sinners and innovators.”
(Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn, commentary on Ḥadīth 1522)

Thus, when a person’s evil is clear and he calls others to it, every Muslim has the right and duty to clarify and refute it.
This is part of al-amr bil-maʿrūf wan-nahy ʿan al-munkar (commanding good and forbidding evil).

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2️⃣ Judging Hidden Sins (Between Allah and His Servant)

These are private sins known only to a few — perhaps through confession, rumor, or accident — and the person:

• Does not promote the sin,
  
• Does not call others to it,
  
• And keeps it hidden, seeking forgiveness.
  

In this case, it is forbidden to judge or expose him.
Because Allah loves to conceal sins and forgive.

The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever conceals (the fault of) a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and the Hereafter.”
 (Muslim 2699)

Even if a person’s sin becomes known to you, you must not expose or shame him — unless he begins to promote that sin publicly.

Ruling:

• Do not judge his inner state or make it public.
  
• Do not spread what you know — this becomes backbiting and sin.
  
• Advise privately and encourage repentance.
  

Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah said:
“The believer conceals and advises; the hypocrite exposes and humiliates.”
(Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā 28/220)

So, we are not judges over hearts, nor do we expose what Allah concealed.
We leave hidden sins between the servant and his Lord.

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3️⃣ Judging the Fate of People in the Hereafter

This is the most serious and restricted type of judgment — declaring someone to be in Jannah (Paradise) or Jahannam (Hell) by name.
Such judgment belongs only to Allah, because only He knows the state of hearts, intentions, and how a person ends his life.

“Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His path, and He is most knowing of who is guided.”
 (Al-Anʿām 6:117)

A. Naming Someone as a Person of Jannah

We only affirm Paradise by name for those whom Allah or His Messenger ﷺ mentioned in revelation — such as:

• The ten promised Paradise (Asharah Mubashsharah),
  
• Prophets, martyrs, and others specifically mentioned,
  
• Those whom the Prophet ﷺ said “He is from the people of Jannah.”
  

Example:

“Abū Bakr is in Jannah, ʿUmar is in Jannah, ʿUthmān is in Jannah, ʿAlī is in Jannah…”
(Tirmidhī 3747, ḥasan ṣaḥīḥ)

Beyond these, we do not say by name:
“Such-and-such person is in Jannah,”
even if he was righteous — because only Allah knows his end.

B. Naming Someone as a Person of Jahannam

Likewise, we do not declare any specific person in Hell except those clearly named in Qur’an or authentic Sunnah, such as:

• Abū Lahab:
  
  
  “Perish the hands of Abū Lahab…” (al-Masad 111:1–5)
  
  
• Pharaoh, Hāmān, and others named by Allah.
  

As for sinners or innovators among Muslims, we do not say:

“He is in Jahannam,”
because his matter is with Allah — He may forgive, punish, or pardon him.

Pdf pages 40-44 – Usool us-Sunnah book written by Imam Ahmad (translated by Salafi Publications)

60. And we do not testify for anyone from among the people of the Qiblah, on account of an action that he has done, that he is in Paradise or in Hell-Fire. We have hope for the righteous one and fear for him, and we fear for the evil and sinful person.

He said, "Don't surrender your possession to him." He said, "If he fights me?" He replied, "Then fight (with him)." He again asked, "What do you think if I am killed?" He replied, "You would be a martyr." He asked, "What do you think if I kill him?" He replied, "He would be in the hope in the mercy of Allaah for him."

61. And whoever meets Allaah with a sin, which would necessitate the Fire for him, having repented, not returning back to it, and not being insistent upon it, then Allaah (the Mighty and Magnificent) will turn to him in forgiveness. Allaah accepts repentance from His servants and forgives evil actions.

        The explainer of ‘Aqeedatut-Tahaawiyyah, Ibn Abil-'Izz (d. 792H) said on p. 378:

"We do not say about a specific individual from among the people of the Qiblah that he is of the people of Paradise or of the people of Hell-Fire, except he about whom the truthful (peace be upon him) has informed, that he is among the people of Paradise, such as the ten who were given tidings of Paradise. And if we say, '... that whomsoever Allaah wills to enter the Hell-Fire from among the people who commit major sins will by necessity enter the Hell-Fire and that he will be brought out of the Hell-Fire on account of the intercession of those entitled to intercede...' then we would refrain from saying such a thing about a specific individual. So we do not testify for him that he will enter Paradise, nor that he will enter Hell-Fire except due to knowledge – because the reality is hidden and what a person dies upon cannot be encompassed by us. However, we do have hope for those who do good and fear for those who do evil."

62. And whoever meets Him after having had the prescribed punishment meted out to him for that sin in this world, then that would be its expiation, as occurs in the narration from the Messenger of Allaah.
63. This is the opinion and the madhhab of most scholars. The prescribed punishments (hudood) are expiations for the sins they are specified for. This is based on the hadeeth of 'Ubaadah ibn as-Saamit, reported by Bukhari and others. It is also in Musnad Imaam Ahmad (5/214) from Khuzaimah ibn Thaabit, with a hasan chain of narration, stating:

"Whoever commits a sin and then the prescribed punishment for that sin is carried out upon him, then that is an expiation for him."

And whoever meets Him having persisted upon sins and not repented, then his affair is with Allaah (the Mighty and Magnificent). If He wills, He will punish him; and if He wills, He will forgive him.

And whoever meets Him as a disbeliever, He will punish him and will not forgive him.

64. And stoning to death, which is correct, is the rightful due of one who has fortified         himself/herself with marriage but fornicates, either when he/she admits it or when the evidence is   established.

65.The Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) stoned to death, and the Rightly Guided Leaders did the same.

66. And whoever disparages or degrades a Companion of the Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him), dislikes him, or mentions his shortcomings, then he is an innovator.

All Muslims agree that the prescribed punishment for one who is married (Muhsin) is stoning, except a group among the People of Desires (Ahlul-Ahwaa), who claim it is merely lashing. However, the majority follow stoning due to the presence and establishment of the ahaadeeth mentioning stoning. Therefore, they base the ruling on both the Book and the Sunnah.

Soorah an-Noor 24:2:
 "The woman and the man guilty of illegal sexual intercourse..."

References:

• Explanation in Usool ul-I'tiqaad, 1/162
• Fathul-Baaree, 1/64–68, 1/67
• Bidaayutul-Mujtahid, 4/434–435
• Musnad Imaam Ahmad, 5/214

Get the book from here: Foundations of the Sunnah (2003) - Ahmad ibn Hanbal.pdf 

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C. General Judgment (Without Names)

While we cannot specify individuals, we can judge in general:

• All believers who die upon Tawḥīd and Sunnah will enter Jannah,
  
• All disbelievers who die upon kufr will enter Jahannam,
  
• The rest are under Allah’s Will: He forgives or punishes as He wills.
  

“Indeed, Allah does not forgive that partners be associated with Him, but He forgives whatever is less than that for whom He wills.”
 (An-Nisāʾ 4:48)

So, we affirm the rule generally, not individually.

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Summary Table

Type of Judgment	Description	Ruling	Example
1️⃣ Open Sinners	Those who sin publicly and call to it	Allowed to warn, refute, and expose for benefit	Open drunkard, innovator calling to bidʿah
2️⃣ Hidden Sins	Known only privately, not promoted	Forbidden to judge or expose	Private sinner, repentant person
3️⃣ Fate in the Hereafter	Declaring Jannah or Jahannam	Only Allah knows — not allowed except what’s in Qur’an/Sunnah	Saying “so-and-so is in Jannah/Hell” individually

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Conclusion

Judgment in Islam is a balance between truth and mercy.
We are commanded to judge actions when necessary,
but forbidden to judge hearts and afterlife fates.

The believer must:

• Be firm in condemning open sins and falsehood,
  
• Be merciful and private in advising the hidden sinner,
  
• Be humble before Allah regarding the unseen judgment of the Hereafter.
  

“And do not purify yourselves; He knows best who fears Him.”
 (An-Najm 53:32)

Thus, true judgment belongs to Allah alone,
and the wise believer judges by justice in this world —
but leaves the final judgment to the Lord of the Worlds.

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