The liberals will often respond to being advised on their public sins by saying “Only Allah can Judge me”. This is only true in the sense of ultimate judgement on the Day of Resurrection. As far as the dunya (this life), this statement goes against the Qur’an and the Sunnah, and I will be showing how. Not only that but this phrase “Only God can Judge me” originates from Tupac, so people should be weary of the phrases they invoke.
However just because as Muslims we can judge each other we must always keep in mind we need to do so with sincerity and kindness especially to the sisters since they are softer than us as men. Some may judge others because deep down they feel unsure about their worth so this leads them to criticising others as a way to boost their self-esteem.
Some may judge because they have a need for control. Judging others gives a false feeling of order and power.If a person believes they can label others as wrong, inferior, or immoral, they feel safer in a complex world. This is common in people who fear uncertainty or change.
Some people struggle to understand their own emotions so when they feel anger, shame, or frustration, they lack the means to process it calmly. Judging others becomes an easy outlet for these emotions.
Those who are harsh in their judgement may also feel morally superior. When someone ties their identity strongly to being right, religious, ethical, or intelligent, they may judge others harshly to protect that identity. Any difference then feels like a threat, not just a disagreement.
All these are psychological reasons as to why someone may judge, and judging someone with any of these feelings is not the correct way.
Also Judgement in Islam must be based on clear knowledge, not assumptions. Acting on suspicion is generally impermissible.
Judgements should never be built on rumours, or assumptions. Verification is required, and speech must stop where knowledge stops. Much harm comes from speaking without proof and from repeating everything that is heard.
When we do judge must also be fair and consistent, even against ourselves.
When correction is needed, we must act with gentleness and wisdom. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Gentleness is not found in anything except that it beautifies it” (Sahih Muslim 2594a). Harshness is not the default. Advice is best given privately when possible, calmly, and with care. When people are first advised in public, their immediate reaction will be either flight or fight. Also a lot of the time, what matters most is how we approach ourselves to someone when we judge them rather than just telling them they are wrong, and giving them the proof.
If you have tried to be cordial, respectful and easy going in your approach to forbidding evil and the person persists then you have fulfilled your role as one of the successful believers. Persisting with kindness may also be powerful but to persist in harshness may make the matter worse.
Judging others in matters of i’tiqaad (belief) is the most dangerous form of judgement, because it involves speaking with certainty about Allah’s ruling upon individuals. This path leads to severe accountability. Such matters are not entered except with knowledge, proof, and fulfilled conditions.
Allah knows intentions, secrets, and realities, while we only see what is apparent. Our judgement remains limited and deficient, even when care is taken. Because of this, no one should claim knowledge of what is in hearts or of how a person will end.
The correct path is to be slow, careful, and fearful of Allah when speaking about others.
Ad Dahhak bin Muzahim (d. 105 AH) a well known tabiʿi from Khurasan, was famous for explaining the Quran and for transmitting tafsir from the Salaf, and his statements are widely cited in classical tafaseer said: “They are a special group of the Sahabah and a special group of those after them, that is those who perform Jihad and the scholars.”
Ibn Kathir says: The objective of this Ayah is that there should be a segment of this Muslim Ummah fulfilling this task, even though it is also an obligation on every member of this Ummah, each according to his ability. Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
Imam Ahmad recorded that Hudhayfah bin Al-Yaman said that the Prophet said,
(By He in Whose Hand is my soul! You will enjoin righteousness and forbid evil, or Allah shall send down a punishment from Him to you. Then, you will supplicate to Him, but He will not accept your supplication.) (It was reported by at Tirmidhi (2169), Ahmad (23301), and al Bayhaqi (20224), all of them with slight differences in wording. At-Tirmidhi also collected this Hadith and said, “Hasan”.)
Allah says that he made Dawud عليه السلام a judge over the people and he must judge the people in truth. Clearly in opposition to the claim “Only Allah can Judge”. This ayah is also advice from Allah, may He be exalted, to those who are in positions of authority. They should rule according to the truth and justice revealed from Him, they should not turn away from it and be led astray from the path of Allah.
Muhammad bin Kaʿb al-Quraẓi (d. 108 AH) the leading tabiʿi from Madinah, well known for explaining the Quran and for narrating reports about the meanings of verses,
Zayd bin Aslam (d. 136 AH) the respected tabiʿi jurist and teacher of Quran interpretation in Madinah, and the father of the well known imam ʿAbd al-Rahman bin Zayd, and
Shahr bin Hawshab (d. 112 AH) a tabiʿi narrator from the people of Sham, known for reporting hadith and statements of the other imams of the salaf in tafsir and history, all said: “This Ayah was revealed about those in authority.” (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)
So we see from this ayah Allah commands Muslim judges on this earth to judge with fairness, further refuting the statement that “Only Allah can Judge”.
Also there is the famous report of Umar bin Al-Khattab where he says: Now we judge you by the deeds you practice publicly, so we will trust and favor the one who does good deeds in front of us, and we will not call him to account about what he is really doing in secret, for Allah will judge him for that; but we will not trust or believe the one who presents to us with an evil deed even if he claims that his intentions were good.
