Because it is too critical to judge about muslim affairs, too strict rules are prescribed for believers in the position of a judge. In “commentary on Kumayl supplication” this issue is not ignored and it is touched along with some examples. The aforementioned book is written by professor Hossein Ansaryan. The present text is adopted from this book.
Another sin, which descends adversities, is judgment in contrast to the divine rules. If a judge is aware of Allah’s rule, but denies it in judgment and issues verdict based on irreligious rules, he is, in the speech of holy Qur’¡n, a transgressor, an oppressor, and a disbeliever. He is a disbeliever because he has denied Allah’s rule. He is an oppressor since he has deprived a human from his rights. And he is transgressor for he is away from religion and humanity due to his unfair verdict. Imam ¯¡diq (a.s) has stated:
مَنْ حَكَمَ بَيْنَ اثْنَيْنِ بِغَيْرِ حُكْمِ اللهِ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ بِاللهِ.
One who issues an unfair verdict even on two drachmas has become a blasphemer.
Not Paying Zakat
According to the Qur’¡nic verses and the traditions, paying zakat is obligatory for grains, quadrupeds, gold, and silver and abstinence from paying it is a major sin. In most Qur’¡nic verses about prayer, there is an immediate reference to zakat, too. Mentioning zakat after prayer shows its importance. One who leaves paying zakat, like the denier of prayer and hajj, is blaspheme.
In a very important tradition, Imam ¯¡diq (a.s) has mentioned the philosophy of zakat briefly, saying: Zakat has become obligatory for examining the rich and serving the poor. If all the people paid zakat, there would have been no poor Muslims, and they would have become fortunate by the right Allah has set for them. The people don’t get poor, hungry, or needy except for the abstention of the rich from paying their due right. Those who don’t pay Allah’s portion of their wealth do not deserve His Mercy. By Allah that no wealth is wasted in the desert or the sea, but for not paying zakat.
When Fatima Al-Zahra (a.s) gave a speech in her father’s mosque and brilliantly criticized the government of her age using Qur’¡nic verses and the Prophet’s traditions, she told people:
فَجَعَلَ الإيمَانَ تَطْهِيراً لَكُمْ مِنَ الشِّرْكِ، وَالصَّلاةَ تَنْزِيهاً لَكُمْ عَنِ الكِبَرِ، وَالزَّكَاةَ تَزْكِيَةً لأنْفُسِكُمْ.
Allah obliged belief for you to purify you of the pollution of disbelief, He obliged prayer to save you from pride, and zakat to purify you of stinginess.
One day, Imam al-Ri¤¡ (a.s) told his servant: “Have you granted anything for Allah today?” The servant gave negative answer. Imam (a.s) said: “So how would Allah recompense us?”
Shortening the Measures
Fraud in dealing with people and shortening the measure are unlawful and major sins, according to the Holy Qur’¡n and the traditions of the Prophet (s.a) and his Household (a.s).
One, from one hundred and fourteen chapters of the Holy Qur’¡n, is dedicated to this issue. The first few verses of this chapter talk about this major sin and betrayal and the chastisement for it:
وَيْلٌ لِلْمُطَفِّفِينَ (1) الَّذِينَ إِذَا اكْتَالُوا عَلَى النَّاسِ يَسْتَوْفُونَ (2) وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمْ أَوْ وَزَنُوهُمْ يُخْسِرُونَ (3) أَلا يَظُنُّ أُولَئِكَ أَنَّهُمْ مَبْعُوثُونَ (4) لِيَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ (5) يَوْمَ يَقُومُ النَّاسُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (6) كَلاَّ إِنَّ كِتَابَ الفُجَّارِ لَفِي سِجِّينٍ (7).
Woe to those that deal in fraud, who, when they measure against the people, take full measure. But, when they measure for them or weigh for them, do skimp. Do those not think that they shall be raised up unto a mighty day, a day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of all Beings? No indeed; the Book of the libertines is in Sijjin.
The Messenger of Allah (s.a) stated:
إنَّ المُطَفِّفَ يُرْمَى يَوْمَ القِيَامَةِ فِي قَعْرِ جَهَنَّمَ بَيْنَ جَبَلَيْنِ مِنْ نَارٍ، فَيُقَالُ لَهُ: زِنْهُمَا. فَيَبْقَى فِي ذَلِكَ أبَداً.
One who shortens the measures in dealing with people would be taken to the bottom of the hell, in the Hereafter, and placed between two fire mountains. He is then told to weight the mountains, and he would do so forever.
The great exegesis book “Minh¡j al-¯¡diqin” explains about the verses of “Mutaffifin” chapter and narrates an important tradition from the Prophet (s.a). The prophet (s.a) said: “There are five consequences for five deeds.” People asked: “O Messenger of Allah! What are they?” He replied: “No people broke their promises, unless Allah dominated their enemies on them. No people did adultery, unless Allah spread death among them. No people lied and judged against Allah’s rule, unless they got increasingly unfortunate. And no people refrain from paying zakat, unless they had no rain. And they didn’t shorten the measures, unless they got deprived of plants and entangled in famine.”
source : a commentary on Kumayl supplication
