預言者ﷺは裁判官を任命されていました。アリーをイエメンの裁判官に任命し、どのように裁くべきかを指示して、こう言われました。「二人の争う者があなたのもとに来たら、もう一方の言い分を聞くまでは、どちらか一方のために裁いてはならない。」また、預言者ﷺはアブドゥッラー・イブン・ナウファルをマディーナの裁判官にも任命されました。

The Messenger of Allah (saw) used to appoint the judges; he appointed ‘Ali as judge over Yemen and he gave him instructions about how to judge by saying, “If two disputing persons came to you do not judge for either of them until you have heard what the other had to say.” He (saw) also appointed ‘Abdullah ibn Nawfal as judge over Madinah.

しかしながら、すべての裁判官が同じ種類であったわけではなく、彼らが管轄する領域は、与えられた役割に応じて異なっていた。ある裁判官は人々の間の紛争を担当し、別の裁判官は人々の共通の利益を害するものを解決することを担当し、また別の裁判官は人々とその上に立つ権力者との間の紛争の領域を担当した。

However, all the judges were not of one type, and the areas over which they had jurisdiction varied according to the roles they were allocated. Some judges were concerned with the disputes between the people, others with settling whatever harms the common interest of the people and others dealt with the area of disputes between the people and those who were in authority over them.