I was no one special—just a young boy in Medina, helping my father sell dates in the market. But I will never forget the day I watched justice change a man’s heart.
The sun was blazing that afternoon, and the street smelled of warm bread and roasted barley. My father, like many others, had laid out his goods on a cloth. Behind us, the homes of the Ansar—the Helpers of the Prophet ﷺ—stood quiet and tidy.
Then it happened.
A man burst into the market, red-faced and furious. In his hand, he held a broken spear. “Someone has taken my property!” he shouted. “He ruined it and denies touching it!”
People began to gather. The air grew tense. Some whispered; others looked away. I recognized the man being accused. He was poor—his clothes patched, sandals worn thin. His name was Salman, and he worked carrying firewood from the hills.
The angry man demanded payment. “He must be punished under the law! Bring him to the Prophet!”
I felt my stomach twist. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was not far; his home was near the mosque. Soon, the two men were escorted there, and I followed at a distance, heartbeat loud in my chest.
They stood before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He listened quietly to both sides. No shouting. No scolding. Just calm and fairness. The accusing man explained the spear’s value. Salman, the poor man, lowered his head. “I found it in the street,” he said. “I didn’t know who it belonged to. I used it to fix my tools. I’m sorry.”
I expected anger. Maybe punishment. But the Prophet ﷺ turned to the owner and said, “Allah shows mercy to those who are merciful. Will you not forgive for something taken in innocence?”
The man’s eyes softened. He looked down at what remained of the spear. Then at Salman. “I forgive him,” he said quietly.
And then—I still remember this—the Prophet ﷺ smiled. It wasn’t a forced smile. It shone with light, as if the weight of a mountain had been lifted. He turned to Salman and said, “Be careful with what is not yours. Justice belongs to Allah, and He sees all.”
Was that it? Could fairness really be that simple? I didn’t understand it fully then, but I do now.
Justice in Islam isn’t just about punishment. It’s about seeking the truth without anger. It’s about giving others a chance to explain. It’s about mercy—when it is deserved. The Prophet ﷺ taught us that fairness was not a tool for the strong to crush the weak. It was a shield to protect everyone, even the one who had made a mistake.
That day shaped me. I once cared only about selling dates. After that moment, I wanted to live by the justice I saw in his eyes.
May Allah guide us to be just, even when it’s hard.
—
Story Note: Inspired by the hadith found in Sahih Muslim (Hadith 1713) about the Prophet's ﷺ emphasis on fairness and justice in resolving disputes with mercy.
I was no one special—just a young boy in Medina, helping my father sell dates in the market. But I will never forget the day I watched justice change a man’s heart.
The sun was blazing that afternoon, and the street smelled of warm bread and roasted barley. My father, like many others, had laid out his goods on a cloth. Behind us, the homes of the Ansar—the Helpers of the Prophet ﷺ—stood quiet and tidy.
Then it happened.
A man burst into the market, red-faced and furious. In his hand, he held a broken spear. “Someone has taken my property!” he shouted. “He ruined it and denies touching it!”
People began to gather. The air grew tense. Some whispered; others looked away. I recognized the man being accused. He was poor—his clothes patched, sandals worn thin. His name was Salman, and he worked carrying firewood from the hills.
The angry man demanded payment. “He must be punished under the law! Bring him to the Prophet!”
I felt my stomach twist. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was not far; his home was near the mosque. Soon, the two men were escorted there, and I followed at a distance, heartbeat loud in my chest.
They stood before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He listened quietly to both sides. No shouting. No scolding. Just calm and fairness. The accusing man explained the spear’s value. Salman, the poor man, lowered his head. “I found it in the street,” he said. “I didn’t know who it belonged to. I used it to fix my tools. I’m sorry.”
I expected anger. Maybe punishment. But the Prophet ﷺ turned to the owner and said, “Allah shows mercy to those who are merciful. Will you not forgive for something taken in innocence?”
The man’s eyes softened. He looked down at what remained of the spear. Then at Salman. “I forgive him,” he said quietly.
And then—I still remember this—the Prophet ﷺ smiled. It wasn’t a forced smile. It shone with light, as if the weight of a mountain had been lifted. He turned to Salman and said, “Be careful with what is not yours. Justice belongs to Allah, and He sees all.”
Was that it? Could fairness really be that simple? I didn’t understand it fully then, but I do now.
Justice in Islam isn’t just about punishment. It’s about seeking the truth without anger. It’s about giving others a chance to explain. It’s about mercy—when it is deserved. The Prophet ﷺ taught us that fairness was not a tool for the strong to crush the weak. It was a shield to protect everyone, even the one who had made a mistake.
That day shaped me. I once cared only about selling dates. After that moment, I wanted to live by the justice I saw in his eyes.
May Allah guide us to be just, even when it’s hard.
—
Story Note: Inspired by the hadith found in Sahih Muslim (Hadith 1713) about the Prophet's ﷺ emphasis on fairness and justice in resolving disputes with mercy.
