He had to discharge the dual duty of governorship and jurist.

He had to discharge the dual duty of governorship and jurist. Therefore he had the position of an intellectual and a ruler. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) told him that he must teach the army men the fundamentals of religion and the Quran. He also had to collect the Zakat funds and send them for spending on the Muslims. At the time when the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) was sending this twenty-nine year old young man to Yemen he asked, “O Mu’az ibn Jabal!

If a claimant comes to you for legal recourse what judgment would you give?” “I would deliver the judgment in the light of the Holy Quran,” replied Mu’az.

Again the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) asked him, “What would you do if you don’t find the judgment in Quran?” Mu’az replied, “I would act on the way the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) has done, and deliver the judgment according to that.” Once more the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) asked, “What if the solution is not found even in my practice?” Mu’az said, “In such a situation I would myself do Ijtihad (Derive the law).” The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) stroked the chest of Mu’az and said, “I thank Allah that the replies of Mu’az have pleased me.” When the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) passed away from this world, Mu’az ibn Jabal was in Yemen .

Abu Bakr approved the governorship and juristic post of Mu’az in Yemen , but during the caliphate of Umar he was ordered to go to Sham where he expired in the 18 th year of Hijrah. A noteworthy point in the life history of Mu’az is that when this young man who was appointed by the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) on an important post and was asked about the method of judgment he presented such a reply that it served as a cornerstone for the jurisprudents who were to come in the future at all times.

That they must derive the laws of Shariah either from the Quran or the Sunnah of the Prophet or they must employ reason and logic to reach the correct solution.” It is enough to prove the merit of Mu’az ibn Jabal that he was having such a deep knowledge about the mechanics of Islamic jurisprudence.[1] [1] Tabaqat Kubra, Vol. 1, Pg. 120, Al-Istiab of Ibn Abde Barr, under "Maaz" Back Index Next Previous…