The Prophet ﷺ sent me to Yemen as a judge. I said: “Are you sending me to people when I am young and have no knowledge of judging?” He placed his hand on my chest and said: “May Allah make you steadfast and help you to get it right. If two disputants come to you, do not pass judgement in favour of the first one until you listen to what the other one has to say. That is more helpful and will enable you to reach the correct verdict.ʿ Since then I have become a (good) judge. It was narrated that ʿAli bin Abi Talib ؓ said: The Prophet ﷺ sent me as a judge to Yemen (and he narrated the above). He said: “Allah will make your heart steadfast and guide your mind and heart.” (and he mentioned the hadeeth.) A similar report was narrated from ‘Ali ؓ .
بَعَثَنِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِلَى الْيَمَنِ قَاضِيًا فَقُلْتُ تَبْعَثُنِي إِلَى قَوْمٍ وَأَنَا حَدَثُ السِّنِّ وَلا عِلْمَ لِي بِالْقَضَاءِ؟ فَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ عَلَىصَدْرِي فَقَالَ ثَبَّتَكَ اللهُ وَسَدَّدَكَ إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْخَصْمَانِ فَلا تَقْضِ للأوَّلِ حَتَّى تَسْمَعَ مِنَ الآخَرِ فَإِنَّهُ أَجْدَرُ أَنْ يَبِينَ لَكَ الْقَضَاءُ قَالَ فَمَا زِلْتُ قَاضِيًا وَهَذَا لَفْظُ حَدِيثِ دَاوُدَ بْنِ عَمْرٍو الضَّبِّيِّ وَبَعْضُهُمِ أتَمُّ كَلامًا مِنْ بَعْضٍ