[Machine] When Sowwar, the judge of Basra, died, Abu Ja'far, meaning Al-Mansur, called upon Abu Hanifa and said to him, "Sowwar has died and someone must take his place as the judge. Accept the position as the judge of Basra, for I have appointed you as the judge." Abu Hanifa replied, "By Allah, the One besides whom there is no deity, I am not fit for the position of a judge. And by Allah, O Amir al-Mu'minin, if I am telling the truth, what prevents you from appointing a man who is not fit for the position of a judge? And if I am lying, what prevents you from appointing a man who is a liar, which is not suitable for this matter? Only a man from the tribe of Arabia is fit for this position, and I have become contrary to you." Abu Ja'far said to him, "You have spoken the truth. Indeed, you said that only a man like Abu Bakr and Umar is fit for this position, as Allah says in His book, 'Those are a nation who have passed away. Theirs is that which they earned.' (Quran 2:134) And as for your statement that only a man from the tribe of Arabia is fit for this position, then we adhere to what Allah Almighty says in His book, 'Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.' (Quran 49:13) And we only exert effort with the people of our time. And as for your statement that I have become contrary to you, opinions differ. Accept this matter." Abu Hanifa said, "O Amir al-Mu'minin, if you do not remove me from this position, then I will respond to your request within the hour." So he left him after that.  

لَمَّا مَاتَ سَوَّارٌ قَاضِي أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ دَعَا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ يَعْنِي الْمَنْصُورَ أَبَا حَنِيفَةَ فَقَالَ لَهُ إِنَّ سَوَّارًا قَدْ مَاتَ وَإِنَّهُ لَا بُدَّ لِهَذَا الْمِصْرِ يَعْنِي مِنْ قَاضٍ فَاقْبَلِ الْقَضَاءَ فَقَدْ وَلَّيْتُكَ قَضَاءَ الْبَصْرَةِ فَقَالَ أَبُو حَنِيفَةَ وَاللهِ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ إِنِّي لَا أَصْلِحُ لِلْقَضَاءِ وَوَاللهِ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَئِنْ كُنْتُ صَادِقًا فَمَا يَسَعُكَ أَنْ تَسْتَقْضِيَ رَجُلًا لَا يَصْلُحُ لِلْقَضَاءِ وَلَئِنْ كُنْتُ كَاذِبًا فَمَا يَسَعُكُ أَنْ تَسْتَقْضِيَ رَجُلًا كَذَّابًا وَإِنَّهُ لَا يَصْلُحُ لِهَذَا الْأَمْرِ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ وَقَدْ أَصْبَحْتُ مُخَالِفًا لَكَ قَالَ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ صَدَقْتَ إِنَّكَ قُلْتَ لَا يَصْلُحُ لِهَذَا الْأَمْرِ إِلَّا مِثْلُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ فَ {تِلْكَ أُمَّةٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ} [البقرة 134] الْآيَةُ وَأَمَّا قَوْلُكَ إِنَّهُ لَا يَصْلُحَ لِهَذَا الْأَمْرِ إِلَّا رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ فَإِنَّا نَأْخُذُ بِمَا قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَى فِي كِتَابِهِ {إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ} [الحجرات 13] وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْنَا إِلَّا الْجَهْدُ فِي أَهْلِ زَمَانِنِا وَأَمَّا قَوْلُكُ إِنَّكَ أَصْبَحْتَ مُخَالِفًا لِي فَإِنَّ الرَّأْيَ يُخَالِفُ الرَّأْيَ فَاقْبَلْ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ فَقَالَ أَبُو حَنِيفَةَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَئِنْ خَلَّيْتَ عَنِّي وَإِلَّا لَبَّيْتُ مَكَانِيَ السَّاعَةَ فَمَا يَسَعُكَ أَنْ تَحْبِسَ مُلَبِّيًا قَالَ فَخَلَّى عَنْهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ