Fatwa ID: 05726

Answered by: Maulana Muhammad Asadullah Anwar Adam

Question:

Is it haram to become a judge or a lawyer?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

Becoming a solicitor/lawyer is permissible by default because of the fact that a lawyer is like an advocate who is representing a client.

Generally, three conditions are added to the permissibility of the law profession.

1. A lawyer must not fight for a person’s innocence when he is guilty.
2. A lawyer must not fight for a right for a person who does not have a claim to that right
3. A lawyer must not use prohibited means to represent the case of a client.

If the above 3 conditions are met then it is permitted to be a lawyer.[1]

It is permissible to be a judge but a person must be one who is capable of being a judge.

The Prophet (SAW) said:

“The judges are of three types: Two types of judges that are in the Fire, and one type of judge that is in Paradise. A man who judges without the truth, and he knows that. This type is in the Fire. One who judges while not knowing, ruining the rights of the people. So this type is in the Fire. A judge who judges with the truth, that is the one type in Paradise. [2]

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Muhammad Asadullah Anwar Adam

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

[1] Contemporary Fataawa of Mufti Taqi Saheb p.146-147

[2] Jami at Tirmidhi Hadith 1322