Ali said: "Had my opponent been a Muslim, I would have sat with him before you" (16). This is because when a judge shows partiality toward one of the two litigants over the other (17), he is constrained and his heart is broken (18), and perhaps his argument will not be established, which leads to his injustice. If one of the litigants permits the judge to raise the other litigant above him in the assembly, it is permissible, because the right is his, and his heart is not broken if it is he who raised him. It is the Sunnah that both litigants sit before the judge; this is because it is narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) decreed that the two litigants should sit before the judge. Narrated by Abu Dawood (19). Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Had my opponent been a Muslim, I would have sat with him before you." This is also because it is more conducive for the judge to be just between them, to attend to them, and to examine their dispute. If the two litigants are Dimmis (non-Muslim subjects), he shall also treat them equally, because they are equal in their religion. If one of them is a Muslim and the other a Dimmi, it is permissible to raise the Muslim above him, because of what Ibrahim al-Taymi narrated, saying: Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) (20) found his shield with a Jew and said: "It is my shield; it fell at such-and-such a time." The Jew said: "It is my shield, and it is in my hand; between me and you is the judge of the Muslims." They went up to Shurayh, and when Shurayh saw him, he stood up from his seat, seated him in his place, and sat with the Jew before him. Ali said: "Had my opponent been a Muslim, I would have sat with him before you, but I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: 'Do not make them equal in seating assemblies.'" Mentioned by Abu Nu'aym in "al-Hilyah". It is not appropriate for him to host one of the two litigants without his companion; rather, he should either host them both together or leave them both. It is narrated from Ali (may Allah honor his face) that a man stayed with him, and he said to him: "Do you have (21) an opponent?" He said: "Yes." He said: "Move away from us, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: 'Do not host one of the two litigants except...'
(16) Extracted by al-Bayhaqi, in: Chapter on the Impartiality of Litigants..., from the Book of Judicial Etiquette, Al-Sunan al-Kubra 10/136. And Abu Nu'aym, in: al-Hilyah 4/139. Waki', in: Akhbar al-Qudat 2/200. (17) In B: "against". (18) Does not appear in: Original, B. (19) In: Chapter on How the Litigants Sit Before the Judge, from the Book of Judgments. Sunan Abi Dawood 2/271. It was also extracted by al-Bayhaqi, in: Chapter on the Impartiality of Litigants, from the Book of Judicial Etiquette. Al-Sunan al-Kubra 10/135. (20) Omitted from: B, M. (21) In B, M: "You are".
