Firstly, what do I mean by “judging others”?
Making general judgments about a person or people without clear evidence or definitive knowledge. This normally leads to treating people unjustly, defaming someone, not fulfilling ones duty towards the person judged, a incorrect sense of having knowledge, belittling others, condemning others, creating double standards, etc.
Allah says in Qur’an: “Oh you who believe, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful.” [49:12].
To get a better perspective of what I am trying to say, I would like to point out the story of the Prophet Musa/Moses (Peace be upon him and al-Khidr) which is mentioned in surat al-Kahf (18:60-82):
To briefly sum up the story, Prophet Musa (Peace be upon him) followed a learned man called Al-Khidr to get more guidance. He kept seeing Al-Khidr do actions that, to Musa, seemed sinful. Musa would speak up and point out that the actions witnessed were wrong. At the end, it turned out that Al-Khidrs actions had been meritorious all along and though his actions seemed unspeakable, he was actually doing them to benefit the people. This Should show us that there are things of which we have no knowledge and should not think that we do and therefore shouldn’t pass judgement.
In the al-Muwatta’ by Imam Malik:
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
Avoid suspicion, for suspicion is the gravest lie in talk and do not be inquisitive about one another and do not spy upon one another and do not feel envy with the other, and nurse no malice, and nurse no aversion and hostility against one another. And be fellow-brothers and servants of Allah.
Therefore it should be kept in mind that people who judged others subject themselves to judgement because they judged the intentions of others (something man can’t judge) or showing prejudices which can lead to grave mistakes. So we could say that man does not have the authority to judge another man in matters of faith as he cannot see into the hearts of others. Therefore, Allah enjoins that He be the Judge of such affairs.
Here’s a beautiful example of to clarify my point. May Allah endow us all with such compassion and obedience. Ameen.