Grand Ayatollah Shirazi: Judges Must Not Rule Based Solely on Their Own Knowledge

Grand Ayatollah Shirazi: Judges Must Not Rule Based Solely on Their Own Knowledge
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During his daily scholarly session on Monday, 16th of Jumada al-Thani 1447, Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Hosseini Shirazi addressed questions from attendees on various jurisprudential matters.

On the topic of judicial practice, the Supreme Marja emphasized that, according to the prevailing view among Shia jurists, a judge is not permitted to base rulings solely on personal knowledge or understanding. Instead, judgments must be grounded in valid evidence and sworn testimony.

He further noted that even the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his pure family), despite possessing certain knowledge, consistently judged cases based on witnesses and oaths, saying that he adjudicated only according to testimony and sworn statements.

His Eminence concluded that this principle underscores the importance of impartiality and evidence-based rulings in Islamic jurisprudence, making it clear that judges cannot rely on their own knowledge or assumptions when making judicial decisions.