Shuraih Al-Qadhi

Who is Shuraih Al-Qadhi?

Shuraih ibn al-Hârith ibn Qays ibn al-Jahm al-Kindî accepted Islam in Yemen during the lifetime of Muhammad though he never met him. During the reign of Abû Bakr al-Siddîq, he relocated to Kufah in Iraq.

"Umar appointed him to be the judge of Kufah and he was very young at the time. Abû Nu`aym relates from Umm Dâwûd al-Wâbishiyyah that “people took their disputes before Shuraih at a time when he still had no beard.”

It is said that he spent sixty years in that office. He also served as judge in Basra for a year. He succeeded Abdullah ibn Masood as the Qadi of Kufa. He was well known throughout the country for his intelligence and keen sense of judgment. He was regarded as a model judge. Ali used to call him iiAqd-ul-Arabi, that is the most judicious of all the judges of Arabia.

Shuraih was known for his extensive knowledge of Islamic law and respected for his good judgment. The caliphs showed deference to him.

Caliph Mu`âwiyah then transferred him to Damascus. On account of this, Shuraih became known as “the Judge of the Two Great Cities”. He retired from office only a year before his death, and he is supposed to have lived to the age of 108 or 110. It is related that,