Question(31):

You mentioned, however, about the Faasiq and the Thaalim things that are close, or possibly intermixed. And it is that the Thaalim rules by that which Allaah has not sent down whilst knowing that Allaah’s Judgment is better. But that he intends to gratify his thirst for revenge from someone. So he applies a judgment on someone that Allaah has not approved of. And then the Faasiq rules while knowing the Judgment of Allaah and that it is the right Judgment, but because of his own interest or lowly desire, or due to a certain bias to fulfill the desires of someone else, he rules by that which Allaah has not sent down. So what is the difference between the two?

Answer:

The difference is that the one whom we describe as Thaalim, judges seeking to transgress against the one on whom he passes judgment, even though he may not have an interest in that. He does not, at all, take into consideration the interest of the one in whose favour he passes judgment.

The most important thing to him is tyranny and transgression with respect to the one on whom he passes sentence. As for the other one, the faasiq, he takes into account the interest of the one in whose favour he passes judgment. He did not feel that he is transgressing against the one on whom he passes sentence.

For this reason no distinction is made regarding the one on whom the judgment is passed as being such or such person. This is because he (the judge) intends only the interest of the one in whose favour he passes  judgment, or that he likes to draw a benefit for himself or the like. So, this is the difference between the two.

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