“Only God can judge me” is often said flippantly as a way to discourage judgment from others, nevertheless, it is true. We know that in Islam, as my teacher once said, “We judge by what’s apparent”. Yet “what’s apparent” is also all we can judge by. We don’t have insight into a person’s heart, we don’t really know. We cannot understand anyone else outside the limitations of our own humanity. What’s apparent is all we know but it’s not all that is.
Only God can judge any individual human being. Only He knows with great intricacies the troubles of their heart, the thoughts that occupy their mind, their pains and sorrows, the wounds they tend to —quietly, by themselves. The betrayal they’ve endured, the lies they’ve unlearned, their well-hidden sorrows.
The intimate knowledge of God is unmatched, He knows “Whether you speak secretly or openly—He surely knows best what is ˹hidden˺ in the heart” (67:13) So how can any judge but Him? We judge by what’s apparent and thus every judgment is filled with the injustices of our own human limitations. We say God, therefore, is the ultimate judge but in truth, he is the only judge. He is the only one whose judgment is sound, perfect, and singularly true.
‘Only God can judge me” however insincerely said, still reveals the depths of our knowing that truly only through God do we expect to be sincerely known, understood, and judged. If we grasp the spirit of this phrase we free ourselves from the expectation in anyone other than Him. Imam Al-Haddad’s words come to mind… “My Lord’s knowledge has sufficed me from asking or choosing.” (Imam Al Haddad)
And Allah knows best.
