Text:Letter of Imam 'Ali (a) to Malik al-Ashtar

In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.	بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّ‌حْمَـٰنِ الرَّ‌حِيمِ
These are the orders issued by the creature of Allah, Ali, the son Abu Talib to Maalik, the son of Ashtar when he appointed Maalik as the Governor of Egypt to collect Zakat there, to combat the enemies of Islam and Egypt, to work for the welfare of its people and to look after its prosperity.	هَذَا مَا أَمَرَ بِهِ عَبْدُ اللهِ عَلِی أَمِیرُ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ، مَالِک بْنَ الْحَارِثِ الْاَشْتَرَ فِی عَهْدِهِ إِلَیهِ، حِینَ وَلاَّهُ مِصْرَ: جِبَایةَ خَرَاجِهَا، وَجِهَادَ عَدُوِّهَا، وَاسْتِصْلاَحَ أَهْلِهَا، وَعِمَارَةَ بِلاَدِهَا،
I order you, Maalik, always to keep the fear of Allah in your mind, to give priority to His worship and to give preference to obeying His Commands over every other thing in life, to carefully and faithfully follow the commandments and interdictions as are given by the Holy Book and the traditions of the Holy Prophet (s) because the success of a man to attain happiness in this world and the next depends upon these qualities, and a failure to achieve these attributes brings about total failure in both the worlds.	أَمَرَهُ بِتَقْوَی اللهِ، وَإِیثَارِ طَاعَتِهِ، وَاتِّبَاعِ مَا أَمَرَ بِهِ فِی کتَابِهِ: مِنْ فَرَائِضِهِ وَسُنَنِهِ، الَّتِی لایسْعَدُ أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ بِاتِّبَاعِهَا، وَلاَ یشْقَی إِلاَّ مَعَ جُحُودِهَا وَإِضَاعَتِهَا،
Qualifications of a Governor and his Responsibilities:
Be it known to you, O, Malik, that I am sending you as governor to a country which in the past has experienced both just and unjust rule. Men will scrutinize your actions with a searching eye, even as you used to scrutinize the actions of those before you and speak of you even as you did speak of them.	وَأَنْ ینْصُرَ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ بِقَلْبِهِ وَیدِهِ وَلِسَانِهِ; فَإِنَّهُ، جَلَّ اسْمُهُ، قَدْ تَکفَّلَ بِنَصْرِ مَنْ نَصَرَهُ، وَإِعْزَازِ مَنْ أَعَزَّهُ. وَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ یکْسِرَ نَفْسَهُ مِنَ الشَّهَوَاتِ، وَیزَعَهَا عِنْدَ الْجَمَحَاتِ، فَإِنَّ النَّفْسَ أَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ، إِلاَّ مَا رَحِمَ اللهُ.
Let it be known to you, Maalik, that I am sending you as a governor to a country which has seen many regimes before this. Some of them were benign, sympathetic and good, while others were tyrannical, oppressive and cruel. People will judge your government as critically as you have studied the activities of other regimes and they will criticize you in the same way as you have censured or approved other rulers.	ثُمَّ اعْلَمْ یا مَالِک أَنِّی قَدْ وَجَّهْتُک إِلَی بِلاَد قَدْ جَرَتْ عَلَیهَا دُوَلٌ قَبْلَک، مِنْ عَدْل وَجَوْر، وَأَنَّ النَّاسَ ینْظُرُونَ مِنْ أُمُورِک فِی مِثْلِ مَا کنْتَ تَنْظُرُ فِیهِ مِنْ أُمُورِ الْوُلاَةِ قَبْلَک، وَیقُولُونَ فِیک مَا کنْتَ تَقُولُ فِیهِمْ،
The fact is that the public speak well of only those who do good. It is they who furnish the proof of your actions. Hence the richest treasure that you may covet would be the treasure of good deeds. Keep your desires under control and deny yourself that which you have been prohibited from, for, by such abstinence alone, you will be able to distinguish between what is good to them and what is not.	وَإِنَّمَا یسْتَدَلُّ عَلَی الصَّالِحِینَ بِمَا یجْرِی اللهُ لَهُمْ عَلَی أَلْسُنِ عِبَادِهِ، فَلْیکنْ أَحَبَّ الذَّخَائِرِ إِلَیک ذَخِیرَةُ الْعَمَلِ الصَّالِحِ، فَامْلِکْ هَوَاک، وَشُحَّ بِنَفْسِک عَمَّا لایحِلُّ لَک، فَإِنَّ الشُّحَّ بِالنَّفْسِ الْاِنْصَافُ مِنْهَا فِیمَا أَحَبَّتْ أَوْ کرِهَتْ.
Develop in your heart the feeling of love for your people and let it be the source of kindliness and blessing to them. Do not behave with them like a barbarian, and do not appropriate to yourself that which belongs to them. Remember that the citizens of the state are of two categories. They are either your brethren in religion or your brethren in kind. They are subject to infirmities and liable to commit mistakes.	وَأَشْعِرْ قَلْبَک الرَّحْمَةَ لِلرَّعِیةِ، وَالْمَحَبَّةَ لَهُمْ، وَاللُّطْفَ بِهِمْ، وَلاَ تَکونَنَّ عَلَیهِمْ سَبُعاً ضَارِیاً تَغْتَنِمُ أَکْلَهُمْ، فَإِنَّهُمْ صِنْفَانِ: إِمَّا أَخٌ لَک فِی الدِّینِ، وَإِمَّا نَظِیرٌ لَک فِی الْخَلْقِ، یفْرُطُ مِنْهُمُ الزَّلَلُ، وَتَعْرِضُ لَهُمُ الْعِلَلُ،
Some indeed do commit mistakes. But forgive them even as you would like God to forgive you. Bear in mind that you are placed over them, even as I am placed over you. And then there is God even above him who has given you the position of a Governor so that you may look after those under you and to be sufficient unto them. And you will be judged by what you do for them.	وَیؤْتَی عَلَی أَیدِیهِمْ فِی الْعَمْدِ وَالْخَطَإِ، فَأَعْطِهِمْ مِنْ عَفْوِک وَصَفْحِک مِثْلِ الَّذِی تُحِبُّ وَتَرْضَی أَنْ یعْطِیک اللهُ مِنْ عَفْوِهِ وَصَفْحِهِ، فَإِنَّک فَوْقَهُمْ، وَوَالِی الْاَمْرِ عَلَیک فَوْقَک، وَاللهُ فَوْقَ مَنْ وَلاَّک! وَقَدِ اسْتَکْفَاک أَمْرَهُمْ، وَابْتَلاَک بِهِمْ.
Do not set yourself against God, for neither do you possess the strength to shield yourself against His displeasure nor can you place yourself outside the pale of His mercy and forgiveness. Do not feel sorry over any act of forgiveness, nor rejoice over any punishment that you may mete out to anyone. Do not rouse yourself to anger, for no good will come out of it.	وَلاَ تَنْصِبَنَّ نَفْسَک، لِحَرْبِ اللهِ فَإِنَّهُ لایدَ لَک بِنِقْمَتِهِ، وَلاَ غِنَی بِک عَنْ عَفْوِهِ وَرَحْمَتِهِ. وَلاَ تَنْدَمَنَّ عَلَی عَفْو، وَلاَ تَبْجَحَنَّ بِعُقُوبَة، وَلاَ تُسْرِعَنَّ إِلَی بَادِرَة وَجَدْتَ مِنْهَا مَنْدُوحَةً،
Do not say: “I am your overlord and dictator, and that you should, therefore, bow to my commands”, as that will corrupt your heart, weaken your faith in religion and create disorder in the state. Should you be elated by power, ever feel in your mind the slightest symptoms of pride and arrogance, then look at the power and majesty of the Divine governance of the Universe over which you have absolutely no control.	وَلاَ تَقُولَنَّ: إِنِّی مُؤَمَّرٌ آمُرُ فَأُطَاعُ، فَإِنَّ ذَلِک إِدْغَالٌ فِی الْقَلْبِ، وَمَنْهَکةٌ لِلدِّینِ، وَتَقَرُّبٌ مِنَ الْغِیرِ. وَإِذَا أَحْدَثَ لَک مَا أَنْتَ فِیهِ مِنْ سُلْطَانِک أُبَّهَةً أَوْ مَخِیلَةً، فَانْظُرْ إِلَی عِظَمِ مُلْک اللهِ فَوْقَک، وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِنْک عَلَی مَا لاتَقْدِرُ عَلَیهِ مِنْ نَفْسِک،
It will restore the sense of balance to your wayward intelligence and give you the sense of calmness and affability.	فَإِنَّ ذَلِک یطَامِنُ إِلَیک مِنْ طِمَاحِک، وَیکفُّ عَنْک مِنْ غَرْبِک، وَیفِیءُ إِلَیک بِمَا عَزَبَ عَنْک مِنْ عَقْلِک!
Beware! Never put yourself against the majesty and grandeur of God and never imitate His omnipotence; for God has brought low every rebel of God and every tyrant of man.	إِیاک وَمُسَامَاةَ اللهِ فِی عَظَمَتِهِ، وَالتَّشَبُّهَ بِهِ فِی جَبَرُوتِهِ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ یذِلُّ کلَّ جَبَّار، وَیهِینُ کلَّ مُخْتَال.
Let your mind respect through your actions the rights of God and the rights of man, and likewise, persuade your companions and relations to do likewise. For, otherwise, you will be doing injustice to yourself and injustice to humanity. Thus both man and God will turn unto your enemies. There is no hearing anywhere for one who makes an enemy of God himself. He will be regarded as one at war with God until he feels contrition and seeks forgiveness. Nothing deprives man of divine blessings or excites divine wrath against him more easily than cruelty. Hence it is, that God listens to the voice of the oppressed and waylays the oppressor.	أَنْصِفِ اللهَ وَأَنْصِفِ النَّاسَ مِنْ نَفْسِک، وَمِنْ خَاصَّةِ أَهْلِک، وَمَنْ لَک فِیهِ هَوًی مِنْ رَعِیتِک، فَإِنَّک إِلاَّ تَفْعَلْ تَظْلِمْ! وَمَنْ ظَلَمَ عِبَادَ اللهِ کانَ اللهُ خَصْمَهُ دُونَ عِبَادِهِ، وَمَنْ خَاصَمَهُ اللهُ أَدْحَضَ حُجَّتَهُ، وَکانَ لِلَّهِ حَرْباً حَتَّی ینْزِعَ أَوْ یتُوبَ. وَلَیسَ شَیءٌ أَدْعَی إِلَی تَغْییرِ نِعْمَةِ اللهِ وَتَعْجِیلِ نِقْمَتِهِ مِنْ إِقَامَة عَلَی ظُلْم، فَإِنَّ اللهَ سَمِیعٌ دَعْوَةَ الْمُضْطَهَدِینَ وَهُوَ لِلظَّالِمِینَ بِالْمِرْصَادِ.
Ruling should be in favor of the people as a whole.
Maintain justice in administration and impose it on your own self and seek the consent of the people, for, the discontent of the masses sterilises the contentment of the privileged few and the discontent of the few loses itself in the contentment of the many. Remember the privileged few will not rally round you in moments of difficulty: they will try to side-track justice, they will ask for more than what they deserve and will show no gratitude for favours done to them.	وَلْیکنْ أَحَبَّ الْاُمُورِ إِلَیک أَوْسَطُهَا فِی الْحَقِّ، وَأَعَمُّهَا فِی الْعَدْلِ، وَأَجْمَعُهَا لِرِضَی الرَّعِیةِ، فَإِنَّ سُخْطَ الْعَامَّةِ یجْحِفُ بِرِضَی الْخَاصَّةِ، وَإِنَّ سُخْطَ الْخَاصَّةِ یغْتَفَرُ مَعَ رِضَی الْعَامَّةِ. وَلَیسَ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الرَّعِیةِ أَثْقَلَ عَلَی الْوَالِی مَؤُونَةً فِی الرَّخَاءِ، وَأَقَلَّ مَعُونَةً لَهُ فِی الْبَلاَءِ، وَأَکْرَهَ لِلْاِنْصَافِ، وَأَسْأَلَ بِالْاِلْحَافِ، وَأَقَلَّ شُکْراً عِنْدَ الْاِعْطَاءِ،
They will feel restive in the face of trials and will offer no regret for their shortcomings. It is the common man who is the strength of the State and Religion. It is he who fights the enemy. So live in close contact with the masses and be mindful of their welfare.	وَأَبْطَأَ عُذْراً عِنْدَ الْمَنْعِ، وَأَضْعَفَ صَبْراً عِنْدَ مُلِمَّاتِ الدَّهْرِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْخَاصَّةِ. وَإِنَّمَا عِمَادُ الدِّینِ، وَجِمَاعُ الْمُسْلِمِینَ، وَالْعُدَّةُ لِلْاَعْدَاءِ، الْعَامَّةُ مِنَ الْاُمَّةِ، فَلْیکنْ صِغْوُک لَهُمْ، وَمَیلُک مَعَهُمْ.
Keep at a distance one who peers into the weaknesses of others. After all, the masses are not free from weaknesses. It is the duty of the ruler to shield them. Do not bring to light that which is hidden, but try to remove those weaknesses which have been brought to light. God is watchful of everything that is hidden from you, and He alone will deal with it. To the best of your ability cover the weaknesses of the public, and God will cover the weaknesses in you which you are anxious to keep away from their eye.	وَلْیکنْ أَبْعَدَ رَعِیتِک مِنْک، وَأَشْنَأَهُمْ عِنْدَک، أَطْلَبُهُمْ لِمَعَائِبِ النَّاسِ; فَإِنَّ فِی النَّاسِ عُیوباً، الْوَالِی أَحَقُّ مَنْ سَتَرَهَا، فَلاَ تَکْشِفَنَّ عَمَّا غَابَ عَنْک مِنْهَا، فَإِنَّمَا عَلَیک تَطْهِیرُ مَا ظَهَرَ لَک، وَاللهُ یحْکمُ عَلَی مَا غَابَ عَنْک، فَاسْتُرِ الْعَوْرَةَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتَ یسْتُرِ اللهُ مِنْک مَا تُحِبُّ سَتْرَهُ مِنْ رَعِیتِک.
Unloose the tangle of mutual hatred between the public and the administration and remove all those causes which may give rise to strained relations between them. Protect yourself from every such act as may not be quite correct for you. Do not make haste in seeking confirmation of tale-telling, for the tale-teller is a deceitful person appearing in the garb of a friend.	أَطْلِقْ عَنِ النَّاسِ عُقْدَةَ کلِّ حِقْد، وَاقْطَعْ عَنْک سَبَبَ کلِّ وِتْر، وَتَغَابَ عَنْ کلِّ مَا لایضِحُ لَک، وَلاَ تَعْجَلَنَّ إِلَی تَصْدِیقِ سَاع فَإِنَّ السَّاعِی غَاشٌّ، وَإِنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِالنَّاصِحِینَ.
About Counselors
Never take counsel of a miser, for he will vitiate your magnanimity and frighten you of poverty. Do not take the advice of a coward either, for he will weaken your resolve. Do not take counsel of the greedy: for he will instill greed in you and turn you into a tyrant. Miserliness, cowardice and greed deprive man of his trust in God.	وَلاَ تُدْخِلَنَّ فِی مَشُورَتِک بَخِیلاً یعْدِلُ بِک عَنِ الْفَضْلِ، وَیعِدُک الْفَقْرَ، وَلاَ جَبَاناً یضْعِفُک عَنِ الْاُمُورِ، وَلاَ حَرِیصاً یزَینُ لَک الشَّرَهَ بِالْجَوْرِ، فَإِنَّ الْبُخْلَ وَالْجُبْنَ وَالْحِرْصَ غَرَائِزُ شَتَّی یجْمَعُهَا سُوءُ الظَّنِّ بِاللهِ.
The worst of counsellors is he who has served as a counsellor to unjust rulers and shared in their crimes. So, never let men who have been companions of tyrants or shared their crimes be your counsellors. You can get better men than these, men gifted with intelligence and foresight, but unpolluted by sin, men who have never aided a tyrant in his tyranny or a criminal in his crime. Such men will never be a burden on you. On the other hand, they will be a source of help and strength to you at all times. They will be friends to you and strangers to your enemies.	إِنَّ شَرَّ وُزَرَائِک مَنْ کانَ لِلْاَشْرَارِ قَبْلَک وَزِیراً، وَمَنْ شَرِکهُمْ فِی الآْثَامِ فَلاَ یکونَنَّ لَک بِطَانَةً، فَإِنَّهُمْ أَعْوَانُ الْاَثَمَةِ، وَإِخْوَانُ الظَّلَمَةِ، وَأَنْتَ وَاجِدٌ مِنْهُمْ خَیرَ الْخَلَفِ مِمَّنْ لَهُ مِثْلُ آرَائِهِمْ وَنَفَاذِهِمْ، وَلَیسَ عَلَیهِ مِثْلُ آصَارِهِمْ وَأَوْزَارِهِمْ وَآثَامِهِمْ، مِمَّنْ لَمْ یعَاوِنْ ظَالِماً عَلَی ظُلْمِهِ، وَلاَ آثِماً عَلَی إِثْمِهِ أُولَئِک أَخَفُّ عَلَیک مَؤُونَةً، وَأَحْسَنُ لَک مَعُونَةً، وَأَحْنَی عَلَیک عَطْفاً، وَأَقَلُّ لِغَیرِک إِلْفاً،
Choose such men alone for companionship both in privacy and in the public. Even among these, show preference to them who have a habitual regard for truth, however trying to you at times their truth may prove to be, and who offer you no encouragement in the display of tendencies which God does not like His friends to develop.	فَاتَّخِذْ أُولَئِک خَاصَّةً لِخَلَوَاتِک وَحَفَلاَتِک، ثُمَّ لْیکنْ آثَرُهُمْ عِنْدَک أَقْوَلَهُمْ بِمُرِّ الْحَقِّ لَک وَأَقَلَّهُمْ مُسَاعَدَةً فِیمَا یکونُ مِنْک مِمَّا کرِهَ اللهُ لاَِوْلِیائِهِ، وَاقِعاً ذَلِک مِنْ هَوَاک حَیثُ وَقَعَ.
Keep close to you the upright, and the God fearing, and make clear to them that they are never to flatter you and never to give you credit for any good that you may not have done: for, the tolerance of flattery and unhealthy praise stimulates pride in man and makes him arrogant.	وَالْصَقْ بِأَهْلِ الْوَرَعِ وَالصِّدْقِ; ثُمَّ رُضْهُمْ عَلَی أَلاَّ یطْرُوک وَلاَ یبْجَحُوک بِبَاطِل لَمْ تَفْعَلْهُ، فَإِنَّ کثْرَةَ الْاِطْرَاءِ تُحْدِثُ الزَّهْوَ، وَتُدْنِی مِنَ الْعِزَّةِ.
Do not treat the good and the bad alike. That will deter the good from doing good, and encourage the bad in their bad pursuits. Recompense everyone according to their deserts. Remember that mutual trust and goodwill between the ruler and the ruled are bred only through benevolence, justice and service. So, cultivate goodwill among the people; for their goodwill alone will save you from troubles. Your benevolence to them will be repaid by their trust in you, and your ill-treatment by their ill-will.	وَلاَ یکونَنَّ الْمُحْسِنُ وَالْمُسِیءُ عِنْدَک بِمَنْزِلَة سَوَاء، فَإِنَّ فِی ذَلِک تَزْهِیداً لاَِهْلِ الْاِحْسَانِ فِی الْاِحْسَانِ، وَتَدْرِیباً لاَِهْلِ الْاِسَاءَةِ عَلَی الْاِسَاءَةِ! وَأَلْزِمْ کلاًّ مِنْهُمْ مَا أَلْزَمَ نَفْسَهُ. وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَیسَ شَیءٌ بِأَدْعَی إِلَی حُسْنِ ظَنِّ رَاع بِرَعِیتِهِ مِنْ إِحْسَانِهِ إِلَیهِمْ، وَتَخْفِیفِهِ الْمَئُونَاتِ عَلَیهِمْ، وَتَرْک اسْتِکْرَاهِهِ إِیاهُمْ عَلَی مَا لَیسَ لَهُ قِبَلَهُمْ. فَلْیکنْ مِنْک فِی ذَلِک أَمْرٌ یجْتَمِعُ لَک بِهِ حُسْنُ الظَّنِّ بِرَعِیتِک فَإِنَّ حُسْنَ الظَّنِّ یقْطَعُ عَنْک نَصَباً طَوِیلاً. وَإِنَّ أَحَقَّ مَنْ حَسُنَ ظَنُّک بِهِ لَمَنْ حَسُنَ بَلاَؤُک عِنْدَهُ، وَإِنَّ أَحَقَّ مَنْ سَاءَ ظَنُّک بِهِ لَمَنْ سَاءَ بَلاَؤُک عِنْدَهُ.
Do not disregard the noble traditions established by our forbears, which have promoted harmony and progress among the people; and do not initiate anything which might minimize their usefulness. The men who had established these noble traditions have had their reward; but responsibility will be yours if they are disturbed. Try always to learn something from the experience of the learned and wise, and frequently consult them in state matters so that you might maintain the peace and goodwill which your predecessors had established in the land.	وَلاَ تَنْقُضْ سُنَّةً صَالِحَةً عَمِلَ بِهَا صُدُورُ هَذِهِ الْاُمَّةِ، وَاجْتَمَعَتْ بِهَا الْاُلْفَةُ، وَصَلَحَتْ عَلَیهَا الرَّعِیةُ. وَلاَ تُحْدِثَنَّ سُنَّةً تَضُرُّ بِشَیء مِنْ مَاضِی تِلْک السُّنَنِ، فَیکونَ الْاَجْرُ لِمَنْ سَنَّهَا، وَالْوِزْرُ عَلَیک بِمَا نَقَضْتَ مِنْهَا. وَأَکْثِرْ مُدَارَسَةَ الْعُلَمَاءِ، وَمُنَاقَشَةَ الْحُکمَاءِ، فِی تَثْبِیتِ مَا صَلَحَ عَلَیهِ أَمْرُ بِلاَدِک، وَإِقَامَةِ مَا اسْتَقَامَ بِهِ النَّاسُ قَبْلَک.
The different classes of people:
Remember that the people are composed of different classes. The progress of one is dependent on the progress of every other, and none can afford to be independent of the other. We have the Army formed of the soldiers of God. We have our civil officers and their establishments, our judiciary, our revenue collectors and our public relations officers.	وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الرَّعِیةَ طَبَقَاتٌ لایصْلُحُ بَعْضُهَا إِلاَّ بِبَعْض، وَ لاَ غِنَی بِبَعْضِهَا عَنْ بَعْض فَمِنْهَا جُنُودُ اللهِ، وَمِنْهَا کتَّابُ الْعَامَّةِ وَالْخَاصَّةِ، وَمِنْهَا قُضَاةُ الْعَدْلِ وَ مِنْهَا عُمَّالُ الْاِنْصَافِ وَالرِّفْقِ،
The general public itself consists of Muslims and other subjects and among them of merchants and craftsmen, the unemployed and the indigent. God has prescribed for them their rights, duties and obligations. They are all defined and preserved in the Holy Quran and in the traditions of his Prophet.	وَ مِنْهَا أَهْلُ الْجِزْیةِ وَالْخَرَاجِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ وَ مُسْلِمَةِ النَّاسِ، وَ مِنْهَا التُّجَّارُ وَأَهْلُ الصِّنَاعَاتِ وَ مِنْهَا الطَّبَقَةُ السُّفْلَی مِنْ ذَوِی الْحَاجَةِ وَالْمَسْکنَةِ، وَکلٌّ قَدْ سَمَّی اللهُ لَهُ سَهْمَهُ، وَوَضَعَ عَلَی حَدِّهِ فَرِیضَةً فِی کتَابِهِ أَوْ سُنَّةِ نَبِیهِ(صلی الله علیه وآله) عَهْداً مِنْهُ عِنْدَنَا مَحْفُوظاً.
The army, by the grace of God, is like a fortress to the people and lends dignity to the state. It upholds the prestige of the faith and maintains the peace of the country. Without it the state cannot stand. In its turn, it cannot stand without the support of the state. Our soldiers have proved strong before the enemy because of the privilege God has given them to fight for Him; but they have their material needs to fulfil and have therefore to depend upon the income provided for them from the state revenue.	فَالْجُنُودُ، بِإِذْنِ اللهِ، حُصُونُ الرَّعِیةِ، وَزَینُ الْوُلاَةِ، وَعِزُّ الدِّینِ، وَسُبُلُ الْاَمْنِ وَلَیسَ تَقُومُ الرَّعِیةُ إِلاَّ بِهِمْ. ثُمَّ لاقِوَامَ لِلْجُنُودِ إِلاَّ بِمَا یخْرِجُ اللهُ لَهُمْ مِنَ الْخَرَاجِ الَّذِی یقْوَوْنَ بِهِ عَلَی جِهَادِ عَدُوِّهِمْ، وَیعْتَمِدُونَ عَلَیهِ فِیمَا یصْلِحُهُمْ وَیکونُ مِنْ وَرَاءِ حَاجَتِهِمْ.
The military and civil population who pay revenue, both need the co-operation of others – the judiciary, civil officers and their establishment. The judge administers civil and criminal law; the civil officers collect revenue and attend to civil administration with the assistance of their establishment. And then there are the tradesmen and the merchants who add to the revenue of the state. It is they who run the markets and are in a better position than others to discharge social obligations.	مَّ لاقِوَامَ لِهَذَینِ الصِّنْفَینِ إِلاَّ بِالصِّنْفِ الثَّالِثِ مِنَ الْقُضَاةِ وَالْعُمَّالِ وَالْکتَّابِ، لِمَا یحْکمُونَ مِنَ الْمَعَاقِدِ، وَیجْمَعُونَ مِنَ الْمَنَافِعِ، وَیؤْتَمَنُونَ عَلَیهِ مِنْ خَوَاصِّ الْاُمُورِ وَعَوَامِّهَا. وَلاَ قِوَامَ لَهُمْ جَمِیعاً إِلاَّ بِالتُّجَّارِ وَذَوِی الصِّنَاعَاتِ، فِیمَا یجْتَمِعُونَ عَلَیهِ مِنْ مَرَافِقِهِمْ، وَیقِیمُونَهُ مِنْ أَسْوَاقِهِمْ وَیکْفُونَهُمْ مِنَ التَّرَفُّقِ بِأَیدِیهِمْ مَا لایبْلُغُهُ رِفْقُ غَیرِهِمْ.
Then there is the class of the poor and the needy, whose maintenance is an obligation on the other classes. God has given appropriate opportunity of service to one and all; then there are the rights of all these classes over the administration which the administrator has to meet with an eye on the good of the entire population – a duty which he cannot fulfill properly unless he takes personal interest in its execution and seeks help from God. Indeed, it is obligatory on him to impose this duty on himself and to bear with patience the inconveniences and difficulties incidental to his task.	ثُمَّ الطَّبَقَةُ السُّفْلَی مِنْ أَهْلِ الْحَاجَةِ وَالْمَسْکنَةِ الَّذِینَ یحِقُّ رِفْدُهُمْ وَمَعُونَتُهُمْ. وَفِی اللهِ لِکلّ سَعَةٌ، وَلِکلّ عَلَی الْوَالِی حَقٌّ بِقَدْرِ مَا یصْلِحُهُ، وَلَیسَ یخْرُجُ الْوَالِی مِنْ حَقِیقَةِ مَا أَلْزَمَهُ اللهُ مِنْ ذَلِک إِلاَّ بِالاِهْتِمَامِ وَالاِسْتِعَانَةِ بِاللهِ، وَتَوْطِینِ نَفْسِهِ عَلَی لُزُومِ الْحَقِّ، وَالصَّبْرِ عَلَیهِ فِیمَا خَفَّ عَلَیهِ أَوْ ثَقُلَ.
1. The Army
Put in command of your forces the man who in your view is the best well-wisher of Allah, His Prophet (s) and your Imam. The most chaste of them in heart and the highest of them in endurance is one who is slow in getting angry, who accepts excuses, who is kind to the weak and is strict with the strong; violence should not raise his temper and weakness should not keep him sitting.	فَوَلِّ مِنْ جُنُودِک أَنْصَحَهُمْ فِی نَفْسِک لِلَّهِ وَلِرَسُولِهِ وَلاِِمَامِک، وَأَنْقَاهُمْ جَیباً، وَأَفْضَلَهُمْ حِلْماً، مِمَّنْ یبْطِئُ عَنِ الْغَضَبِ، وَیسْتَرِیحُ إِلَی الْعُذْرِ، وَیرْأَفُ بِالضُّعَفَاءِ، وَینْبُو عَلَی الْاَقْوِیاءِ، وَمِمَّنْ لایثِیرُهُ الْعُنْفُ، وَلاَ یقْعُدُ بِهِ الضَّعْفُ.
Also associate with considerate people from high families, virtuous houses and decent traditions, then people of courage, valor, generosity and benevolence because they are repositories of honor and springs of virtues. Strive for their matters as the parents strive for their child. Do not regard anything that you do to strengthen them as big nor anything that you have agreed to do for them as little, even though it may be small because this would make them your well-wishers and create a good impression about you. Do not neglect to attend to their small matters. Confine yourself to their important matters because your small favors will also be of benefit to them while the important ones are such that they cannot ignore.	ثُمَّ الْصَقْ بِذَوِی الْمُرُوءَاتِ وَالْاَحْسَابِ، وَأَهْلِ الْبُیوتَاتِ الصَّالِحَةِ، وَالسَّوَابِقِ الْحَسَنَةِ، ثُمَّ أَهْلِ النَّجْدَةِ وَالشَّجَاعَةِ، وَالسَّخَاءِ وَالسَّمَاحَةِ; فَإِنَّهُمْ جِمَاعٌ مِنَ الْکرَمِ، وَشُعَبٌ مِنَ الْعُرْفِ. ثُمَّ تَفَقَّدْ مِنْ أُمُورِهِمْ مَا یتَفَقَّدُ الْوَالِدَانِ مِنْ وَلَدِهِمَا، وَلاَ یتَفَاقَمَنَّ فِی نَفْسِک شَیءٌ قَوَّیتَهُمْ بِهِ، وَلاَ تَحْقِرَنَّ لُطْفاً تَعَاهَدْتَهُمْ بِهِ وَإِنْ قَلَّ; فَإِنَّهُ دَاعِیةٌ لَهُمْ إِلَی بَذْلِ النَّصِیحَةِ لَک، وَحُسْنِ الظَّنِّ بِک. وَلاَ تَدَعْ تَفَقُّدَ لَطِیفِ أُمُورِهِمُ اتِّکالاً عَلَی جَسِیمِهَا، فَإِنَّ لِلْیسِیرِ مِنْ لُطْفِک مَوْضِعاً ینْتَفِعُونَ بِهِ، وَلِلْجَسِیمِ مَوْقِعاً لایسْتَغْنُونَ عَنْهُ.
That commander of the army should have such a status before you that he renders help to them equitably and spends from his money on them and on those of their families who remain behind so that all their worries converge on the one worry to fight the enemy. Your kindness to them would turn their hearts to you. The most pleasant thing for the rulers is the establishment of justice in their areas and the manifestation of the love of their subjects, but the subjects’ love manifests itself only when their hearts are clean. Their good wishes prove correct only when they surround their commanders (to protect them). Do not regard their positions to be a burden over them and do not keep watching for the end of their tenure. Therefore, be broad-minded with regard to their desires, continue to praise them and recount the good deeds of those who have shown such deeds because the mention of good deeds shakes the brave and rouses the weak, if Allah so wills.	وَلْیکنْ آثَرُ رُءُوسِ جُنْدِک عِنْدَک مَنْ وَاسَاهُمْ فِی مَعُونَتِهِ، وَأَفْضَلَ عَلَیهِمْ مِنْ جِدَتِهِ، بِمَا یسَعُهُمْ وَیسَعُ مَنْ وَرَاءَهُمْ مِنْ خُلُوفِ أَهْلِیهِمْ، حَتَّی یکونَ هَمُّهُمْ هَمّاً وَاحِداً فِی جِهَادِ الْعَدُوِّ; فَإِنَّ عَطْفَک عَلَیهِمْ یعْطِفُ قُلُوبَهُمْ عَلَیک، وَإِنَّ أَفْضَلَ قُرَّةِ عَینِ الْوُلاَةِ اسْتِقَامَةُ الْعَدْلِ فِی الْبِلاَدِ، وَظُهُورُ مَوَدَّةِ الرَّعِیةِ. وإِنَّهُ لاتَظْهَرُ مَوَدَّتُهُمْ إِلاَّ بِسَلاَمَةِ صُدُورِهِمْ، وَلاَ تَصِحُّ نَصِیحَتُهُمْ إِلاَّ بِحِیطَتِهِمْ عَلَی وُلاَةِ الْاُمُورِ، وَقِلَّةِ اسْتِثْقَالِ دُوَلِهِمْ، وَتَرْک اسْتِبْطَاءِ انْقِطَاعِ مُدَّتِهِمْ، فَافْسَحْ فِی آمَالِهِمْ، وَوَاصِلْ فِی حُسْنِ الثَّنَاءِ عَلَیهِمْ، وَتَعْدِیدِ مَا أَبْلَی ذَوُو الْبَلاَءِ مِنْهُمْ; فَإِنَّ کثْرَةَ الذِّکْرِ لِحُسْنِ أَفْعَالِهِمْ تَهُزُّ الشُّجَاعَ، وَتُحَرِّضُ النَّاکلَ، إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ.
Appreciate the performance of each and every one of them. Do not attribute the performance of one to the other and do not minimize the reward below the level of the performance. The high status of a man should not lead you to regard his small deeds as big, nor should the low status of a man make you regard his big deeds as small.	ثُمَّ اعْرِفْ لِکلِّ امْرِئ مِنْهُمْ مَا أَبْلَی، وَلاَ تَضُمَّنَّ بَلاَءَ امْرِئ إِلَی غَیرِهِ، وَلاَ تُقَصِّرَنَّ بِهِ دُونَ غَایةِ بَلاَئِهِ، وَلاَ یدْعُوَنَّک شَرَفُ امْرِئ إِلَی أَنْ تُعْظِمَ مِنْ بَلاَئِهِ مَا کانَ صَغِیراً، وَلاَ ضَعَةُ امْرِئ إِلَی أَنْ تَسْتَصْغِرَ مِنْ بَلاَئِهِ مَا کانَ عَظِیماً.
Refer to Allah and His Prophet (s) the affairs which worry you and the matters which seem to confuse you because, addressing the people whom Allah the Sublime wishes to guide, He said the following: “O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Prophet (s) and those vested with authority from among you; then if you quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Prophet (a) if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day (of Judgement)” (Qur'an 4: 59). Referring to Allah means acting according to what is clear in His Book, and referring to the Prophet (s) means following his unanimously agreed upon Sunnah with regard to which there are no differences.	وَارْدُدْ إِلَی اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ مَا یضْلِعُک مِنَ الْخُطُوبِ، وَیشْتَبِهُ عَلَیک مِنَ الْاُمُورِ فَقَدْ قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَی لِقَوْم أَحَبَّ إِرْشَادَهُمْ: (یا أَیهَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا أَطِیعُوا اللهَ وَأَطِیعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِی الْاَمْرِ مِنْکمْ فَإِنْ تَنازَعْتُمْ فِی شَیء فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَی اللهِ وَالرَّسُولِ) فَالرَّدُّ إِلَی اللهِ الْاَخْذُ بِمُحْکمِ کتَابِهِ، وَالرَّدُّ إِلَی الرَّسُولِ الْاَخْذُ بِسُنَّتِهِ الْجَامِعَةِ غَیرِ الْمُفَرِّقَةِ.
2. The Chief Judge [Supreme Court Justice]
For the settlement of disputes among people, select one who is the most distinguished among your subjects in your view. The cases (coming before him) should not vex him, disputation should not enrage him. He should not insist on any wrong point and should not hesitate to accept the truth when he perceives it; he should not lean towards greed and should not content himself with a cursory understanding (of a matter) without going thoroughly into it. He should be most ready to stop (to ponder) on doubtful points, most considerate of arguments, least disgusted at the quarrel of litigants, most patient at probing into matters and most fearless at the time of passing a judgement. Praise should not make him vain and elation should not make him lean (toward any side). Such people are very few.	ثُمَّ اخْتَرْ لِلْحُکْمِ بَینَ النَّاسِ أَفْضَلَ رَعِیتِک فِی نَفْسِک، مِمَّنْ لاتَضِیقُ بِهِ الْاُمُورُ، وَلاَ تُمَحِّکهُ الْخُصُومُ، وَلاَ یتَمَادَی فِی الزَّلَّةِ، وَلاَ یحْصَرُ مِنَ الْفَیءِ إِلَی الْحَقِّ إِذَا عَرَفَهُ، وَلاَ تُشْرِفُ نَفْسُهُ عَلَی طَمَع، وَلاَ یکْتَفِی بِأَدْنَی فَهْم دُونَ أَقْصَاهُ; وَأَوْقَفَهُمْ فِی الشُّبُهَاتِ، وَآخَذَهُمْ بِالْحُجَجِ، وَأَقَلَّهُمْ تَبَرُّماً بِمُرَاجَعَةِ الْخَصْمِ، وَأَصْبَرَهُمْ عَلَی تَکشُّفِ الْاُمُورِ، وَأَصْرَمَهُمْ عِنْدَ اتِّضَاحِ الْحُکْمِ، مِمَّنْ لایزْدَهِیهِ إِطْرَاءٌ. وَلاَ یسْتَمِیلُهُ إِغْرَاءٌ وَأُولَئِک قَلِیلٌ،
Then, very often check his decisions and allow him so much money (as remuneration) that he has no excuse worth hearing (for not being honest) and there remains no occasion for him to go to others for his needs. Give him that rank in your audience for which no one else among your chiefs aspires so that he may remain safe from the harm of those around you. You should have a piercing eye in this matter because this religion has formerly been a prisoner in the hands of vicious persons when action was taken according to passion and worldly wealth was sought.	ثُمَّ أَکْثِرْ تَعَاهُدَ قَضَائِهِ، وَافْسَحْ لَهُ فِی الْبَذْلِ مَا یزِیلُ عِلَّتَهُ، وَتَقِلُّ مَعَهُ حَاجَتُهُ إِلَی النَّاسِ. وَأَعْطِهِ مِنَ الْمَنْزِلَةِ لَدَیک مَا لایطْمَعُ فِیهِ غَیرُهُ مِنْ خَاصَّتِک، لِیأْمَنَ بِذَلِک اغْتِیالَ الرِّجَالِ لَهُ عِنْدَک. فَانْظُرْ فِی ذَلِک نَظَراً بَلِیغاً، فَإِنَّ هَذَا الدِّینَ قَدْ کانَ أَسِیراً فِی أَیدِی الْاَشْرَارِ، یعْمَلُ فِیهِ بِالْهَوَی، وَتُطْلَبُ بِهِ الدُّنْیا.
3. Executive Officers
Look into the affairs of your executives. Give them appointment after testing them and do not appoint them according to partiality or favoritism because these two things make up the sources of injustice and unfairness. Select from among them those who are people of experience and modesty, hailing from virtuous houses, having been previously in Islam because such persons possess high manners and untarnished honor. They are the least inclined towards greed and always have their eyes on the ends of matters.	ثُمَّ انْظُرْ فِی أُمُورِ عُمَّالِک فَاسْتَعْمِلْهُمُ اخْتِبَاراً، وَلاَ تُوَلِّهِمْ مُحَابَاةً وَأَثَرَةً، فَإِنَّهُمَا جِمَاعٌ مِنْ شُعَبِ الْجَوْرِ وَالْخِیانَةِ. وَتَوَخَّ مِنْهُمْ أَهْلَ التَّجْرِبَةِ وَالْحَیاءِ، مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبُیوتَاتِ الصَّالِحَةِ، وَالْقَدَمِ فِی الْاِسْلاَمِ الْمُتَقَدِّمَةِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ أَکْرَمُ أَخْلاَقاً وَأَصَحُّ أَعْرَاضاً، وَأَقَلُّ فِی الْمَطَامِعِ إِشْرَاقاً، وَأَبْلَغُ فِی عَوَاقِبِ الْاُمُورِ نَظَراً.
Give them an abundant livelihood (by way of salary) because this gives them the strength to maintain themselves in order and not to have an eye upon the funds in their custody and it will be an argument against them if they disobeyed your orders or misappropriated your trust. You should also check their activities and assign people to report on them who should be truthful and faithful because your watching their actions secretly would urge them to preserve trust with and to be kind to the people. Be careful of assistants. If any one of them extends his hands towards misappropriation and the reports of your reporters reaching you confirm it, that should be regarded as sufficient testimony. You should then inflict corporal punishment on him and recover what he has misappropriated. You should put him in a place of disgrace, blacklist him with (the charge of) misappropriation and make him wear the necklace of shame for his offence.	ثُمَّ أَسْبِغْ عَلَیهِمُ الْاَرْزَاقَ، فَإِنَّ ذَلِک قُوَّةٌ لَهُمْ عَلَی اسْتِصْلاَحِ أَنْفُسِهِمْ، وَغِنًی لَهُمْ عَنْ تَنَاوُلِ مَا تَحْتَ أَیدِیهِمْ، وَحُجَّةٌ عَلَیهِمْ إِنْ خَالَفُوا أَمْرَک أَوْ ثَلَمُوا أَمَانَتَک. ثُمَّ تَفَقَّدْ أَعْمَالَهُمْ، وَابْعَثِ الْعُیونَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الصِّدْقِ وَالْوَفَاءِ عَلَیهِمْ، فَإِنَّ تَعَاهُدَک فِی السِّرِّ لاُِمُورِهِمْ حَدْوَةٌ لَهُمْ عَلَی اسْتِعْمَالِ الْاَمَانَةِ، وَالرِّفْقِ بِالرَّعِیةِ. وَتَحَفَّظْ مِنَ الْاَعْوَانِ; فَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ بَسَطَ یدَهُ إِلَی خِیانَة اجْتَمَعَتْ بِهَا عَلَیهِ عِنْدَک أَخْبَارُ عُیونِک، اکْتَفَیتَ بِذَلِک شَاهِداً، فَبَسَطْتَ عَلَیهِ الْعُقُوبَةَ فِی بَدَنِهِ، وَأَخَذْتَهُ بِمَا أَصَابَ مِنْ عَمَلِهِ، ثُمَّ نَصَبْتَهُ بِمَقَامِ الْمَذَلَّةِ، وَوَسَمْتَهُ بِالْخِیانَةِ، وَقَلَّدْتَهُ عَارَ التُّهَمَةِ.
4. The Administration of Revenues
Look after the revenue (khiraj, land tax) affairs in such a way that those engaged in it remain prosperous because in their prosperity lies the prosperity of all others. The others cannot prosper without them because all people are dependent on the revenue and on its payers. You should also keep an eye on the cultivation of the land more than on the collection of revenue because revenue cannot be obtained without cultivation and whoever asks for revenue without cultivation ruins the area and brings death to the people. His rule will not last but only for a moment.	وَتَفَقَّدْ أَمْرَ الْخَرَاجِ بِمَا یصْلِحُ أَهْلَهُ، فَإِنَّ فِی صَلاَحِهِ وَصَلاَحِهِمْ صَلاَحاً لِمَنْ سِوَاهُمْ، وَلاَ صَلاَحَ لِمَنْ سِوَاهُمْ إِلاَّ بِهِمْ، لاَِنَّ النَّاسَ کلَّهُمْ عِیالٌ عَلَی الْخَرَاجِ وَأَهْلِهِ. وَلْیکنْ نَظَرُک فِی عِمَارَةِ الْاَرْضِ أَبْلَغَ مِنْ نَظَرِک فِی اسْتِجْلاَبِ الْخَرَاجِ، لاَِنَّ ذَلِک لایدْرَک إِلاَّ بِالْعِمَارَةِ; وَمَنْ طَلَبَ الْخَرَاجَ بِغَیرِ عِمَارَة أَخْرَبَ الْبِلاَدَ، وَأَهْلَک الْعِبَادَ، وَلَمْ یسْتَقِمْ أَمْرُهُ إِلاَّ قَلِیلاً.
If they complain of the heaviness (of the revenue) or of diseases, or of scarcity of water, or of an excess of water, or of a change in the condition of the land either due to flood or to drought..., you should remit the revenue to the extent that you hope would improve their status. The remission granted by you for the removal of distress from them should not be grudged by you because it is an investment which they will return to you in the shape of the prosperity of your country and the progress of your domain in addition to earning their praise and happiness for meting out justice to them. You can depend upon their strength because of the investment made by you in them through catering to their convenience and can have confidence in them because of the justice extended to them by being kind to them. After that, circumstances may so turn that you may have a need for their assistance. It is then that they will bear it happily, for prosperity is capable of bearing whatever you load on it. The ruin of the land is caused by the poverty of the cultivators, while the cultivators become poor when the officers concentrate on the collection (of money), having little hope for continuance (in their posts) and deriving no benefit from warnings.	فَإِنْ شَکوْا ثِقَلاً أَوْ عِلَّةً، أَوِ انْقِطَاعَ شِرْب أَوْ بَالَّة، أَوْ إِحَالَةَ أَرْض اغْتَمَرَهَا غَرَقٌ، أَوْ أَجْحَفَ بِهَا عَطَشٌ، خَفَّفْتَ عَنْهُمْ بِمَا تَرْجُو أَنْ یصْلُحَ بِهِ أَمْرُهُمْ; وَلاَ یثْقُلَنَّ عَلَیک شَیءٌ خَفَّفْتَ بِهِ الْمَؤُونَةَ عَنْهُمْ، فَإِنَّهُ ذُخْرٌ یعُودُونَ بِهِ عَلَیک فِی عِمَارَةِ بِلاَدِک، وَتَزْیینِ وِلاَیتِک، مَعَ اسْتِجْلاَبِک حُسْنَ ثَنَائِهِمْ، وَتَبَجُّحِک بِاسْتِفَاضَةِ الْعَدْلِ فِیهِمْ، مُعْتَمِداً فَضْلَ قُوَّتِهِمْ، بِمَا ذَخَرْتَ عِنْدَهُمْ مِنْ إِجْمَامِک لَهُمْ، وَالثِّقَةَ مِنْهُمْ بِمَا عَوَّدْتَهُمْ مِنْ عَدْلِک عَلَیهِمْ وَرِفْقِک بِهِمْ، فَرُبَّمَا حَدَثَ مِنَ الْاُمُورِ مَا إِذَا عَوَّلْتَ فِیهِ عَلَیهِمْ مِنْ بَعْدُ احْتَمَلُوهُ طَیبَةً أَنْفُسُهُمْ بِهِ; فَإِنَّ الْعُمْرَانَ مُحْتَمِلٌ مَا حَمَّلْتَهُ، وَإِنَّمَا یؤْتَی خَرَابُ الْاَرْضِ مِنْ إِعْوَازِ أَهْلِهَا، وَإِنَّمَا یعْوِزُ أَهْلُهَا لاِِشْرَافِ أَنْفُسِ الْوُلاَةِ عَلَی الْجَمْعِ، وَسُوءِ ظَنِّهِمْ بِالْبَقَاءِ، وَقِلَّةِ انْتِفَاعِهِمْ بِالْعِبَرِ.
5. The Clerical Establishment
Then you should take care of your secretarial workers. Put the best of them in charge of your affairs. Entrust those of your writings which contain your policies and secrets to him who possesses the best character, who is not elated by honors lest he should dare speak against you in public. He should also not be negligent in presenting the communications of your officers before you and issuing correct replies to them on your behalf and in matters of your receipts and payments. He should not make any damaging agreement on your behalf and should not fail in repudiating an agreement against you. He should not be ignorant of the extent of his own status in matters because whoever is ignorant of his own status is (even) more ignorant of the status of others.	ثُمَّ انْظُرْ فِی حَالِ کتَّابِک فَوَلِّ عَلَی أُمُورِک خَیرَهُمْ، وَاخْصُصْ رَسَائِلَک الَّتِی تُدْخِلُ فِیهَا مَکایدَک وَأَسْرَارَک بِأَجْمَعِهِمْ لِوُجُوهِ صَالِحِ الْاَخْلاَقِ مِمَّنْ لاتُبْطِرُهُ الْکرَامَةُ، فَیجْتَرِئَ بِهَا عَلَیک فِی خِلاَف لَک بِحَضْرَةِ مَلاَ وَلاَ تَقْصُرُ بِهِ الْغَفْلَةُ عَنْ إِیرَادِ مُکاتَبَاتِ عُمِّالِک عَلَیک، وَإِصْدَارِ جَوَابَاتِهَا عَلَی الصَّوَابِ عَنْک، فِیمَا یأْخُذُ لَک وَیعْطِی مِنْک، وَلاَ یضْعِفُ عَقْداً اعْتَقَدَهُ لَک، وَلاَ یعْجِزُ عَنْ إِطْلاَقِ مَا عُقِدَ عَلَیک، وَلاَ یجْهَلُ مَبْلَغَ قَدْرِ نَفْسِهِ فِی الْاُمُورِ، فَإِنَّ الْجَاهِلَ بِقَدْرِ نَفْسِهِ یکونُ بِقَدْرِ غَیرِهِ أَجْهَلَ.
Your selection of these people should not be on the basis of your understanding (of them), confidence and good impression because people catch the ideas of the officers through affectation and personal service, and there is nothing in it which is like well-wishing or trustfulness. You should rather test them by what they did under the virtuous people before you. Take a decision in favor of one who has a good name among the common people and is the most renowned in trustworthiness because this will be a proof of your regard for Allah and for him on whose behalf you have been appointed to this status (namely your Imam). Establish one chief for every department of work. He should not be incapable of big matters and a rush of work should not perplex him. Whenever there is a defect in your secretaries which you overlook, then you will be held responsible for it.	ثُمَّ لایکنِ اخْتِیارُک إِیاهُمْ عَلَی فِرَاسَتِک وَاسْتِنَامَتِک وَحُسْنِ الظَّنِّ مِنْک، فَإِنَّ الرِّجَالَ یتَعَرَّضُونَ لِفِرَاسَاتِ الْوُلاَةِ بِتَصَنُّعِهِمْ وَحُسْنِ خِدْمَتِهِمْ، وَلَیسَ وَرَاءَ ذَلِک مِنَ النَّصِیحَةِ وَالْاَمَانَةِ شَیءٌ. وَلَکنِ اخْتَبِرْهُمْ بِمَا وُلُّوا لِلصَّالِحِینَ قَبْلَک، فَاعْمِدْ لاَِحْسَنِهِمْ کانَ فِی الْعَامَّةِ أَثَراً، وَأَعْرَفِهِمْ بِالْاَمَانَةِ وَجْهاً، فَإِنَّ ذَلِک دَلِیلٌ عَلَی نَصِیحَتِک لِلَّهِ وَلِمَنْ وُلِّیتَ أَمْرَهُ. وَاجْعَلْ لِرَأْسِ کلِّ أَمْر مِنْ أُمُورِک رَأْساً مِنْهُمْ، لایقْهَرُهُ کبِیرُهَا وَلاَ یتَشَتَّتُ عَلَیهِ کثِیرُهَا، وَمَهْمَا کانَ فِی کتَّابِک مِنْ عَیب فَتَغَابَیتَ عَنْهُ أُلْزِمْتَه.
6. Traders and Industrialists
Take some advice about traders and industrialists. Give them good counsel whether they are settled (shop-keepers) or traders or physical laborers because they are the sources of profit and the means of the provision of useful items. They bring them from distant and far-flung areas throughout the land and the sea, the plains or the mountains, from where people cannot come and to where they do not dare to go, for they are peaceful and there is no fear of rebellion from them and they are quite without fear of treason.	ثُمَّ اسْتَوْصِ بِالتُّجَّارِ وَذَوِی الصِّنَاعَاتِ، وَأَوْصِ بِهِمْ خَیراً: الْمُقِیمِ مِنْهُمْ وَالْمُضْطَرِبِ بِمَالِهِ، وَالْمُتَرَفِّقِ بِبَدَنِهِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ مَوَادُّ الْمَنَافِعِ، وَأَسْبَابُ الْمَرَافِقِ وَجُلاَّبُهَا مِنَ الْمَبَاعِدِ وَالْمَطَارِحِ، فِی بَرِّک وَبَحْرِک، وَسَهْلِک وَجَبَلِک، وَحَیثُ لایلْتَئِمُ النَّاسُ لِمَوَاضِعِهَا، وَلاَ یجْتَرِءُونَ عَلَیهَا، فَإِنَّهُمْ سِلْمٌ لاتُخَافُ بَائِقَتُهُ، وَصُلْحٌ لاتُخْشَی غَائِلَتُهُ.
Look after their affairs before those of your own wherever they may be in your land. Be informed, along with this, that most of them are very narrow-minded and awfully avaricious. They hoard goods for profiteering and fixing high prices for goods. This is a source of harm to the people and a blot on the officers in charge. Stop people from hoarding because the Messenger of Allah (s) has prohibited it. The sale should be smooth, with correct weights and prices, not harmful to either party, the seller or the buyer; whoever commits hoarding after you prohibit it, give him exemplary but not excessive punishment.	وَتَفَقَّدْ أُمُورَهُمْ بِحَضْرَتِک وَفِی حَوَاشِی بِلاَدِک. وَاعْلَمْ مَعَ ذَلِک أَنَّ فِی کثِیر مِنْهُمْ ضِیقاً فَاحِشاً، وَشُحّاً قَبِیحاً، وَاحْتِکاراً لِلْمَنَافِعِ، وَتَحَکماً فِی الْبِیاعَاتِ، وَذَلِک بَابُ مَضَرَّة لِلْعَامَّةِ، وَعَیبٌ عَلَی الْوُلاَةِ، فَامْنَعْ مِنَ الاِحْتِکارِ، فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلی الله علیه وآله وسلم مَنَعَ مِنْهُ. وَلْیکنِ الْبَیعُ بَیعاً سَمْحاً: بِمَوَازِینِ عَدْل وَأَسْعَار لاتُجْحِفُ بِالْفَرِیقَینِ مِنَ الْبَائِعِ وَالْمُبْتَاعِ. فَمَنْ قَارَفَ حُکْرَةً بَعْدَ نَهْیک إِیاهُ فَنَکلْ بِهِ، وَعَاقِبْهُ فِی غَیرِ إِسْرَاف.
7. The Lowest Class
(Fear) Allah and keep Him in view with regard to the lower class which consists of those who have few means: the poor, the destitute, the penniless and the disabled because in this class are both the discontented and those who beg. Take care for the sake of Allah of His obligations towards them for which He has made you responsible. Fix for them a share from the public funds and a share from the crops of lands taken over as booty for Islam in every area because in it the remote ones have the same shares as the near ones. All these people are those whose rights have been placed in your charge. Therefore, a luxurious life should not keep you away from them. You cannot be excused for ignoring small matters simply because you were deciding big ones.	ثُمَّ اللهَ اللهَ فِی الطَّبَقَةِ السُّفْلَی مِنَ الَّذِینَ لاحِیلَةَ لَهُمْ، مِنَ الْمَسَاکینِ وَالْمُحْتَاجِینَ وَأَهْلِ الْبُؤْسَی وَالزَّمْنَی، فَإِنَّ فِی هَذِهِ الطَّبَقَةِ قَانِعاً وَمُعْتَرّاً، وَاحْفَظِ لِلَّهِ مَا اسْتَحْفَظَک مِنْ حَقِّهِ فِیهِمْ، وَاجْعَلْ لَهُمْ قِسْماً مِنْ بَیتِ مَالِک، وَقِسْماً مِنْ غَلاَّتِ صَوَافِی الْاِسْلاَمِ فِی کلِّ بَلَد، فَإِنَّ لِلْاَقْصَی مِنْهُمْ مِثْلَ الَّذِی لِلْاَدْنَی، وَکلٌّ قَدِ اسْتُرْعِیتَ حَقَّهُ; وَلاَ یشْغَلَنَّک عَنْهُمْ بَطَرٌ، فَإِنَّک لاتُعْذَرُ بِتَضْییعِک التَّافِهَ لاِِحْکامِک الْکثِیرَ الْمُهِمَّ.
Consequently, do not be unmindful of them, nor should you turn your face away from them out of vanity. Take care of the affairs of those of them who do not approach you because they are of unsightly appearance or those whom people regard as low. Appoint for them some trusted people who are God-fearing and humble. They should inform you of these people’s conditions. Then deal with them with a sense of responsibility to Allah on the Day you will meet Him because of all the subjects these people are the most worthy of an equitable treatment, while for others also you should fulfill their rights so as to render account to Allah.	فَلاَ تُشْخِصْ هَمَّک عَنْهُمْ، وَلاَ تُصَعِّرْ خَدَّک لَهُمْ، وَتَفَقَّدْ أُمُورَ مَنْ لایصِلُ إِلَیک مِنْهُمْ مِمَّنْ تَقْتَحِمُهُ الْعُیونُ، وَتَحْقِرُهُ الرِّجَالُ; فَفَرِّغْ لاُِولَئِک ثِقَتَک مِنْ أَهْلِ الْخَشْیةِ وَالتَّوَاضُعِ، فَلْیرْفَعْ إِلَیک أُمُورَهُمْ، ثُمَّ اعْمَلْ فِیهِمْ بِالْاِعْذَارِ إِلَی اللهِ یوْمَ تَلْقَاهُ، فَإِنَّ هَؤُلاَءِ مِنْ بَینِ الرَّعِیةِ أَحْوَجُ إِلَی الْاِنْصَافِ مِنْ غَیرِهِمْ. وَکلٌّ فَأَعْذِرْ إِلَی اللهِ فِی تَأْدِیةِ حَقِّهِ إِلَیهِ.
Take care of the orphans and the aged who have no means (for livelihood) nor are they ready for begging. This is heavy on the officers; in fact, every obligation is heavy. Allah lightens it for those who seek the next world, so they endure (hardships) upon themselves and trust on the truthfulness of Allah’s promise to them. And fix a time for complainants wherein you make yourself free for them and sit with them in common audience and feel humble for the sake of Allah Who created you. (On that occasion) you should keep away your army and assistants such as the guards and the police so that anyone who likes to speak may speak to you without fear because I have heard the Messenger of Allah say in more than one place, “The people among whom the right of the weak is not secured from the strong without fear will never achieve purity.” Tolerate their awkwardness and inability to speak. Keep away from you narrowness and haughtiness; by the will of Allah, on this account spread over you the covers of His mercy and be optimistic of the reward of His obedience. Whatever you give, give it joyfully, but when you refuse, do it handsomely and with apologies.	وَتَعَهَّدْ أَهْلَ الْیتْمِ وَذَوِی الرِّقَّةِ فِی السِّنِّ مِمَّنْ لاحِیلَةَ لَهُ وَلاَ ینْصِبُ لِلْمَسْأَلَةِ نَفْسَهُ، وَذَلِک عَلَی الْوُلاَةِ ثَقِیلٌ، وَالْحَقُّ کلُّهُ ثَقِیلٌ; وَقَدْ یخَفِّفُهُ اللهُ عَلَی أَقْوَام طَلَبُوا الْعَاقِبَةَ فَصَبَّرُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ، وَوَثِقُوا بِصِدْقِ مَوْعُودِ اللهِ لَهُمْ. وَاجْعَلْ لِذَوِی الْحَاجَاتِ مِنْک قِسْماً تُفَرِّغُ لَهُمْ فِیهِ شَخْصَک، وَتَجْلِسُ لَهُمْ مَجْلِساً عَامّاً فَتَتَوَاضَعُ فِیهِ لِلَّهِ الَّذِی خَلَقَک، وَتُقْعِدُ عَنْهُمْ جُنْدَک وَأَعْوَانَک مِنْ أَحْرَاسِک وَشُرَطِک; حَتَّی یکلِّمَک مُتَکلِّمُهُمْ غَیرَ مُتَتَعْتِع، فَإِنِّی سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلی الله علیه و آله و سلم یقُولُ فِی غَیرِ مَوْطِن، لَنْ تُقَدَّسَ أُمَّةٌ لایؤْخَذُ لِلضَّعِیفِ فِیهَا حَقُّهُ مِنَ الْقَوِی غَیرَ مُتَتَعْتِع. ثُمَّ احْتَمِلِ الْخُرْقَ مِنْهُمْ وَالْعِی، وَنَحِّ عَنْهُمُ الضِّیقَ وَالْاَنَفَ یبْسُطِ اللهُ عَلَیک بِذَلِک أَکْنَافَ رَحْمَتِهِ، وَیوجِبْ لَک ثَوَابَ طَاعَتِهِ. وَأَعْطِ مَا أَعْطَیتَ هَنِیئاً، وَامْنَعْ فِی إِجْمَال وَإِعْذَار.
Then there are certain matters which you cannot avoid performing yourself. For example, relying on your officers when your secretaries are unable to do so, or tending to the complaints of the people when your assistants refrain. Finish every day the work meant for it because every day has its own work. Keep for yourself the better and greater portion of these periods for the worship of Allah, although all these items are for Allah provided the intention is pure and the subjects prosper thereby.	ثُمَّ أُمُورٌ مِنْ أُمُورِک لابُدَّ لَک مِنْ مُبَاشَرَتِهَا: مِنْهَا إِجَابَةُ عُمَّالِک بِمَا یعْیا عَنْهُ کتَّابُک، وَمِنْهَا إِصْدَارُ حَاجَاتِ النَّاسِ یوْمَ وُرُودِهَا عَلَیک بِمَا تَحْرَجُ بِهِ صُدُورُ أَعْوَانِک. وَأَمْضِ لِکلِّ یوْم عَمَلَهُ، فَإِنَّ لِکلِّ یوْم مَا فِیهِ. وَاجْعَلْ لِنَفْسِک فِیمَا بَینَک وَبَینَ اللهِ أَفْضَلَ تِلْک الْمَوَاقِیتِ، وَأَجْزَلَ تِلْک الْاَقْسَامِ، وَإِنْ کانَتْ کلُّهَا لِلَّهِ إِذَا صَلَحَتْ فِیهَا النِّیةُ، وَسَلِمَتْ مِنْهَا الرَّعِیةُ.
Communion with Allah
The particular thing by which you should purify your religion for Allah should be the fulfillment of those obligations which are especially for Him. Therefore, devote to Allah some of your physical activity during the night and the day and whatever (worship) you perform for seeking nearness to Allah should be complete, without defect or deficiency, no matter what physical exertion it may involve. When you lead the prayers for the people, it should be neither (too long as to be) boring nor (too short as to be) wasteful because among the people there are the sick as well as those who have needs of their own. When the Messenger of Allah (s) sent me to Yemen, I inquired how I should pray with them and he replied, “Say the prayers as the weakest of them will say, and be considerate of the believers.	وَلْیکنْ فِی خَاصَّةِ مَا تُخْلِصُ بِهِ لِلَّهِ دِینَک: إِقَامَةُ فَرَائِضِهِ الَّتِی هِی لَهُ خَاصَّةً، فَأَعْطِ اللهَ مِنْ بَدَنِک فِی لَیلِک وَنَهَارِک، وَوَفِّ مَا تَقَرَّبْتَ بِهِ إِلَی اللهِ مِنْ ذَلِک کامِلاً غَیرَ مَثْلُوم وَلاَ مَنْقُوص، بَالِغاً مِنْ بَدَنِک مَا بَلَغَ. وَإِذَا قُمْتَ فِی صَلاَتِک لِلنَّاسِ، فَلاَ تَکونَنَّ مُنَفِّراً وَلاَ مُضَیعاً، فَإِنَّ فِی النَّاسِ مَنْ بِهِ الْعِلَّةُ وَلَهُ الْحَاجَةُ. وَقَدْ سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ(صلی الله علیه وآله)حِینَ وَجَّهَنِی إِلَی الْیمَنِ کیفَ أُصَلِّی بِهِمْ؟ فَقَالَ: صَلِّ بِهِمْ کصَلاَةِ أَضْعَفِهِمْ وَکنْ بِالْمُؤْمِنِینَ رَحِیماً.
On the Behavior and Action of a Ruler
Do not stay secluded from the public for a long time because the seclusion of those in authority from the subjects is a norm of narrowsightedness, and it causes ignorance of their affairs. Seclusion from them also prevents them from the knowledge of those things which they need to know. As a result, they begin to regard big matters as small and small matters as big, good matters as bad and bad matters as good, while the truth is confused with falsehood. After all, a governor is a human being and cannot have knowledge of things which people keep hidden from him.	وَأَمَّا بَعْدُ فَلاَ تُطَوِّلَنَّ احْتِجَابَک عَنْ رَعِیتِک، فَإِنَّ احْتِجَابَ الْوُلاَةِ عَنِ الرَّعِیةِ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الضِّیقِ، وَقِلَّةُ عِلْم بِالْاُمُورِ; وَالاِحْتِجَابُ مِنْهُمْ یقْطَعُ عَنْهُمْ عِلْمَ مَا احْتَجَبُوا دُونَهُ فَیصْغُرُ عِنْدَهُمُ الْکبِیرُ، وَیعْظُمُ الصَّغِیرُ، وَیقْبُحُ الْحَسَنُ، وَیحْسُنُ الْقَبِیحُ وَیشَابُ الْحَقُّ بِالْبَاطِلِ. وَإِنَّمَا الْوَالِی بَشَرٌ لایعْرِفُ مَا تَوَارَی عَنْهُ النَّاسُ بِهِ مِنَ الْاُمُورِ،
No writ is big on the face of truth to differentiate its various expressions from falsehood. You can be one of two kinds of men: If you are generous in granting rights, why this hiding in spite of (your) discharging the obligations and good deeds which you perform? Or you may be a victim of miserliness. In that case, people will soon give up asking you since they will lose hope of a generous treatment from you. In spite of that, there are many needs of the people towards you which do not involve any hardship on you, such as the complaint against oppression or the request for justice in a case.	وَلَیسَتْ عَلَی الْحَقِّ سِمَاتٌ تُعْرَفُ بِهَا ضُرُوبُ الصِّدْقِ مِنَ الْکذِبِ، وَإِنَّمَا أَنْتَ أَحَدُ رَجُلَینِ: إِمَّا امْرُؤٌ سَخَتْ نَفْسُک بِالْبَذْلِ فِی الْحَقِّ، فَفِیمَ احْتِجَابُک مِنْ وَاجِبِ حَقّ تُعْطِیهِ، أَوْ فِعْل کرِیم تُسْدِیهِ! أَوْ مُبْتَلًی بِالْمَنْعِ، فَمَا أَسْرَعَ کفَّ النَّاسِ عَنْ مَسْأَلَتِک إِذَا أَیسُوا مِنْ بَذْلِک! مَعَ أَنَّ أَکْثَرَ حَاجَاتِ النَّاسِ إِلَیک مِمَّا لامَئُونَةَ فِیهِ عَلَیک، مِنْ شَکاةِ مَظْلِمَة، أَوْ طَلَبِ إِنْصَاف فِی مُعَامَلَة.
Furthermore, a governor has favorites and people of easy access to him. They misappropriate things. They are high-handed and do not observe justice in matters. You should destroy the root of evil in the people by cutting away the causes of these defects. Do not make any land grants to your hangers-on or supporters. They should not expect from you the possession of land which may cause harm to adjoining people over the question of irrigation or public services whose burden the grantees place on others. In this way, the benefit will be rather theirs than yours and the blame will lie on you in this world as well as in the next.	ثُمَّ إِنَّ لِلْوَالِی خَاصَّةً وَبِطَانَةً، فِیهِمُ اسْتِئْثَارٌ وَتَطَاوُلٌ، وَقِلَّةُ إِنْصَاف فِی مُعَامَلَة، فَاحْسِمْ مَادَّةَ أُولَئِک بِقَطْعِ أَسْبَابِ تِلْک الْاَحْوَالِ. وَلاَ تُقْطِعَنَّ لاَِحَد مِنْ حَاشِیتِک وَحَامَّتِک قَطِیعَةً، وَلاَ یطْمَعَنَّ مِنْک فِی اعْتِقَادِ عُقْدَة، تَضُرُّ بِمَنْ یلِیهَا مِنَ النَّاسِ، فِی شِرْب أَوْ عَمَل مُشْتَرَک، یحْمِلُونَ مَؤُونَتَهُ عَلَی غَیرِهِمْ، فَیکونَ مَهْنَأُ ذَلِک لَهُمْ دُونَک، وَعَیبُهُ عَلَیک فِی الدُّنْیا وَالآْخِرَةِ.
Effect equity to whomsoever it is due, whether near you or far from you. In this matter, you should be enduring and watchful even though it may involve your relatives and favorites. Keep in view the reward of that which appears burdensome on you because its reward is surely handsome. If the subjects suspect you of high-handedness, explain to them your status publicly and remove their suspicion with such an explanation because this will mean an exercise for your soul and a consideration for the subjects while this explanation will secure your aim of keeping them firm in the truth.	وَأَلْزِمِ الْحَقَّ مَنْ لَزِمَهُ مِنَ الْقَرِیبِ وَالْبَعِیدِ، وَکنْ فِی ذَلِک صَابِرا مُحْتَسِباً، وَاقِعاً ذَلِک مِنْ قَرَابَتِک وَخَاصَّتِک حَیثُ وَقَعَ، وَابْتَغِ عَاقِبَتَهُ بِمَا یثْقُلُ عَلَیک مِنْهُ، فَإِنَّ مَغَبَّةَ ذَلِک مَحْمُودَةٌ. وَإِنْ ظَنَّتِ الرَّعِیةُ بِک حَیفاً فَأَصْحِرْ لَهُمْ بِعُذْرِک، وَاعْدِلْ عَنْک ظُنُونَهُمْ بِإِصْحَارِک، فَإِنَّ فِی ذَلِک رِیاضَةً مِنْک لِنَفْسِک، وَرِفْقاً بِرَعِیتِک، وَإِعْذَاراً تَبْلُغُ بِهِ حَاجَتَک مِنْ تَقْوِیمِهِمْ عَلَی الْحَقِّ.
Do not reject peace to which your enemy may invite you and wherein there is the pleasure of Allah because peace brings rest to your army, relief from your worries and safety for your country. But after peace there is a great apprehension from the enemy because often the enemy offers peace in order to benefit from your negligence and relaxation. Therefore, be cautious and do not act according to your wishful thinking in this regard.	وَلاَ تَدْفَعَنَّ صُلْحاً دَعَاک إِلَیهِ عَدُوُّک وَلِلَّهِ فِیهِ رِضًی فَإِنَّ فِی الصُّلْحِ دَعَةً لِجُنُودِک، وَرَاحَةً مِنْ هُمُومِک، وَأَمْناً لِبِلاَدِک، وَلَکنِ الْحَذَرَ کلَّ الْحَذَرِ مِنْ عَدُوِّک بَعْدَ صُلْحِهِ، فَإِنَّ الْعَدُوَّ رُبَّمَا قَارَبَ لِیتَغَفَّلَ فَخُذْ بِالْحَزْمِ، وَاتَّهِمْ فِی ذَلِک حُسْنَ الظَّنِّ.
If you conclude an agreement between yourself and your enemy or enter into a pledge, fulfill your agreement and carry out your pledge faithfully. Place yourself as a shield against whatever you have pledged because among the obligations of Allah there is nothing on which people are more strongly united, despite the difference of their ideas and variation of their views, than respect for fulfilling pledges. Besides Muslims, even unbelievers have abided by agreements because they realized the dangers which will come in the wake of the violation thereof. Therefore, do not deceive your enemy because no one can offend Allah save the ignorant and the wicked. Allah made His agreement and pledged the sign of security which He has spread over His creatures through His mercy and an asylum in which they stay in His protection and seek the benefit of nearness to Him. Hence, there should be no deception, cunning or duplicity in it.	وَإِنْ عَقَدْتَ بَینَک وَبَینَ عَدُوِّک عُقْدَةً، أَوْ أَلْبَسْتَهُ مِنْک ذِمَّةً، فَحُطْ عَهْدَک بِالْوَفَاءِ، وَارْعَ ذِمَّتَک بِالْاَمَانَةِ، وَاجْعَلْ نَفْسَک جُنَّةً دُونَ مَا أَعْطَیتَ، فَإِنَّهُ لَیسَ مِنْ فَرَائِضِ اللهِ شَیءٌ النَّاسُ أَشَدُّ عَلَیهِ اجْتِمَاعاً، مَعَ تَفَرُّقِ أَهْوَائِهِمْ، وَتَشَتُّتِ آرَائِهِمْ، مِنْ تَعْظِیمِ الْوَفَاءِ بِالْعُهُودِ. وَقَدْ لَزِمَ ذَلِک الْمُشْرِکونَ فِیمَا بَینَهُمْ دُونَ الْمُسْلِمِینَ لِمَا اسْتَوْبَلُوا مِنْ عَوَاقِبِ الْغَدْرِ; فَلاَ تَغْدِرَنَّ بِذِمَّتِک، وَلاَ تَخِیسَنَّ بِعَهْدِک، وَلاَ تَخْتِلَنَّ عَدُوَّک، فَإِنَّهُ لایجْتَرِئُ عَلَی اللهِ إِلاَّ جَاهِلٌ شَقِی. وَقَدْ جَعَلَ اللهُ عَهْدَهُ وَذِمَّتَهُ أَمْناً أَفْضَاهُ بَینَ الْعِبَادِ بِرَحْمَتِهِ، وَحَرِیماً یسْکنُونَ إِلَی مَنَعَتِهِ، وَیسْتَفِیضُونَ إِلَی جِوَارِهِ، فَلاَ إِدْغَالَ وَلاَ مُدَالَسَةَ وَلاَ خِدَاعَ فِیهِ،
Do not enter into an agreement which may admit different interpretations and do not change the interpretation of vague words after the conclusion and confirmation (of the agreement). If an agreement of Allah involves you in hardship, do not seek its repudiation without justification because the bearing of hardships through which you expect relief and a handsome result is better than a violation the consequence of which you fear, and that you fear you will be called upon by Allah to account for it and you will not be able to seek forgiveness for it in this world or in the next.	وَلاَ تَعْقِدْ عَقْداً تُجَوِّزُ فِیهِ الْعِلَلَ، وَلاَ تُعَوِّلَنَّ عَلَی لَحْنِ قَوْل بَعْدَ التأکید وَالتَّوْثِقَةِ وَلاَ یدْعُوَنَّک ضِیقُ أَمْر، لَزِمَک فِیهِ عَهْدُ اللهِ، إِلَی طَلَبِ انْفِسَاخِهِ بِغَیرِ الْحَقِّ، فَإِنَّ صَبْرَک عَلَی ضِیقِ أَمْر تَرْجُو انْفِرَاجَهُ وَفَضْلَ عَاقِبَتِهِ، خَیرٌ مِنْ غَدْر تَخَافُ تَبِعَتَهُ، وَأَنْ تُحِیطَ بِک مِنَ اللهِ فِیهِ طِلْبَةٌ، لاتَسْتَقْبِلُ فِیهَا دُنْیاک وَلاَ آخِرَتَک.
You should avoid shedding blood without justification because nothing invites the Divine retribution or is greater in (evil) consequences and more effective in the decline of prosperity and cutting short of life more than the shedding of blood without a justification. On the Day of Judgement, Allah, the Glorified One, will commence giving His judgement among the people with regard to the cases of bloodshed committed by them. Do not, therefore, strengthen your authority by shedding prohibited blood because this will weaken and lower authority. It moreover destroys it and shifts it elsewhere. You cannot offer any excuse before Allah or before me for any willful killing because there must be the question of revenge in it. If you are involved in it be error and you exceed in the use of your whip or sword or are harsh in inflicting punishment, as sometimes even a blow by the fist or a smaller stroke causes death, then the pride in your authority should not prevent you from paying the blood money to the survivors of the killed person.	إِیاک وَ الدِّمَاءَ وَسَفْکهَا بِغَیرِ حِلِّهَا، فَإِنَّهُ لَیسَ شَیءٌ أَدْنَی لِنِقْمَة، وَلاَ أَعْظَمَ لِتَبِعَة، وَ لاَأَحْرَی بِزَوَالِ نِعْمَة، وَانْقِطَاعِ مُدَّة، مِنْ سَفْک الدِّمَاءِ بِغَیرِ حَقِّهَا. وَاللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ مُبْتَدِئٌ بِالْحُکْمِ بَینَ الْعِبَادِ، فِیمَا تَسَافَکوا مِنَ الدِّمَاءِ یوْمَ الْقِیامَةِ; فَلاَ تُقَوِّینَّ سُلْطَانَک بِسَفْک دَم حَرَام، فَإِنَّ ذَلِک مِمَّا یضْعِفُهُ وَیوهِنُهُ، بَلْ یزِیلُهُ وَینْقُلُهُ. وَلاَ عُذْرَ لَک عِنْدَ اللهِ وَلاَ عِنْدِی فِی قَتْلِ الْعَمْدِ، لاَِنَّ فِیهِ قَوَدَ الْبَدَنِ. وَإِنِ ابْتُلِیتَ بِخَطَإ وَأَفْرَطَ عَلَیک سَوْطُک أَوْ سَیفُک أَوْ یدُک بِالْعُقُوبَةِ; فَإِنَّ فِی الْوَکْزَةِ فَمَا فَوْقَهَا مَقْتَلَةً، فَلاَ تَطْمَحَنَّ بِک نَخْوَةُ سُلْطَانِک عَنْ أَنْ تُؤَدِّی إِلَی أَوْلِیاءِ الْمَقْتُولِ حَقَّهُمْ.
You should avoid self-admiration. Rely in what appears to be good on yourself. Do not have any affinity for any exaggerated praise; it is one of the most reliable opportunities for Satan to obliterate the good deeds of the virtuous. Avoid demonstrating (the weight of) your obligation to your subjects for having done good to them or praising your own actions or making promises then breaking them. Demonstrating such an obligation destroys goodness. Self-praise takes away the light of truth. Breaking promises earns the hatred of Allah and of the people. Allah, the Glorified One, says the following: “Most hateful to Allah is that you say what you do not do” (Qur'an 61: 3). Avoid haste in matters before their time. Slowness till their proper time, insistence on them when the propriety of action is not known or weakens when it becomes clear is preferable. Assign to every matter its proper place and do every job at its appropriate time.	وَإِیاک وَالْاِعْجَابَ بِنَفْسِک، وَالثِّقَةَ بِمَا یعْجِبُک مِنْهَا، وَحُبَّ الْاِطْرَاءِ، فَإِنَّ ذَلِک مِنْ أَوْثَقِ فُرَصِ الشَّیطَانِ فِی نَفْسِهِ لِیمْحَقَ مَا یکونُ مِنْ إِحْسَانِ الْمُحْسِنِینَ. وَإِیاک وَالْمَنَّ عَلَی رَعِیتِک بِإِحْسَانِک، أَوِ التَّزَیدَ فِیمَا کانَ مِنْ فِعْلِک، أَوْ أَنْ تَعِدَهُمْ فَتُتْبِعَ مَوْعِدَک بِخُلْفِک، فَإِنَّ الْمَنَّ یبْطِلُ الْاِحْسَانَ، وَالتَّزَیدَ یذْهَبُ بِنُورِ الْحَقِّ، وَالْخُلْفَ یوجِبُ الْمَقْتَ عِنْدَ اللهِ وَالنَّاسِ. قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَی: (کبُرَ مَقْتاً عِنْدَ اللهِ أَنْ تَقُولُوا ما لاتَفْعَلُونَ). وَإِیاک وَالْعَجَلَةَ بِالْاُمُورِ قَبْلَ أَوَانِهَا، أَوِ التَّسَقُّطَ فِیهَا عِنْدَ إِمْکانِهَا، أَوِ اللَّجَاجَةَ فِیهَا إِذَا تَنَکرَتْ، أَوِ الْوَهْنَ عَنْهَا إِذَا اسْتَوْضَحَتْ، فَضَعْ کلَّ أَمْر مَوْضِعَهُ، وَأَوْقِعْ کلَّ أَمْر مَوْقِعَهُ.
not appropriate to yourself that in which the people have an equal share, nor should you be indifferent of matters which have come to light with the excuse that you are accountable for others. Shortly, the curtains of all matters will be raised from your vision and you will be required to render redress to the oppressed. Have control over (your) sense of prestige. Beware of any outburst of anger, the might of your arm and the sharpness of your tongue. Guard yourself against all these by avoiding haste and by delaying severe measures till your anger subsides and till you gain your self-control. You cannot withhold yourself from this unless you bear in mind that you have to return to Allah.	وَإِیاک وَالاِسْتِئْثَارَ بِمَا النَّاسُ فِیهِ أُسْوَةٌ، وَالتَّغَابِی عَمَّا تُعْنَی بِهِ مِمَّا قَدْ وَضَحَ لِلْعُیونِ، فَإِنَّهُ مَأْخُوذٌ مِنْک لِغَیرِک. وَعَمَّا قَلِیل تَنْکشِفُ عَنْک أَغْطِیةُ الْاُمُورِ، وَینْتَصَفُ مِنْک لِلْمَظْلُومِ امْلِکْ حَمِیةَ أَنْفِک، وَسَوْرَةَ حَدِّک، وَسَطْوَةَ یدِک وَغَرْبَ لِسَانِک، وَاحْتَرِسْ مِنْ کلِّ ذَلِک بِکفِّ الْبَادِرَةِ، وَتأخیر السَّطْوَةِ حَتَّی یسْکنَ غَضَبُک فَتَمْلِک الاِخْتِیارَ: وَلَنْ تَحْکمَ ذَلِک مِنْ نَفْسِک حَتَّی تُکْثِرَ هُمُومَک بِذِکْرِ الْمَعَادِ إِلَی رَبِّک.Do
It is necessary for you to recall how matters went with those who preceded you, be it those of a government, or a great tradition, or a precedent of our Prophet (s), or the obligatory commands contained in the Book of Allah. You should follow them as you have seen us acting upon them and should exert yourself in following what I have enjoined you to follow in this document wherein I have exhausted my pleas to you. If your heart advances towards its passions, you may have no plea in its support. I ask Allah through the extent of His mercy and the greatness of His power of giving to grant me a good inclination, that He may prompt me and you own selves to present a clear plea before Him and before His creatures in a manner that may attract His pleasure along with handsome praise among the people, good effect in the country, an increase in prosperity and a heightening of honor, and that He may allow me and you own selves to die a death of virtue and martyrdom. Surely, we have to return to Him. Peace be on the Messenger of Allah (s), and that is the end of the matter.	وَالْوَاجِبُ عَلَیک أَنْ تَتَذَکرَ مَا مَضَی لِمَنْ تَقَدَّمَک مِنْ حُکومَة عَادِلَة، أَوْ سُنَّة فَاضِلَة، أَوْ أَثَر عَنْ نَبِینَا صَلَّی اللهِ عَلَیهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَوْ فَرِیضَة فِی کتَابِ اللهِ، فَتَقْتَدِی بِمَا شَاهَدْتَ مِمَّا عَمِلْنَا بِهِ فِیهَا، وَتَجْتَهِدَ لِنَفْسِک فِی اتِّبَاعِ مَا عَهِدْتُ إِلَیک فِی عَهْدِی هَذَا، وَاسْتَوْثَقْتُ بِهِ مِنَ الْحُجَّةِ لِنَفْسِی عَلَیک، لِکیلاَ تَکونَ لَک عِلَّةٌ عِنْدَ تَسَرُّعِ نَفْسِک إِلَی هَوَاهَا. وَأَنَا أَسْأَلُ اللهَ بِسَعَةِ رَحْمَتِهِ، وَعَظِیمِ قُدْرَتِهِ عَلَی إِعْطَاءِ کلِّ رَغْبَة، أَنْ یوَفِّقَنِی وَإِیاک لِمَا فِیهِ رِضَاهُ مِنَ الْاِقَامَةِ عَلَی الْعُذْرِ الْوَاضِحِ إِلَیهِ وَإِلَی خَلْقِهِ، مَعَ حُسْنِ الثَّنَاءِ فِی الْعِبَادِ، وَجَمِیلِ الْاَثَرِ فِی الْبِلاَدِ، وَتَمَامِ النِّعْمَةِ وَتَضْعِیفِ الْکرَامَةِ، وَأَنْ یخْتِمَ لِی وَلَک بِالسَّعَادَةِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، إِنّا إِلَیهِ راجِعُونَ. وَالسَّلاَمُ عَلَی رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّی اللهِ عَلَیهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ الطَّیبِینَ الطَّاهِرِینَ، وَسَلَّمَ تَسْلِیماً کثِیراً، وَالسَّلاَمُ.