The Book on Government

كتاب الإمارة

Chapter 4: It is disliked to be appointed to a position of authority unnecessarily

It has been reported on the authority of Abu Dharr that the Messenger of of Allah (ﷺ) said

Abu Dharr, I find that thou art weak and I like for thee what I like for myself. Do not rule over (even) two persons and do not manage the property of an orphan.

Chapter 5: The virtue of a just ruler and the punishment of a tyrant; Encouragement to treat those under one's authority with kindness and the prohibition against causing them hardship

It has been narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah b. 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said

Behold! the Dispensers of justice will be seated on the pulpits of light beside God, on the right side of the Merciful, Exalted and GlorioUS. Either side of the Being is the right side both being equally mrneritorious. (The Dispensers of justice are) those who do justice in their rules, in matters relating to their families and in all that they undertake to do.

It has been reported on the authority of Abd al-Rahman b. Shumasa who said

I came to A'isha to inquire something from her. She said: From which people art thou? I said: I am from the people of Egypt. She said: What was the behaviour of your governor towards you in this war of yours? I said: We did not experience anything bad from him. If the camel of a man from us died, he would bestow on him a camel. If any one of us lost his slave, he would give him a slave. If anybody was in need of the basic necessities of life, he would provide them with provisions. She said: Behold! the treatment that was meted out to my brother, Muhammad b. Abu Bakr, does not prevent me from telling you what I heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said in this house of mine: O God, who (happens to) acquire some kind of control over the affairs of my people and is hard upon them-be Thou hard upon him, and who (happens to) acquire some kind of control over the affairs of my people and is kind to them-be Thou kind to him.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abd al-Rahman b. Shumasa with another chain of transmitters.

It has been narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Umar that the Prophet (May be upon him) said

Beware. every one of you is a shepherd and every one is answerable with regard to his flock. The Caliph is a shepherd over the people and shall be questioned about his subjects (as to how he conducted their affairs). A man is a guardian over the members of his family and shal be questioned about them (as to how he looked after their physical and moral well-being). A woman is a guardian over the household of her husband and his children and shall be questioned about them (as to how she managed the household and brought up the children). A slave is a guardian over the property of his master and shall be questioned about it (as to how he safeguarded his trust). Beware, every one of you is a guardian and every one of you shall be questioned with regard to his trust.

This tradition has been narrated through more; than one chain of transmitters.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Ibn 'Umar, but there is (a slight change of wording) in the hadith transmitted through Zuhri that he said

" I think that he (the narrator) said: The man is a custodian of the wealth of his father, and he would be answerable for what is in his custody."

A hadith having the same meaning has been transmitted on the authority of 'Abdullah b. 'Umar.

It has been narrated on the authority of Hasan who said

Ubaidullah b Ziyad visited Ma'qil b. Yasir al-Muzani in his last iliness. Ma'qil said (to him): I am narrating to you a tradition I heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). If I knew that I am to survive this illness. I would, not narrate it to you. I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: If God appointed anyone ruler over a people and he died while he was still treacherous to his people, God would forbid his entry into Paradise.

It has been narrated through a different chain of transmitters on the authority of Hasan who said

Ibn, Ziyad paid a visit to Ma'qil b. Yasir who was seriously ill. Here follows the same tradition as has gone before with the addition that Ibn Ziyad asked: Why didn't you narrate this tradition to me before this day? Ma'qil reprimanded him and said: I did not narrate it to you or I was not going to narrate it to you.

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Malik that Ubaidullah b. Ziyad visited Ma'qil b. Yaser in the latter's illness. Ma'qil said to him

I am narrating to you a tradition. If I were not at death's door, I would not narrate it to you. I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace he upon him) say: A ruler who, having obtained control over the affairs of the Muslims, does not strive for their betterment and does not serve them sincerely shall not enter Paradise with them.

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu al-Aswad who said

My father related to me that Ma'qil b. Yasir fell ill. 'Ubaidullah b. Ziyad called on him to inquire after his health. Here follows the tradition as narrated by Hasan from Ma'qil.

It has been narrated on the authority of Hasan that A'idh b. 'Amr who was one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) called on 'Ubaidullah b. Ziyad and said (to him)

O my son, I have heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: The worst of guardians is the cruel ruler. Beware of being one of them. Ubaidullah said (to him out of arrogance): Sit you down. You are from the chaff of the Companions of Muhammad (ﷺ). A'idh said: Was there worthless chaff among them? Such worthless chaff appeared after them and among other people.

Chapter 6: Emphatic prohibition against stealing from the spoils of war (Ghulul)

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira who said

One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood among us (to deliver a sermon). He talked about the misappropriation of booty, and declared it to be a serious matter and a grave sin. Then he said: I shouldn't find that any of you should come on the Day of Judgment with a growling camel mounted on his neck, and should appeal to me for help saying:" Messenger of Allah, help me." and I should say: I have no authority to help you; I already communicated to you. I shouldn't find that any of you should come on the Day of Judgment with a bleating ewe mounted on his neck, and he should say to me:" Messenger of Allah, help me," and I should say: I have no authority to help you; I conveyed to you. I shouldn't find that one of you should come on the Day of Judgment with a Person crying loudly mounted on his neck, and he should say to me:" Messenger of Allah, help me," and I should say: I have no authority to help you; I conveyed to you. I shouldn't find that any one of you should come on the Day of Judgment with fluttering clothes wrapped round his neck and he should say to me:" Messenger of Allah, help me," and I should say: I have no authority to help you; I conveyed to you. I shouldn't find that any of you should come on the Day of Judgment with a heap of gold and silver placed on his neck and he should say to me:" Messenger of Allah, help me." and I should say: I have no authority to help you; I already conveyed to you (the warning from the Almighty).

The above tradition has been narrated on the same authority through different chains of transmitters.

Abu Huraira has narrated this hadith with a slight variation of words.

Abu Huraira has narrated this hadith similar to the above mentioned hadith.

Chapter 7: The prohibition of giving gifts to agents

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Humaid as-Sa'idi who said

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) appointed a man from the Asad tribe who was called Ibn Lutbiyya in charge of Sadaqa (i. e. authorised hign to receive Sadaqa from the people on behalf of the State. When he returned (with the collictions), he said: This is for you and (this is mine as) it was presented to me as a gift. The narrator said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upod him) stood on the pulpit and praised God and extolled Him. Then he said: What about a State official whom I give an assignment and who (comes and) says: This is for you and this has been presented to me as a gift? Why didn't he remain in the house of his father or the house of his mother so that he could observe whether gifts were presented to him or not. By the Being in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, any one of you will not take anything from it but will bring it on the Day of Judgment, carrying on his neck a camel that will be growling, or a cow that will be bellowing or an ewe that will be bleating. Then he raised his hands so that we could see the whiteness of his armpits. Then he said twice: O God, I have conveyed (Thy Commandments).

It has been reported on the authority of Abu Humaid as-Sa'idi who said

The Prophet (ﷺ) appointed Ibn Lutbiyya, a man from the Azd tribe, in charge of Sadaqa (authorising him to receive gifts from the people on behalf of the State). He came with the collection, gave it to the Prophet (ﷺ), and said: This wealth is for you and this is a gift presented to me. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him: Why didn't you remain in the house of your father and your mother to see whether gifts were presented to you or not. Then he stood up to deliver a sermon. Here follows the tradition like the tradition of Sufyan.

It has been reported on the authority of Abu Humaid as-Sa'idi who said

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) appointed a man from the Azd tribe called Ibn al-Utbiyya, in charge of Sadaqat to be received from Banu Sulaim. When he came (back), the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked him to render his account. He said: This wealth is for you (i.e. for the public treasury) and this is a gift (presented to me). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: You should have remained in the house of your father and your mother, until your gift came to you if you spoke the truth; then he addressed us. He praised God and extolled Him, and afterwards said: I appoint a man from you to a responsible post sharing with him authority that God has entrusted to me, and he comes to me saying: This wealth is for you (i.e. for the public treasury) and this is a gift presented to me. Why did he not remain in the house of his father and his mother and his gift came to him, if he was truthful? By God, any one of you will not take anything from (the public funds) without any justification, but will meet his Lord carrying it on himself on the Day of judgment. I will recognise any one of you meeting Allah and carrying a growling camel, or a cow bellowing or a goat bleating. Then he raised his hands so high that whiteness of his armpits could be seen. Then he said: O my Lord, I have conveyed (Thy Commandments). The narrator says: My eyes saw (the Prophet standing in that pose) and my ears heard (what he said).