Instructions for Malik al-Ashtar upon his appointment as the governor of Egypt
Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 2|Chapter 53
Nahj al-Balāgha
Book 2, Chapter 53
Instructions for Malik al-Ashtar upon his appointment as the governor of Egypt
ثُمَّ الطَّبَقَةُ السُّفْلَى مِنْ أَهْلِ الْحَاجَةِ وَالْمَسْكَنَةِ الَّذِينَ يَحِقُّ رِفْدُهُمْ وَمَعُونَتُهُمْ. وَفِي اللهِ لِكُلٍّ سَعَةٌ، وَلِكُلٍّ عَلَى الْوَالِي حَقٌ بِقَدْرِ مَا يُصْلِحُهُ. وَلَيْسَ يَخْرُجُ الْوَالِي مِنْ حَقِيقَةِ مَا أَلْزَمَهُ اللهُ مِنْ ذلِكَ إِلَّا بِالِاهْتِمَامِ وَالِاسْتِعَانَةِ بِاللهِ، وَتَوْطِينِ نَفْسِهِ عَلَى لُزُومِ الْحَقِّ، وَالصَّبْرِ عَلَيْهِ فِيَما خَفَّ عَلَيْهِ أَوْ ثَقُلَ.
Then is the lowest class of the needy and the destitute support of and help for whom is an obligation, and everyone of them has (a share in) livelihood in the name of Allāh. Everyone of them has a right on the ruler according to what is needed for his prosperity. The ruler cannot acquit himself of the obligations laid on him by Allāh in this matter except by striving and seeking help from Allāh and by training himself to adhere to the right and by enduring on that account all that is light or hard.