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
وَاعْلَمْ مَعَ ذلِكَ أَنَّ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنْهُمْ ضِيقاً فَاحِشاً، وَشُحّاً قَبِيحاً، وَاحْتِكَاراً لِلْمَنَافِعِ، وَتَحَكُّماً فِي الْبِيَاعَاتِ، وَذلِكَ بَابُ مَضَرَّةٍ لِلْعَامَّةِ، وَعَيْبٌ عَلَى الْوُلَاةِ، فَامْنَعْ مِنَ الِاحْتِكَارِ، فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله) مَنَعَ مِنْهُ.
Know, along with this, that most of them are very narrow-minded, and awfully avaricious. They hoard goods for profiteering and fix 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 Allāh صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم has prohibited it.