enters enemy territory and dispatches a detachment—that is, fewer than four hundred men—to begin the fighting, he may say to them: “After the fifth has been set aside, you shall have one quarter.” This is because, when this detachment sets out, it does so with less fear than a detachment dispatched after the imam’s return, since they can say: “The army is behind us.” He may therefore say: “Go and fight. From whatever you capture, we shall take one fifth, and you alone shall have one quarter after that.” The remainder is then divided among the army.

Likewise, he may grant an extra share of one third after that—that is, after the return and the end of the fighting. He may dispatch a detachment, perhaps to search for those of the enemy who remain, and assign it one third. This is greater than the share of the first detachment because it faces greater danger. At the outset, the enemy may perhaps be heedless and caught unawares; whereas here the enemy has become alert and may harbour resentment, seeking revenge. Moreover, once the army has finished fighting, its men become eager and longing to return to their families, and this entails considerable hardship. For this reason, the extra share granted upon the return is greater than that granted at the outset. Thus, in return for this, it is given four out of twelve—that is, one twelfth more than the other detachment—because the first receives three out of twelve, whereas this one receives four out of twelve.

His statement, “He may,” is phrased with the preposition indicating permissibility as opposed to prohibition. This does not preclude its being recommended or, at times, obligatory. Thus, if he sees that the detachment will not return or advance unless it is given an additional share, and he sees that dispatching it serves the public interest, then granting it such a share becomes obligatory.

His statement, “The army must obey him,” means obeying its commander, who acts as the imam’s deputy—what is nowadays called the commander, or according to