455 – ʿAlī ibn Muḥammad ibn Ibrāhīm told me; Abū Ṣāliḥ ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṣāliḥ narrated to us; Ḥayrān ibn al-ʿAlāʾ al-Kaysānī narrated to me:

ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz appointed a man named Jaʿwanah over Azerbaijan and said to him, “Jaʿwanah, I already feel aversion toward you, so beware lest I come to detest you still more. I have placed you in charge of Azerbaijan, so fear Allah and govern its people according to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

Do not say, ‘I will save up for my children,’ for if Allah has decreed wealth for your children, they will not be harmed by your leaving them not even a single dirham; but if He has decreed poverty for them, all the riches of the world will do them no good.

Do you know, Jaʿwanah, what your family really wish for you?” He replied, “Yes, O Commander of the Believers: they want me to be righteous.” ʿUmar said, “No, by Allah, they do not want your righteousness. Rather, they want whatever benefit your position secures for them, whatever they can eat under the shelter of your authority, and whatever you leave piled upon your back. So fear Allah, and do not provide for them except from what is lawful and wholesome.”