Al-Siyasa al-Shar'iyya - Ibn Taimiya - (الكتاب/43)

Al-Siyasa al-Shar'iyyaIbn Taimiya

to exercise authority whatever must be rendered to him; the same applies to subjects upon whom such dues are incumbent.

Subjects may not demand from those administering public funds anything to which they are not entitled, lest they become like those about whom Allah, Exalted is He, says:

“Among them are those who criticize you concerning the distribution of alms. If they are given a share, they are pleased; but if they are not, they immediately become resentful. (58) If only they had been content with what Allah and His Messenger gave them and had said, ‘Allah is sufficient for us. Allah will give us from His bounty, as will His Messenger. Indeed, to Allah alone we turn with hope.’ (59) Alms are only for the poor and the needy, those employed to administer them, those whose hearts are to be reconciled, the emancipation of slaves, those burdened with debt, Allah’s cause, and the stranded traveler [A/Q 13]—an obligation ordained by Allah. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise (1).” [al-Tawbah: 58–60].

Nor may they withhold from the ruler any dues that must be paid, even if he is unjust. When speaking of the injustice of rulers, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded: “Render to them what is due to them, for Allah will question them about those whom He entrusted to their care.”

It is related in the two Sahīh collections (2) from Abū Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The Children of Israel were governed by prophets (3). Whenever a prophet died, another prophet succeeded him. There will be no prophet after me, but there will be caliphs, and they will become numerous (4).” They asked, “What, then, do you command us?” He replied:

(1) The original reads: “All-Mighty, All-Wise.” (2) Recorded by al-Bukhārī (3455) and Muslim (1842), from the hadith of Abū Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him. (3) Shaykh al-Uthaymīn commented in his *Commentary* (p. 94): “This indicates that the Sharia is governance, for the prophets brought revealed laws to govern people, since these laws set people aright in their dealings with Allah and in their dealings with Allah’s servants. This is governance.” End quote. (4) It is omitted in B. F reads: “and they will become numerous,” followed by a blank space equivalent to approximately three words. L reads: “you will recognize and reject.”

السلطان ما يجب إيتاؤه إليه، وكذلك على الرعية الذين تجب عليهم الحقوق. وليس للرعية أن يطلبوا من ولاة الأموال ما لا يستحقونه، فيكونون من جنس مَن قال الله ﷾ فيه: ﴿وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَلْمِزُكَ فِي الصَّدَقَاتِ فَإِنْ أُعْطُوا مِنْهَا رَضُوا وَإِنْ لَمْ يُعْطَوْا مِنْهَا إِذَا هُمْ يَسْخَطُونَ (٥٨) وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ رَضُوا مَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَقَالُوا حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ سَيُؤْتِينَا اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَرَسُولُهُ إِنَّا إِلَى اللَّهِ رَاغِبُونَ (٥٩) إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ [أ/ق ١٣] وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَالْغَارِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ فَرِيضَةً مِنَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ (١)﴾ [التوبة: ٥٨ - ٦٠]. ولا لهم أن يمنعوا السلطان ما يجب دفعه من الحقوق وإن كان ظالمًا كما أمر النبي ﷺ لما ذكر جَور الولاة، فقال: «أدوا إليهم الذي لهم، فإن الله سائلهم عما استرعاهم». ففي «الصحيحين» (٢) عن أبي هريرة ﵁ عن النبي ﷺ قال: «كانت بنو إسرائيل تسوسهم الأنبياءُ (٣)، كلما هلَك نبيٌّ خَلَفَه نبيّ، وإنه لا نبيّ بعدي، وسيكون خلفاء فتكثر (٤)» قالوا: فما تأمرنا؟ فقال:

(١) الأصل: «عزيز حكيم». (٢) أخرجه البخاري (٣٤٥٥)، ومسلم (١٨٤٢) من حديث أبي هريرة ﵁. (٣) علق الشيخ العثيمين في «شرحه» (ص ٩٤): «في هذا دليل على أن الشريعة سياسة؛ لأن الأنبياء يأتون بالشرائع سياسةً، لأن فيه إصلاح الخلق في معاملة الله، وإصلاحهم في معاملة عباد الله، وهذه هي السياسة» اهـ. (٤) سقطت من (ب)، وفي (ف): «فيكثرون» وبعدها بياض قدر ثلاث كلمات، وفي (ل): «تعرفون وتنكرون».