Al-Siyasa al-Shar'iyya - Ibn Taimiya - (الكتاب/44)

“Fulfill (1) your pledge of allegiance to the first and then the next. Then give them their due, for Allah will question them about those whom He entrusted to their care.”

In both collections (2), Ibn Masūd, may Allah be pleased with him, said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to us, “After I am gone, you will see selfishness and things of which you disapprove.” They asked, “What do you command us to do, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “Render to them what is due to them, and ask Allah for what is due to you.”

Those who administer public funds may not distribute them according to their whims, as an owner disposes of his own property. They are merely trustees, deputies, and agents; they are not owners. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “By Allah, I neither give to anyone nor withhold from anyone. I am only a distributor, placing the wealth wherever I am commanded.” Al-Bukhārī related similar wording from Abū Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him (3).

Thus, the Messenger of the Lord of all worlds stated that his giving and withholding were not governed by his own will and choice, unlike an owner who has been permitted to dispose freely of his property, or kings who give to whomever they wish and withhold from whomever they wish (4). Rather, he was Allah’s servant, distributing wealth at His command and placing it (5) wherever Allah, Mighty and Majestic is He, commanded him.

Similarly, a man said to Umar ibn al-Khattāb, may Allah be pleased with him, “O Commander of the Faithful, why do you not spend more freely on yourself from the wealth of Allah, Exalted is He?” Umar replied, “Do you know what

(1) B, L, and the margin of F read: “Fulfill.” (2) Recorded by al-Bukhārī (3603) and Muslim (1843). (3) (3117). (4) L reads: “whomever they hate.” Above “they wish” in Y is written: “to deny him,” meaning: “whomever they wish to deny.” An annotator in the margin of F considered the reading in L more likely. (5) It is absent from Z.

«فوا (١) بيعة الأول فالأول، ثم أعطوهم حقهم، فإن الله سائلهم عما استرعاهم». وفيهما (٢) عن ابن مسعود ﵁ قال: قال لنا رسول الله ﷺ: «إنكم سترون بعدي أَثَرَةً وأمورًا تنكرونها» قالوا: فما تأمرنا يا رسول الله؟ قال: «أدوا إليهم حقَّهم، واسألوا الله حقَّكم». وليس لولاة الأموال أن يقسموها بحسب أهوائهم كما يقسم المالكُ ملكه، فإنما هم أُمَناء ونُوَّاب ووُكَلاء، ليسوا مُلَّاكًا، قال رسول الله ﷺ: «إني والله لا أعطي أحدًا ولا أمنع أحدًا، وإنما أنا قاسم أضع حيثُ أُمِرت» رواه البخاري عن أبي هريرة ﵁ بنحوه (٣). فهذا رسولُ ربِّ العالمين قد أخبر أنه ليس المنع والعطاء بإرادته واختياره، كما يفعل ذلك المالك الذي أُبيح له التصرف في ماله، وكما تفعل الملوك الذين يعطون من أحبوا ويمنعون من أحبوا (٤)، وإنما هو عبد الله يقسم المال بأمره، فيضعه (٥) حيث أمره الله ﷾. وهكذا قال رجل لعمر بن الخطاب ﵁: يا أمير المؤمنين لو وسَّعْتَ على نفسك في النفقة من مال الله تعالى؟ فقال له عمر: أتدري ما

(١) (ب، ل، وهامش ف): «أوفوا». (٢) أخرجه البخاري (٣٦٠٣)، ومسلم (١٨٤٣). (٣) (٣١١٧). (٤) (ل): «من أبغضوا». وكتب فوق «أحبوا» في (ي): «مَنْعَه» يعني: أحبوا منعه. واستظهر أحد المعلقين في هامش (ف) ما ورد في (ل). (٥) ليست في (ز).