Al-Siyasa al-Shar'iyya - Ibn Taimiya - (الكتاب/129)

Al-Siyasa al-Shar'iyyaIbn Taimiya

For this reason (1), the prescribed penalties were instituted, and this is how the ruler’s intention should be when enforcing them. Whenever his aim is to reform his subjects and prevent wrongdoing by securing (2) benefit for them and warding harm (3) from them, while seeking thereby the Countenance of Allah Most High and obedience to His command, Allah—glorified and exalted—will soften (4) hearts toward him, facilitate the means of goodness for him, and make even a light punishment sufficient for him (5). The person being punished may even be satisfied when the prescribed penalty is enforced against him.

If, however, his aim is to exalt himself over them (6) and assert his authority so that they will exalt him (7), or so that they will surrender to him whatever wealth he demands, his designs will backfire.

It is related that before Umar ibn Abd al-Azīz—may Allah have mercy on him—assumed the caliphate, he served al-Walīd ibn Abd al-Malik as governor of the city of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and governed its people well. Al-Hajjāj then arrived from Iraq, where he had subjected the people to grievous torment. He asked the people of Medina about Umar: “How much awe does he inspire among you?” They replied, “Out of awe, we cannot even look at him.” He then asked:

(1) (Y): “Thus”; (Z, Zh, B, L): “This is how.” (2) The base manuscript reads talab (“seeking”); in some manuscripts it may be read li-jalb (“to secure”). (3) The remaining manuscripts read al-madarra (“harm”). (4) (Y, Z, B): alāna (“softened”). (5) (Z) alone reads “human [punishment].” Shaykh Ibn Uthaymīn preferred this reading in his commentary (p. 272), stating: “The meaning is that Allah spares him the human punishment arising from enforcement of the prescribed penalty. In other words, the faith in their hearts causes them to remain upright, thereby reducing crime; they consequently have no need of human punishment.” The reading found in the other manuscripts may be explained as follows: because the people are upright and righteous, Allah makes the minor discretionary punishments imposed by the ruler suffice in place of severe punishments. (6) The base manuscript reads: “from them.” (7) (Y): “so that they will give him [what he wants].”

فلهذا (١) شُرِعت الحدود، وهكذا ينبغي أن تكون نية الوالي في إقامتها، فإنه متى كان قصدُه صلاحَ الرعية، والنهي عن المنكرات بجلب (٢) المنفعة لهم، ودَفْع الضرر (٣) عنهم، وابتغى بذلك وجهَ الله تعالى وطاعة أمره= ليَّنَ (٤) الله ﷾ له القلوب، وتيسرت له أسباب الخير، وكفاه العقوبة اليسيرة (٥)، وقد يرضى المحدود إذا أقام عليه الحد. وأما إذا كان غرضُه العلوَّ عليهم (٦)، وإقامة رياسته ليعظِّموه (٧)، أو ليبذلوا له ما يريد من الأموال= انعكس عليه مقصوده. يروى أن عمر بن عبد العزيز ﵁ قبل أن يلي الخلافة كان نائبًا للوليد بن عبد الملك على مدينة النبي ﷺ، وكان قد ساسهم سياسةً صالحةً، فقَدِم الحجَّاج من العراق وقد سامهم سوء العذاب، فسأل أهل المدينة عن عمر: كيف هيبته فيكم؟ قالوا: ما نستطيع أن ننظر إليه هيبةً، قال:

(١) (ي): «فكذلك»، (ز، ظ، ب، ل): «فهكذا». (٢) الأصل: «طلب»، ويمكن أن تقرأ في بعض النسخ: «لجلب». (٣) بقية النسخ: «المضرة». (٤) (ي، ز، ب): «ألان». (٥) (ز) فقط: «البشرية» ورجحه الشيخ العثيمين في «شرحه» (ص ٢٧٢) وقال: (والمعنى: أن الله يكفيه العقوبة البشرية التي تترتب على الحد، بمعنى أن ما في قلوبهم من الإيمان يوجب استقامتهم فيقل الجرم، وحينئذٍ لا يحتاجون إلى عقوبة بشرية) اهـ. ووجه ما في سائر النسخ: أن الله يكفي الوالي ما يوقعه من العقوبات التعزيرية اليسيرة عن العقوبات الشديدة لاستقامة الخلق وصلاحهم. (٦) الأصل: «عنهم». (٧) (ي): «ليعطوه».