Al-Siyasa al-Shar'iyya - Ibn Taimiya - (الكتاب/176)

Al-Siyasa al-Shar'iyyaIbn Taimiya

Having sincere intentions toward one’s subjects and treating them well does not mean doing whatever they desire and abandoning whatever they dislike. Allah Most High says:

“(70) Had the Truth followed their desires, the heavens and the earth and all who are in them would surely have been corrupted.” [al-Mu’minūn: 71]

He also says to the Companions:

“Know that the Messenger of Allah is among you. Were he to obey you in many matters, you would surely suffer hardship.” [al-Hujurāt: 7]

Rather, treating them well means doing what benefits them in their religion and worldly affairs, even if some dislike it. Nevertheless, he should deal gently with them regarding what they dislike. It is reported in the Sahih (1) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Gentleness is not found in anything without beautifying it, nor is harshness found in anything without marring it.” He also said: “Allah is Gentle and loves gentleness, and He grants for gentleness what He does not grant for harshness” (2).

Umar ibn Abd al-Azīz (may Allah have mercy on him) used to say: “By Allah, I wish to present them with the bitter part of the truth, but I fear that they will recoil from it. I therefore wait until some sweetness from this world comes along, then present it together with that. If the former makes them recoil, the latter puts them at ease” (3).

Likewise, whenever someone came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with a request—and that person was genuinely in need—he would not turn him away without either granting it or offering him gracious words (4).

(1) Narrated by Muslim (1594) on the authority of Aisha—may Allah be pleased with her. The other manuscripts read: “the two Sahīhs,” but it is not found in al-Bukhārī. (2) Narrated by Muslim (2593) on the authority of Aisha—may Allah be pleased with her. (3) Ibn Qutayba cited it in Uyūn al-Akhbār (1:9). (4) See Tafsīr al-Tabarī (14:569–572).

وليس حُسْن النية للرعية والإحسان إليهم أن يفعلَ ما يهوونه ويترك ما يكرهونه، فقد قال الله تعالى: ﴿(٧٠) وَلَوِ اتَّبَعَ الْحَقُّ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ لَفَسَدَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ﴾ [المؤمنون: ٧١]، وقال تعالى للصحابة: ﴿وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ فِيكُمْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَوْ يُطِيعُكُمْ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ لَعَنِتُّمْ﴾ [الحجرات: ٧]. وإنما الإحسان إليهم فِعل ما ينفعهم في الدين والدنيا، ولو كرهه من كرهه، لكن ينبغي له أن يرفق بهم فيما يكرهونه، ففي «الصحيح» (١) عن النبي ﷺ أنه قال: «ما كان الرفق في شيء إلا زانه، ولا كان العنف في شيء إلا شانه». وقال: «إن الله رفيق يحبُّ الرفق، ويعطي على الرفق ما لا يعطي على العنف» (٢). وكان عمر بن عبد العزيز ﵁ يقول: والله إني أريد أن أخرج لهم المُرَّةَ من الحق فأخاف أن ينفروا عنها، فأصبر حتى تجيء الحلوةُ من الدنيا، فأخرجها معها، فإذا نفروا لهذه سكنوا لهذه (٣). وهكذا كان النبي ﷺ إذا أتاه طالب حاجة لم يردّه ــ وكان محتاجًا ــ إلا بها أو بميسورٍ من القول (٤).

(١) أخرجه مسلم (١٥٩٤) من حديث عائشة ﵂. ووقع في بقية النسخ: «الصحيحين». وليس في البخاري. (٢) أخرجه مسلم (٢٥٩٣) من حديث عائشة ﵂. (٣) ذكره ابن قتيبة في «عيون الأخبار»: (١/ ٩). (٤) انظر «تفسير الطبري»: (١٤/ ٥٦٩ - ٥٧٢).