In another version (1): “Whoever appoints a man to an office over a group, while finding within that group someone more worthy of approval than he is, has betrayed Allah and His Messenger and betrayed the believers.”
Some have narrated (2) it as a statement made by Umar to Ibn Umar, transmitting it from him (3).
Umar ibn al-Khattāb—may Allah be pleased with him—said: “Whoever is entrusted with any part of the Muslims’ affairs and appoints a man because of affection or kinship between them has betrayed Allah, His Messenger, and the Muslims.”
This is therefore incumbent upon the person in authority. He must seek out those qualified for office from among his deputies throughout the provinces: the governors, who serve as deputies of the sovereign (4); judges and others like them; commanders of military contingents; senior and junior army commanders; and financial officials, including ministers, secretaries, administrative overseers (6), and collectors of the land tax,
(1) I could not find this exact wording.
(2) Al-Uqaylī mentioned it, 1:247, without a chain of transmission.
(3) This paragraph is omitted from manuscripts *fā* and *zā*. Manuscript *yā* reads: “because Ibn Umar.”
(4) The other manuscripts read: “the sultan.”
(5) The original reads *min* (“among”).
(6) *Shādd* is the singular of *mushiddiyya*. It derives from *shadd*, meaning supervision and inspection. The *shādd* was an official during the Ayyubid and Mamluk eras. The state assigned him particular duties, whose designation was appended to his title. Thus, the *shādd al-hawsh* was responsible for repairing the citadel courtyard and similar facilities; the *shādd al-khāss* oversaw the collection of funds and the provision of whatever the sultan required; and the *shādd al-zardkhāna* was responsible for all kinds of military equipment and was answerable to the sultan for those engaged in manufacturing weapons. Other such officials included the *shādd al-awqāf* (superintendent of endowments) and the *shādd al-zakāh* (superintendent of zakat). See al-Khatīb, *Mu'jam al-Mustalahāt wa-al-Alqāb al-Tārīkhiyya*, p. 265; and Ahmad Taymūr Pasha, *al-Mu'jam al-Kabīr*, 2:40 and 5:379, 382.