to set before them the bitter demands of what is right, but I fear that they will recoil from them. So be patient until something sweet from this world comes along, so that I may offer it alongside the bitter: if they recoil from the one, they will be soothed by the other.” Likewise, whenever someone came to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, with a request, he would send him away only after meeting his need or offering him a kindly word.

“On one occasion, some of his relatives asked him to appoint them to administer the alms and pay them from those funds. He said: ‘Alms are not lawful for Muhammad or the family of Muhammad.’” He therefore withheld those funds from them and compensated them from the fay’ revenues.

“ʿAlī, Zayd and Jaʿfar brought their dispute over Hamza’s daughter before him. He did not award custody to any of them, but awarded it to her maternal aunt. He then comforted each of them with kind words. He said to ʿAlī: ‘You are of me, and I am of you.’ He said to Jaʿfar: ‘You resemble me in appearance and character.’ And he said to Zayd: ‘You are our brother and our freedman.’”

This is how a ruler should act when distributing resources and passing judgment. People constantly ask the ruler for things that it would not be proper to grant: appointments, money, benefits, remuneration, intercession concerning prescribed punishments, and other things. He should therefore compensate them in some other way if possible, or turn them away with kindly words, unless sternness is needed. Refusing a petitioner causes him pain, especially someone whose goodwill needs to be won. Allah Most High says:

“So do not rebuff the petitioner.”

Allah Most High also says:

“Give close relatives their due, as well as the needy and the traveller, and do not squander wastefully,”

up to His words: “And if you turn away from them