The shaykh—may Allah sanctify his soul—was asked:
About a man who holds administrative offices and iqtāʿ grants, which are subject to the customary levies imposed by the ruler. He wishes to eliminate all injustice and strives to do so to the best of his ability. He knows that if he relinquishes these positions and someone else receives the grants and is appointed in his place, none of the injustice will be removed; rather, it may even increase. He can reduce the levies imposed within his grant by remitting half of them. The other half, however, is allocated to expenditures for which he cannot cancel the levies, since he would then be required to provide replacement funds. He is unable to do that and cannot avert these demands.
Is it permissible for someone in this situation to retain his office and grant, given his known intentions, his efforts, and the injustice he has removed to the best of his ability? Or must he relinquish this office and grant, even though, if he withdraws, the injustice will not disappear but will remain and increase? Is he therefore permitted to retain his office and grant as described? Does he incur any sin by doing so, or not? If he incurs no sin, can he nevertheless be held accountable for it, or not?
Which course is better for him: to remain while striving to remove and reduce injustice, or to withdraw while the injustice remains and increases? If the subjects prefer him to remain in charge because of the benefit he brings them and the injustice he has removed, is it preferable