Sharḥ Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (1/461)

Sharḥ Riyāḍ al-ṢāliḥīnIbn al-'Uthaymin

Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would cut off her hand.” Peace and blessings be upon him. Fatimah bint Muhammad is the noblest of women, the leader of the women of Paradise, the daughter of the best of mankind—yet had she stolen he would still have cut off her hand, though he was her own father. Reflect on his wording: “I would cut off her hand.” He did not say, “I would order that her hand be cut off.” The plain sense is that he himself would have carried out the punishment were she to steal. Such is justice, and by justice the heavens and the earth stand firm.

Among the manifestations of an imam’s justice is that he appoints to public office only those who are qualified both in their religion and in their capability, so that the appointee is at once trustworthy and strong, fully fit for the position entrusted to him. Leadership rests on two pillars: strength (quwwah) and trustworthiness (amānah). Allah the Exalted says: “An ifrit from among the jinn said, ‘I will bring it to you’” (Q 27:39), and He also says: “The best one you can hire is the strong and trustworthy” (Q 28:26). It was further said to Solomon—peace be upon him—“I will bring it to you”—meaning the throne of Bilqis—“before you rise from your council; indeed, I am strong and trustworthy regarding it” (Q 27:39). Justice therefore requires that no one be given office unless he possesses both strength and trustworthiness; if someone unfit is appointed while a better-qualified person exists, this is injustice.

The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—placed the just imam at the head of the seven whom Allah will shade in His shade on the Day when there is no shade but His. He mentioned him first because administering justice among the subjects is exceedingly difficult. When the person whom Allah entrusts with His servants succeeds in being just, immense good results: the community benefits during his lifetime and afterward, for he becomes a righteous example. Such a one is among those whom Allah will shade in His shade on the Day when there is no shade but His.

فاطمة بنت محمد سرقت لقطعت يدها)) صلي الله عليه وسلم، فاطمة بنت محمد اشرف النساء! سيدة نساء أهل الجنة، بنت افضل البشر، لو سرقت لقطع يدها وهو أبوها. وتأمل ((لقطعت يدها)) ولم يقل ل أمرت بقطع يدها! فظاهره هو الذي يباشر قطعها لو سرقت. هذا العدل، وبهذا قامت السماوات والأرض. ومن عدل الإمام أن يولي المناصب من هو أهل لها في دينه وفي قوته، فيكون أمينا وقويا، أهلا للأمر الذي ولي عليه. وأركان الولاية اثنان: القوة، والأمانة، قال الله تعالى: (قَالَ عِفْرِيتٌ مِنَ الْجِنِّ) (النمل: من الآية٣٩) إِنَّ خَيْرَ مَنِ اسْتَأْجَرْتَ الْقَوِيُّ الْأَمِينُ) (القصص: من الآية٢٦) لسليمان: (ِ أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ) (النمل: من الآية٣٩) أي: بعرش بلقيس (قَبْلَ أَنْ تَقُومَ مِنْ مَقَامِكَ وَإِنِّي عَلَيْهِ لَقَوِيٌّ أَمِينٌ) (النمل: من الآية٣٩) ، فمن العدل أن لا يولي أحدا منصبا ألا وهو أهل له في قوته وفي أمانته، فان ولي من ليس أهلا ويوجد من هو خير منه فليس بعادل. فالنبي صلي الله عليه وسلم جعل الإمام العادل من السبعة الذين يظلهم الله في ظله يوم لا ظل إلا ظله، وجعله أول هؤلاء السبعة، لان العدل في الرعية صعب جدا، فإذا وفق المرء الذي يوليه الله علي عباده للعدل أن في هذا خيرا كثيرا، وانتفعت الأمة في عصره ومن بعده أيضا، لأنه يكون قدوة صالحة، فهذا ممن يظلهم الله في ظله يوم لا ظل إلا ظله.