Tahir bin al-Husayn's Letter (Part 3)

Economic Policy

Do not be greedy.

Let the treasures and riches you gather and hoard up be:

• piety
• the fear of God
• justice
• the improvement of your subjects
• the cultivation of their country
• the supervision of their affairs
• the protection of the masses
• support of the unfortunates.

Once property is gathered and stored in treasuries, it does not bear fruit.

But property grows and thrives if it is:

• invested in the welfare of the subjects
• used for:
  • giving them what is due to them
  • preventing them from need.

The common people will then prosper.

The proper use of money is an ornament to high officials. It is a sign of a prosperous time. It brings strength and protection.

Therefore, your wealth policy should be to spend money on building up Islam and the Muslims.

Distribute to the officials of the Commander of the Faithful who preceded you that which is due them. Give your subjects their share.

Pay attention to the things that might improve their situation and livelihood.

If you do that, the (divine) favor will always be with you. You will make it obligatory for God to increase His favors to you.

In this way, you will also be better able to levy the land tax and to collect the property of your subjects and your provinces.

Because everybody experiences justice and kindness from you, everybody will be more amenable to obeying you and more favorably disposed towards everything you want.

Therefore, exert yourself in the way that I have outlined to you in this chapter. Be very much concerned 768 in this respect. Of (all) your money, there will remain only what was honestly spent in behalf of God.

Acknowledge the gratefulness of those who express their thanks, and reward them for it.

Beware of forgetting the terror of the other world on account of this world and its temptations, so that you become neglectful of your duties. Neglect causes shortcomings, and shortcomings cause ruin.

Whatever you do, you should do for God and in God, and hope for a reward.

Therefore, take refuge in giving thanks to God.

God gives His reward according to:

• the gratefulness of those who express their thanks
• the way of life of those who do good deeds.

He bestows His favors and shows His grace where they are deserved.

Do not consider any sin lightly. Do not support an envious person. Do not pity a sinner.

Do not be friendly with an ungrateful person. Do not connive with an enemy. Do not trust a calumniator. Do not rely upon a deceiver.

Do not conclude a friendship with an immoral person. Do not follow a seducer. Do not praise a hypocrite. Have contempt for nobody.

Do not refuse a poor petitioner. Do not (try to) improve a worthless person. Pay no attention to buffoons. Do not break a promise.

Do not fear pride. Show no anger. Do not be ostentatious. Do not walk arrogantly. Do not justify a stupidity. Do not neglect your search for the other world.

Do not waste your days in finding fault.

Do not close your eyes to an evildoer, because you are afraid of him or because you have a prejudice (in his favor). Do not seek the reward of the other world in this world.

Consult frequently with jurists. Accustom yourself to being mild and prudent.

Learn from men of experience and intelligence who are understanding and wise.

Do not permit extravagant 773 or stingy people to give you advice.

Do not listen to what they say, because the damage they can cause is greater than their usefulness.

Avarice most quickly ruins your projects on behalf of your subjects.

Greed is when you take much and give little.

If you are greedy, you will have little success, for your subjects will like you only if you keep away from their property and do not treat them unjustly.

You will keep the sincere friendship of your friends by being generous to them and giving them fine gifts.

Shun avarice. You should know that avarice is the first sin that man commits against His Lord and that the sinner is disgraced.

Thus, God says in the Qur’an:

“Those who are preserved from their own avarice are generous.”

Therefore, be really generous.

Give all the Muslims shares and portions in the booty you take. Be assured that generosity is one of the best things for a human being to practice. Make generosity one of your character qualities.

Accept (generosity) as your constant practice.

Supervise the registers and contracts of the soldiers. Augment their salaries.

Give them a good livelihood, and God will thus remove their indigence.

They will be a strong (support) for you, and their hearts will be readily and gladly willing to obey you and serve you.

It is sufficient happiness for a man in authority that his soldiers and subjects find mercy in his justice, protection, fairness, attentiveness, kindness, piety, and largesse.

Therefore, avoid the unpleasantness of one of the two alternatives by being conscious of the excellence of the other alternative and by always acting in accordance with it. Then, you will find success, well-being, and prosperity, if God wills.

The office of judge holds a place with God to which nothing else compares. It is God’s scales in which the conditions of men on earth are equalized.

Making decisions 778 and dispensing justice in judicial procedure and in all actions brings well-being to the subjects. The roads, then, are safe. The person who was treated unjustly finds justice. Everyone obtains his right. The livelihood of all is safeguarded.

Proper obedience is paid. God gives good health and well-being.

The religion can endure. The Sunnah and the religious laws function properly. Right and justice are applied in judicial procedure. 779

As a judge be firm in behalf of God. Abstain from corruption.

Go and apply the legal punishments. Do not make haste. Stay away from anger and unrest.

Be satisfied with an oath. Let your breath be calm and your cheek cool. Make use of your experience. Be attentive when you are silent, and precise when you speak.

Treat the plaintiff fairly. Hesitate when there is a doubt. Have much evidence produced. Do not show prejudice in favor of any of your subjects. Do not give anyone preferred treatment. Do not expose yourself to censure. Be steadfast and slow.

Observe. Reflect. Think things over. Consider them.

Be humble in the presence of your Lord. Be kind to all (your) subjects. Let the truth govern you.

Do not shed blood hastily, for God considers the unlawful and violent shedding of blood as something very grave.