The Complete Edition of the Treatise On Rights

Rights of Subjects

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18- THE RIGHT OF SUBJECTS THROUGH AUTHORITY

Then the right of your subjects through authority is that you should know that you have authority over them due to your power over them, and that they have been made your subjects through their weakness and humility. What do they deserve whose weakness and humility made them your subjects, and made your authority over them effective. They do not disobey you by their own might and power. They cannot find a supporter against your power except [by God], by His Mercy and Protection, and patience. How proper it is for you to recognize that God has granted you this increased might and power with which you have subdued others. You should be thankful to God. And God will increase His Graces to those who thank Him. And there is no power but in God.

ثم حقوق الرعية

18. حق الرعية بالسلطان

فأَمَّا حُقُوقُ رَعِيَّتِكَ بالسُّلْطَانِ فَأَنْ تَعْلَمَ(12) أَنَّكَ إنَّمَا اسْتَرْعَيْتَهُمْ بفَضْلِ قُوَّتِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَإنَّهُ إنَّمَا أَحَلَّهُـــــمْ مَحَلَّ الرَّعِيَّةِ لَكَ ضَعْفُهُمْ وَذُلُّهُمْ، فَمَــــا أَوْلَى مَنْ كَفَاكَهُ ضَعْفُهُ وَذُلُّهُ حَتَّى صَيَّرَهُ لَكَ رَعِيَّةً وَصَيَّرَ حُكْمَكَ عَلَيْهِ نَافِذاً، لا يَمْتَنِعُ مِنْــــكَ بعِزَّةٍ وَلا قُوَّةٍ وَلا يَسْتَنْصِرُ فِيمَا تَعَاظَمَهُ مِنْكَ إلا [باللهِ] بالرَّحْمَةِ وَالْحِيَاطَةِ(13) وَالأَناةِ(14)، وَمَـــا أَولاكَ إذَا عَرَفْتَ مَا أَعْطَــــاكَ الله مِنْ فَضْلِ هذِهِ الْعِزَّةِ وَالقُوَّةِ الَّتِي قَهَرْتَ بهَـــــا أَنْ تَكُونَ لِلّهِ شَاكِراً، وَمَـــــنْ شَكَرَ الله أَعْطَاهُ فِيمَا أَنعَمَ عَلَيْهِ. ولا قُوَّةَ إلا باللهِ.

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19- THE RIGHT OF SUBJECTS THROUGH KNOWLEDGE

And the right of your subjects through knowledge is that you should know that God established you over them through what He has granted you of knowledge and what He has granted authority over His treasures of wisdom. If you do well in what God has given you authority over and treat them the same as the treatment of the treasurer, a sympathetic counselor who respects his master in the affairs of the slaves, the steadfast good-doer who, when he sees one who is needy, takes some of the property that he has control over to give away. Then you will be matured. And will be hopeful and faithful. Otherwise you will be regarded as betraying Him, and unjust to His creatures, and exposing yourself to God's seizing His Graces and Power from you.

19. حق الرعية بالعلم

وأمَّا حَقُّ رَعِيَّتِكَ بالعِلْمِ فَأَنْ تَعْلَــمَ أَنَّ اللهَ قَدْ جَعَلَكَ لَهُمْ (15) فِيمَـا آتاكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ وَولاّكَ مِنْ خَزَانةِ الْحِكْمَةِ، فَــــإنْ أَحْسَنْتَ(16) فِيمَا ولاّكَ اللهُ مِنْ ذلِكَ وَقُمْتَ بهِ لَهُمْ مَقَامَ الخَـــــازِنِ الشَّفِيقِ النَّـاصِحِ لِمَـــولاهُ فِي عَبيدِهِ، الصَّابرِ الْمُحْتَسِب الَّذِي إذَا رأَى ذا حَـــــاجَةٍ أَخرَجَ لَهُ مِنَ الأَمْوَالِ الَّتِي فِي يَدَيهِ كُنْتَ رَاشِدًا، وَكُنْتَ لِذَلِكَ آمِلاً(17) مُعْتَقِدًا وَإلاّ كُنْتَ لَهُ خَائِنًا وَلِخَلقِهِ ظَالِمًا وَلِسَلْبهِ وَعِزِّهِ مُتَعَرِّضًا.

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20- THE RIGHT OF THE WIFE

And the right of your subject through matrimonial contract is that you should know that God has made her repose, a comfort and a companion, and a maintainer for you. It is incumbent upon each of you to thank God for the other and realize that the other one is God's blessing for you. It is obligatory to be a good companion for God's Blessing, and to honor her and treat her gently. Yet, your right over her is more incumbent and she must obey you in every matter that you like or detest- except in acts of disobedience to God. She should enjoy the rights of mercy and intimacy, as she is an object of tranquility. You should care for her through consummation of the lust that must be consummated. And that is surely great. And there is no power but in God.

20. حق الزوجة

وَأمَّـا حَقُّ رَعِيَّتِكَ بمِلْكِ النّكَاحِ فَأَنْ تَعْلَمَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ جَـعَـلَـهَـا سَكَنًا وَمُسْتَرَاحًا وَأُنْسًـــا وَوَاقِيةً، وَكَذَلِكَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْكُمَا يَجِبُ أَنْ يَحْمَدَ اللَّهَ عَلَى صَاحِبهِ، ويَعْلَمَ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ نِعْمَةٌ مِنْهُ عَلَيْهِ. وَوَجَبَ أَنْ يُحْسِــــنَ صُحْبَةَ نِعْمَةِ اللَّهِ وَيُكْرِمَهَا ويَرْفَقَ بهَا وَإنْ كَانَ حَقُّكَ عَلَيْهَا أَغْلَظَ(18) وَطَاعَتِكَ بهَا أَلْزَمَ فِيمَا أَحْببْتَ وَكَرِهْتَ مَا لَمْ تَكنْ مَعْصِيةً، فإنَّ لَهَا حَقُّ الرَّحــْمَةُ وَالْمُؤَانَسَةِ، وَمَوْضِعُ السُّكُونِ إلَيهَا قَضَاءَ اللَّذَّةِ الَّتِي لا بُدَّ مِنْ قَضَائِهَــا وَذَلِكَ عَظِيـــــمٌ. وَلا قُوَّةَ إلا باللهِ.

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21- THE RIGHT OF YOUR SLAVE

And the right of your subject through being your slave is that you should know that he is a creature of your Lord and is made of the same flesh and blood. And you only own him, but you are much too inferior to God and you have not created him. And you have not created his hearing and sight, nor do you provide his daily sustenance; rather it is God who gives you sufficiency for that. Then He subjugated him to you, entrusted him to you, and provisionally consigned him with you. So protect him there, and treat him well just as well as he has treated you, and feed him with what you eat yourself, and clothe him with what you clothe yourself. And do not burden him with what he cannot withstand. And if you dislike him, you ought to let him go and replace him, but do not torment God's creature. And there is no power but in God.

21. حق الرعية بملك اليمين

وَأمَّا حَقُّ رَعِيَّتِكَ بمِلْكِ اليَمِينِ فَأَنْ تَعْلَمَ أنَهُ خَلْقُ رَبكَ، وَلَحْمُــــكَ وَدَمُــــكَ وَأَنَّـــــكَ تَمْلِكُهُ لا أنْتَ صَنَعْتَهُ دُونَ اللَّهِ وَلا خَلَقْتَ لَهُ سَمْعًـــــا وَلا بَصَرًا وَلا أَجْرَيتَ لَهُ رِزْقًا وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ كَفَاكَ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ سَخَّرَهُ لَكَ وَائْتَمَنَكَ عَلَيْهِ وَاسْتَوْدَعَكَ إيَّـــــاهُ لِتَحْفَظَهُ فِيهِ وتَسِيرَ فِيهِ بسِيرَتِهِ فَتُطْعِمَهُ مِمَّا تَأْكُلُ وَتُلْبسَهُ مِمَّا تَلْبَسُ وَلا تُكَلِّفَهُ مَـــا لا يُطِيقُ، فَإنْ كَرِهْتَ[هُ] خَرَجْتَ إلَى اللَّهِ مِنْهُ وَاسْتَبْدَلْتَ بهِ وَلَـمْ تُعَذِّبْ خَلْقَ اللَّهِ وَلا قُوَّةَ إلا باللهِ.