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Leadership and Judgment

Hadith 3708

The Chapter on The Sustenance and Gifts of Governors

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Leadership and Judgment

The Chapter on The Sustenance and Gifts of Governors

Zujajat al-Masabih 3708Volume 3

English

Mustawrid ibn Shaddad (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) say: “Whoever is an official for us, let him acquire a wife; if he has no servant, let him acquire a servant; if he has no dwelling, let him acquire a dwelling.” In another narration: “Whoever takes beyond that is a misappropriator.” [Narrated by Abu Dawud] Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: When Abu Bakr al-Siddiq was appointed Caliph, he said: “My people know my trade sufficed for my family’s needs, but I am occupied with the Muslims’ affairs. So, Abu Bakr’s family will eat from this wealth, and he will work for the Muslims in it.”
Possible references (unverified, pending editorial review)
  • Candidate: Sahih al-Bukhari 2070 (unverified) 98% confidence
  • Candidate: Sunan Abi Dawud 2945 (unverified) 97% confidence

Confidence and text similarity are not editorial verification.

Commentary and footnotes (2)

Note 2

Whoever is an official for us, let him acquire a wife

(2) The statement: “Whoever is an official for us, let him acquire a wife” etc.: The author of Al-Hidayah said: If a judge is poor, it is preferable, or obligatory, to take his sufficiency. If wealthy, it is preferable to abstain from taking sustenance from the public treasury, to ease its burden. Some said taking is better to preserve the judgeship’s dignity and avoid dependency, benefiting future needy successors, taking only what suffices for him and his dependents, as in Umdat al-Qari. In Al-Alamgiriyyah: If a judge is poor and needy, he should, or must, take his sustenance from the public treasury. If wealthy, opinions vary, but preferably he does not take, as in Bukhari al-Qadi Khan. He takes sustenance only from the treasury of the region he serves, as he works for its people, so his sustenance is from their treasury, as in Al-Atabiyyah. Just as a judge’s sufficiency is from the public treasury, so is that of his dependents and aides, as in the public treasury. Muhammad did not report on taking sustenance on non-working days; later scholars differed, but the correct view is he takes, as in Tatarakhaniyyah. A judge taking from the public treasury is not a hired worker but works for Allah, taking his right from Allah’s wealth. So too for jurists, scholars, and Quran teachers. It is reported that Abu Bakr took sustenance from the public treasury upon becoming Caliph, as did Umar and Ali. Uthman, being wealthy, served without taking, as in Al-Khulasah. The leader should provide generously for him and his dependents to prevent coveting people’s wealth. It is reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) appointed Utab ibn Usayd over Makkah, giving him four hundred dirhams annually. The Companions allotted Abu Bakr the same from the public treasury. Ali received a daily dish of stew and five hundred dirhams monthly, as in Al-Bada’i.

Note 2

قوله

(٢) قوله: من كان لنا عاملا فليكتسب زوجة إلخ: وقال صاحب (الهداية): ثم إن القاضي إذا كان فقيرا فالأفضل، بلالواجب أخذ كفايته، وإن كان غنيا فالأفضل الامتناع عن أخذ الرزق من بيت المال؛ رفقا ببيت المال. وقيل: الأخذ هوالأصح؛ صيانة للقضاء عن الهوان ونظر المن، يولي بعده من المحتاجين، ويأخذ بقدر (الكفاية) له وليعاله. كذا في (عمدةالقاري). وقال في(العالمكيرية): إن كان القاضي فقيرا محتاجا الأولى أن يأخذ رزقه من بيت المال، بل يفترض عليه، فإنكان غنيا تكلموا فيه، والأولى أن لا يأخذ من بيت المال. كذا في (فتاوى قاضي خان). ولا يأخذ الرزق إلا من بيت مال الكورة التي يعمل فيها؛ لأنه يعمل لأهل هذه الكورة، فيكون رزقه في مالبيت هذه الكورة. كذا في (العتابية). كما يجوز كفاية القاضي من بيت المال يجعل كفاية عياله ومن يمونه من أهلهوأعوانه في مال بيت المال، ولم ينقل عن محمد أن القاضي هليأخذ الرزق في يوم العطلة اختلف المتأخرون فيه،والصحيح أنه يأخذ. كذا في (التاتارخانية). القاضي إذا كان يأخذ من بيت المال شيئًا لا يكون عاملا بالأجر، بل يكون عاملا للّه تعالى ويستوفي حقه من مال اللهتعالى، وكذا الفقهاء والعلماء والمعلمون الذين يعلمون القرآن. وروي أن أبا بكر، لما استخلف كان يأخذ الرزق من بيت المال، وكذا عمر وعلي ، وأما عثمان ، كان صاحب ثروة ويسار، فكان يحتسب، ولا يأخذ. كذا في (الخلاصة). ينبغي للإمام أن يوسع عليه وعلى عياله كيلا يطمع في أموال الناس. وروي أن رسول الله ﷺ لما بعثعتاب بن أسيد إلى مكة، وولَّاه أمرها، رزقه أربع مائة درهم في كل عام، وروي أن الصحابة أنه أجروا لأبي بكر مثل ذلك من بيت المال، وكان لعلي من بيت المال كل يوم قصعة من ثريد، وروي أن عليا ، فرض له خمس مائةدرهم في كل شهر. كذا في (البدائع).