Justice
Parity before the law
A woman by the name of Fatimah, belonging to the Banu Makhzum tribe, once committed a theft. Her kinsfolk, fearing that her hand would be amputated, sent Usamah ibn Zayd to intercede with the Prophet on her behalf. When the Prophet had heard their case, signs of anger appeared on his face. “Are you trying to sway me as to the limits laid down by God?” he asked. Usama ibn Zayd immediately admitted his mistake and begged the Prophet to pray on his behalf for forgiveness. The Prophet then preached a sermon to those assembled there, in which he said: “Communities of old came to grief because of the leniency shown to those in high positions when they committed a theft, which was in contrast to the punishment meted out to any thief of humble origin. By the one who has control over my soul, if my own daughter Fatimah were to steal, I would have her hand cut off!”
(AL-BUKHARI, MUSLIM)
Never sacrifice the truth to
arrogance and jealousy
Prior to the Battle of the Trench, certain Madinan Jews, amongst whom were Hayy ibn Akhtab and Kaab ibn Ashraf, betook themselves to Makkah where they succeeded in inciting the Quraysh to attack Madinah, assuring them of the local support of the Jewish community. The chieftains of the Quraysh pointed out to the Jews that they were the custodians of the Ka’bah and served those who made the pilgrimage to Makkah. They wanted to know if their religion was better, or that of Muhammad. The Jewish scholars said that the religion of the Quraysh was the better; that they followed a truer path.
(IBN HISHAM, SIRAH)
Great and small weigh alike
in the scales of justice
An Egyptian came before Umar ibn Khattab, seeking refuge from oppression. Umar granted his request, and then the Egyptian explained what had befallen him. “The son of the governor of Egypt, Muhammad ibn Amr ibn al-Aas, ran a race with me and I won it. He became so incensed at this that he started lashing me with a whip and shouting, ‘I am a nobleman’s son! Take that!’ On hearing this, Umar immediately wrote to Amr ibn al-Aas to bring his son to Madinah. When they arrived, Umar summoned the Egyptian, handed him a whip and told him to start lashing Muhammad, the son of Amr ibn al-Aas. When the Egyptian had given the son a good whipping, Umar told him to start whipping the father, because, in the first place, it was the father’s power that had made it possible for Muhammad ibn Amr ibn al-Aas to subject the Egyptian to a beating. “I have beaten the one who beat me,” said the Egyptian. “Now I need not beat anyone else.” If you had beaten him, we would not have stopped you,” said Umar. “But if you yourself let him go, that is your choice.” Then turning to Amr ibn al-Aas, he asked: “Since when have you been enslaving people who were free when their mothers bore them?”
(IBN ABDIL HAKAM)
A good leader must ensure that his orders are effectively carried out
“Suppose I appoint someone who appear to be a good leader and command him to make justice his ideal,” said Umar, “tell me—will I have discharged my responsibilities?” Those assembled replied that he would have done all that could be expected of him. “Not so,” replied Umar. “I should also have to see to it that he does as I command.”
(AL-BAYHAQI, IBN ASAKIR)
Whenever Umar appointed a new governor, he would make enquires about him from envoys from the land he ruled over. Was he a ruler who cared about his subjects, did he visit slaves and walk in funeral processions? Was he accessible to his people and sympathetic towards those who came to his door? If the answers were that he heard cases sympathetically and looked after slaves well, Umar would permit his rule to continue, but otherwise he would promptly appoint another governor to relieve him of his post.
(KANZ AL-UMMAL)
Impartial decision-making
Juadah ibn Hurayrah once came to Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, and asked him what he would do if two men were ever to come before him, one of whom was so fond of him that he would put him before his own self, while the other hated him so much that, given the chance, he would cut his throat. Would Ali decide in favour of the first and against the second? “If the decision were truly in my hands, I should please myself. But it is not. It is in the hands of God.”
(KANZ AL-UMMAL)
Making the Quran one’s greatest preoccupation
Whenever officials were to be despatched on missions, Umar would make them promise not to ride on Turkish horses, eat fine flour or wear silken clothes, and not to close their doors to the needy. He warned them that if they fell into any of these errors, they would be punished. Then, having extracted this promise from them, he would send them off. If Umar had to relieve some official of his duties, he would say to him:
“I did not appoint you to lord over the Muslims so that you could indulge in carnage and despoil them of their honour and their property. I appointed you to establish prayer, to distribute the spoils of war and to make just decisions concerning them.”
(AL-BAYHAQI, AL-SUNAN AL-KUBRA)
Abu Hasin relates how Umar used to tell newly appointed officials to make the Quran their greatest pre-occupation and to place less emphasis on relating the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad: “And I am with you,” he would add.
(AL-TABARANI)
No adverse reaction to rude behaviour
Anas ibn Malik tells of how, once, when he and the Prophet, who was garbed in a thick-bordered Abyssinian shawl, were walking along together, they came across a man of rustic appearance, who came up to them and caught hold of the Prophet’s shawl. He pulled at it with such force that marks appeared on the Prophet’s neck. “O Muhammad, give me some of God’s wealth which is in your keeping,” said the man. Quite unaffected by the man’s rudeness, the Prophet smiled and gave orders for him to be provided for from the Treasure according to his needs.
(AL-BUKHARI, MUSLIM)
When the elite prove trustworthy, others follow suit
On receiving the Persian emperor’s precious sword, his belt, jewels and ornaments, Umar said: “The men who have handed over these things have proved themselves truly trustworthy.” “Your own honesty has had its effect upon your subjects,” remarked Ali
(IBN JARIR)
Putting allegiance before controversy
While on their pilgrimage, the Prophet Muhammad and his successors, Abu Bakr and Umar, used to shorten their prayers to two rakats during their stay in Mina. Uthman did likewise in the early days of his Caliphate, but later returned to the normal four rakats. When Abdullah ibn Masud heard of this change, he registered his disapproval by saying, “We belong to God and unto Him will we return.” He then arose and prayed four rakats himself. When questioned about having expressed his disapproval, only to do the very thing of which he disapproved, Ibn Masud explained, “It would be wicked to go against the Caliph.” Abu Dharr was equally indignant at Uthman’s action, but he, too, prayed the full four rakats. When asked why he emulated the very action for which he condemned Uthman, Abu Dharr said: “It would be much worse to go against him.”
(QATADAH)
What pleases and displeases God
Abu Hurayrah records the Prophet as saying:
“There are three things which please God and three things which displease Him. It pleases Him when you worship Him and do not ascribe to Him any partners, and it pleases him when you cling to his rope with one accord, always in perfect harmony. It also pleases Him when you feel well-intentioned towards one whom he has entrusted with the control of your affairs. The three things which displease Him are wrangling, being over-inquisitive and squandering one’s wealth.”
(MUSLIM, SAHIH)
