JULY 2
Oppressors Never Prosper
Nizam al-Mulk Tusi was the name of a famous vizier, prime minister, to two Seljuk kings—Alp Arsalan (1063-72) and Malik Shah (1073-92). He is remembered for his highly effective handling of the reigns of government, his control over affairs of state having been so complete that the king, it is said, was left with only two functions—sitting on the throne and going out hunting. Finally he fell victim to enemies of the Seljuk dynasty. An assassin, dressed in Sufi garb, slew him in the year 1092. His death signalled the beginning of the end for the Seljuks.
Christian and Muslim historians are unanimous in their praise of Nizam al-Mulk’s enlightened method of government. Professor P.K. Hitti, in his History of the Arabs, calls his period in power “one of the ornaments of the political history of Islam.” Among his most outstanding achievements was the establishment of the college of Nizamiyya, named after Nizam al-Mulk in 1067. It was from this college that Nizam al-Mulk used to draw educated people to operate the state’s executive and judiciary institutions. Nizam al-Mulk wrote a book on political theory, the Persian name of which is Siyasat-Nama. The book has been translated into English under the title The Book of Government Rules for Kings (tr. H. Drake, London, 1960). In this book Nizam al-Mulk wrote:
“An un-Islamic government may last a while, But tyranny cannot endure.”
This is a rule that applies, not only to kings, but to every single human being. Every individual has a certain area of influence and power. In a ruler’s case, this area is large, whereas in the case of an ordinary person, it is comparatively small. If one wishes to prosper on earth it is imperative that one refrain from oppression within one’s own domain. One who oppresses those over whom he wields power cannot himself escape punishment for his actions. In the case of most sins, God will punish their perpetrators in the next life. In the case of tyranny and oppression, the punishment for them starts in this very world. There is no way out for the tyrant. God will certainly redress the wrongs that he has done others. Sooner or later, he is sure to be visited by the wrath of God.
People usually oppress others with a view to consolidating their own position, and that of their offspring. But it is the very people they seek to protect who eventually fall victim to their oppression. If oppression and cruelty become permanent features of an individual’s policy, the savage after-effects of his own actions will cause suffering to his own kith and kin for generations to come.
