نامه 50: به امیران سپاه خود · Letter 50

و من كتاب له (عليه السلام) إلي أمرائه علي الجيش

مِنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِلَي أَصْحَابِ الْمَسَالِحِ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ حَقّاً عَلَي الْوَالِي أَلَّا يُغَيِّرَهُ عَلَي رَعِيَّتِهِ فَضْلٌ نَالَهُ وَ لَا طَوْلٌ خُصَّ بِهِ وَ أَنْ يَزِيدَهُ مَا قَسَمَ اللَّهُ لَهُ مِنْ نِعَمِهِ دُنُوّاً مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَ عَطْفاً عَلَي إِخْوَانِهِ أَلَا وَ إِنَّ لَكُمْ عِنْدِي أَلَّا أَحْتَجِزَ دُونَكُمْ سِرّاً إِلَّا فِي حَرْبٍ وَ لَا أَطْوِيَ دُونَكُمْ أَمْراً إِلَّا فِي حُكْمٍ وَ لَا أُؤَخِّرَ لَكُمْ حَقّاً عَنْ مَحَلِّهِ وَ لَا أَقِفَ بِهِ دُونَ مَقْطَعِهِ وَ أَنْ تَكُونُوا عِنْدِي فِي الْحَقِّ سَوَاءً فَإِذَا فَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ وَجَبَتْ لِلَّهِ عَلَيْكُمُ النِّعْمَةُ وَ لِي عَلَيْكُمُ الطَّاعَةُ وَ أَلَّا تَنْكُصُوا عَنْ دَعْوَةٍ وَ لَا تُفَرِّطُوا فِي صَلَاحٍ وَ أَنْ تَخُوضُوا الْغَمَرَاتِ إِلَي الْحَقِّ فَإِنْ أَنْتُمْ لَمْ تَسْتَقِيمُوا لِي عَلَي ذَلِكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ أَحَدٌ أَهْوَنَ عَلَيَّ مِمَّنِ اعْوَجَّ مِنْكُمْ ثُمَّ أُعْظِمُ لَهُ الْعُقُوبَةَ وَ لَا يَجِدُ عِنْدِي فِيهَا رُخْصَةً فَخُذُوا هَذَا مِنْ أُمَرَائِكُمْ وَ أَعْطُوهُمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ مَا يُصْلِحُ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَمْرَكُمْ وَ السَّلَامُ.

From the servant of Allah, Ali, Amir al-Mu'minin to the Officer in-charge of Garrisons: Now, it is obligatory on an officer that the distinction he achieves, or the wealth with which he has been exclusively endowed, should not make him change his behaviour towards those under him, and that the riches Allah has bestowed on him should increase him in nearness to his people and kindness over his brethren. Beware, that it is obligatory for you on me that I should not keep anything secret from you except during war, nor should I decide any matter without consulting you except the commands of religion, nor should I ignore the fulfilment of any of your rights nor desist till I discharge it fully, and that for me all of you should be equal in rights. When I have done all this, it becomes obligatory on you to thank Allah for this bounty and to obey me, and you should not hold back when called, nor shirk good acts, and you should face harships for the sake of right. If you do not remain steadfast in this, there will be no one more humiliated in my view than the one among you who has deviated, and then I will increase the punishment for him, wherein no one will get any concession from me. Take this (pledge) from your (subordinate) officers and accord to them such behaviour from your side by which Allah may improve your matters; and that is an end to the matter.