Letters
To tax collectors
وَلَا تَدَّخِرُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ نَصِيحَةً، وَلَا الْجُنْدَ حُسْنَ سِيرَةٍ، وَلَا الرَّعِيَّةَ مَعُونَةً، وَلَا دِينَ اللهِ قُوَّةً، وَأَبْلُوا فِي سَبيلِ اللهِ مَا اسْتَوْجَبَ عَلَيْكُمْ، فَإِنَّ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ قَدِ اصْطَنَعَ عِنْدَنَا وَعِنْدَكُمْ أَنْ نَشْكُرَهُ بِجُهْدِنَا، وَأَنْ نَنْصُرَهُ بِمَا بَلَغَتْ قُوَّتُنَا، وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ.
Do not deny good counsel to yourself, good behaviour to the army, succour to the subjects and strength to the religion of Allāh. Strive in the way of Allāh as is obligatory on you, because Allāh the Glorified, desires us and you to be thankful to Him as best as we can and that we should help Him to the best of our power. And there is no power save with Allāh, the All-high, the All-glorious.
Letters
To various governors concerning prayers
ومن كتاب له (عليه السلام) إلى أمراء البلاد في معنى الصلاة
To the Governors of various places concerning prayers
أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَصَلُّوا بَالنَّاسِ الظُّهْرَ حَتَّى تَفِيءَ الشَّمْسُ مِنْ مَرْبِضِ الْعَنْزِ.
Now, say the ẓuhr (noon) prayers with the people when the shade of the wall of the goats’ pen is equal to the wall.
وَصَلُّوا بِهِمُ الْعَصْرَ وَالشَّمْسُ بَيْضَاءُ حَيَّةٌ فِي عُضْوٍ مِنَ النَّهَارِ حِينَ يُسَارُ فِيهَا فَرْسَخَانِ.
Say the ‘aṣr (afternoon) prayers with them when the sun is still shining in a portion of the day enough for covering the distance of two farsakhs (about six miles).
وَصَلُّوا بِهِمُ الْمَغْرِبَ حِينَ يُفْطِرُ الصَّائِمُ، وَيَدْفَعُ الْحَاجُّ إِلَى مِنًى.
Say the maghrib (sunset) prayers when he who is fasting ends the fast and the pilgrim rushes (from ‘Arafat) to Minā.
وَصَلُّوا بِهِمُ الْعِشَاءَ حِينَ يَتَوَارَى الشَّفَقُ إِلَى ثُلُثِ اللَّيْلِ.
Say the ‘ishā’ (night) prayers with them when twilight disappears and upto one third of the night.
وَصَلُّوا بِهِمُ الْغَدَاةَ والرَّجُلُ يَعْرِفُ وَجْهَ صَاحِبِهِ.
Say the (early) morning prayers with them when a man can recognize the face of his companion.
وَصَلُّوا بِهِمْ صَلَاةَ أَضْعَفِهِمْ، وَلَا تَكُونُوا فَتَّانِينَ.
Say the prayers with the people as the weakest of them would do and do not be a source of trouble to them.
Letters
Instructions for Malik al-Ashtar upon his appointment as the governor of Egypt
ومن عهد له (عليه السلام) كتبه للأشتر النخعي لما ولاه على مصر وأعمالها حين اضطرب أمر أميرها محمد بن أبي بكر، وهو أطول عهد كتبه وأجمع للمحاسن
Instructions [1] written for (Mālik) al-Ashtar an-Nakha‘ī, when the position of Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr had become precarious, and Amīr al-mu’minīn had appointed al-Ashtar as the Governor of Egypt and the surrounding areas; it is the longest document and contains the greatest number of beautiful sayings.
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allāh, the Compassionate, the Merciful
