Post by Islamic Revival on Jun 20, 2004 4:52:07 GMT -5
An article from The Dawn Newspaper, www.dawn.com, 20.06.2004
Work ethic among Muslims
www.dawn.com/2004/06/20/op.htm
By Anwar Syed
Muslim statesmen and thinkers maintained that in addition to being learned in the law, a judge should be a good listener, willing to bear with detail, patient and persevering in examining the facts and arguments placed before him, and that he should settle issues without fear or favour. Such men were hard to find, and they should therefore be paid well if they were to be retained in service. In terms of protocol, they should be placed high enough so that other officials could not intimidate them.
Let the judges be above every kind of pressure or influence, beyond intrigue or corruption, wrote Ali ibn Abu Talib, the fourth pious caliph, in his massive (over 8,000 word) and celebrated letter of directives to Malik bin Ashtar. In his well-known work on governance and politics, Siyasat Nama, Nizam al-Mulk also spoke of the judiciary's exalted station. Judges, he wrote, were the caliph's deputies and "standard bearers."
Their prestige and their reputation should be high, and all other public officials must aid them and uphold the dignity of their courts. If anyone ignored summon to appear in court, he should be compelled to attend, however high of rank he might be.
Needless to say, graft among public officials is condemned, and so is nepotism. They are urged to accept an ascetic discipline, keep their "extravagant and inordinate yearnings" under control. They are not to keep for themselves "anything which is the common property of all."
It may be recalled that Umar bin Khattab, the second pious caliph, confiscated one half of the property of Amr ibn al-Ass (governor of Egypt at the time) on the ground that some of it might have been acquired or retained improperly. Even if no misappropriation was involved, wrote Umar, the governor should have spent a larger proportion of his acquisitions in the way of God instead of accumulating them.
In his biography of Umar (Al Faruq), Maulana Shibli Nomani wrote that under Umar's rule every official (amil) filed a declaration of his assets upon taking office, and if his financial status improved noticeably during his employment, he was asked to account for it. The appointees also pledged to shun "Turkish horses, fine clothes, and fine flour."
A public official is not to let his personal interest intrude upon his duty to safeguard the "rights of mankind." Nor is he to confer benefits upon undeserving men and, thus, incite jealousies among others. In making appointments, he should scrutinize the capabilities and the character of candidates and make decisions without allowing "external influences" to bear on his consideration.
Friends and relatives do tend to surround a ruler and attempt to misdirect his actions. "If you find such men around you," said Ali to one of his governors, "do away with them and bring this scandalous situation to an end." Nizam al-Mulk counsels that public officials should not be admitted into the circle of the king's "boon companions", and the latter should not be appointed to public offices. Business and pleasure should be kept apart.
Once Umar's sons went to Egypt for a visit, and in that connection he wrote to the governor, saying: "If a member of my family sees you, you must not give him any gifts or otherwise treat with him in a preferential manner. If you do, suitable action will be taken against you."
Nizam al-Mulk advises that the king must maintain an efficient system of surveillance and reporting. He should keep himself posted on the condition of the peasantry, state of law enforcement, and the conduct of public officials. Overseers should send him situation reports regularly and promptly.
If he does not find and punish the wrongs his agents are committing, the people will feel that if he knows of them and does not prevent them, he is an oppressor like them, and if he does not know, he is negligent and ignorant. It is, therefore, vital to have ministers and officials who will tell the ruler the "bitter truth" unreservedly, without embellishing it merely to make it sound good. Umar and Ali voice the same concern in their official correspondence.
Nizam al-Mulk observes that persons should be appointed to watch the conduct of judges, tax collectors, police officers, and inspectors of weights and measures. Those found to be dishonest should be dismissed, and barred from future employment. Their assets should be seized, their victims compensated, and the remainder of their ill-gotten possessions confiscated.
Earlier Ali had given Malik the same advice.
Find the best available person for the job to be done. Nizam al-Mulk quotes the Prophet (PBUH) to the effect that he who appoints a man to a position, knowing that a better man is present in the community, has betrayed God, his Prophet, and the entire body of Muslims.
Work ethic among Muslims
www.dawn.com/2004/06/20/op.htm
By Anwar Syed
Muslim statesmen and thinkers maintained that in addition to being learned in the law, a judge should be a good listener, willing to bear with detail, patient and persevering in examining the facts and arguments placed before him, and that he should settle issues without fear or favour. Such men were hard to find, and they should therefore be paid well if they were to be retained in service. In terms of protocol, they should be placed high enough so that other officials could not intimidate them.
Let the judges be above every kind of pressure or influence, beyond intrigue or corruption, wrote Ali ibn Abu Talib, the fourth pious caliph, in his massive (over 8,000 word) and celebrated letter of directives to Malik bin Ashtar. In his well-known work on governance and politics, Siyasat Nama, Nizam al-Mulk also spoke of the judiciary's exalted station. Judges, he wrote, were the caliph's deputies and "standard bearers."
Their prestige and their reputation should be high, and all other public officials must aid them and uphold the dignity of their courts. If anyone ignored summon to appear in court, he should be compelled to attend, however high of rank he might be.
Needless to say, graft among public officials is condemned, and so is nepotism. They are urged to accept an ascetic discipline, keep their "extravagant and inordinate yearnings" under control. They are not to keep for themselves "anything which is the common property of all."
It may be recalled that Umar bin Khattab, the second pious caliph, confiscated one half of the property of Amr ibn al-Ass (governor of Egypt at the time) on the ground that some of it might have been acquired or retained improperly. Even if no misappropriation was involved, wrote Umar, the governor should have spent a larger proportion of his acquisitions in the way of God instead of accumulating them.
In his biography of Umar (Al Faruq), Maulana Shibli Nomani wrote that under Umar's rule every official (amil) filed a declaration of his assets upon taking office, and if his financial status improved noticeably during his employment, he was asked to account for it. The appointees also pledged to shun "Turkish horses, fine clothes, and fine flour."
A public official is not to let his personal interest intrude upon his duty to safeguard the "rights of mankind." Nor is he to confer benefits upon undeserving men and, thus, incite jealousies among others. In making appointments, he should scrutinize the capabilities and the character of candidates and make decisions without allowing "external influences" to bear on his consideration.
Friends and relatives do tend to surround a ruler and attempt to misdirect his actions. "If you find such men around you," said Ali to one of his governors, "do away with them and bring this scandalous situation to an end." Nizam al-Mulk counsels that public officials should not be admitted into the circle of the king's "boon companions", and the latter should not be appointed to public offices. Business and pleasure should be kept apart.
Once Umar's sons went to Egypt for a visit, and in that connection he wrote to the governor, saying: "If a member of my family sees you, you must not give him any gifts or otherwise treat with him in a preferential manner. If you do, suitable action will be taken against you."
Nizam al-Mulk advises that the king must maintain an efficient system of surveillance and reporting. He should keep himself posted on the condition of the peasantry, state of law enforcement, and the conduct of public officials. Overseers should send him situation reports regularly and promptly.
If he does not find and punish the wrongs his agents are committing, the people will feel that if he knows of them and does not prevent them, he is an oppressor like them, and if he does not know, he is negligent and ignorant. It is, therefore, vital to have ministers and officials who will tell the ruler the "bitter truth" unreservedly, without embellishing it merely to make it sound good. Umar and Ali voice the same concern in their official correspondence.
Nizam al-Mulk observes that persons should be appointed to watch the conduct of judges, tax collectors, police officers, and inspectors of weights and measures. Those found to be dishonest should be dismissed, and barred from future employment. Their assets should be seized, their victims compensated, and the remainder of their ill-gotten possessions confiscated.
Earlier Ali had given Malik the same advice.
Find the best available person for the job to be done. Nizam al-Mulk quotes the Prophet (PBUH) to the effect that he who appoints a man to a position, knowing that a better man is present in the community, has betrayed God, his Prophet, and the entire body of Muslims.