LETTERS FO HAZRAT UMAR

1. Letter to Abu Musa Ashari (Governor of Kufa) Regarding Judiciary

and its Functions
The historic letter written by Hazrat Umar R.A to Abu Musa Ashari R. A, Governor of
Kufa. It contained the golden principles of quick justice without fear and favor. The
contents of the whole letter are being reproduced below.
(a) Selecting the Judge
Try your best to understand with depth and wisdom whenever you are appointed as
judge, on the basis of evidence and proof, and enforce the right, if it is established,
because it is useless to talk about a right which is not enforceable.
(b) Justice in all form
And make sure that you do full justice between the litigant parties, not only through
your judgments, but also through your facial expressions and body language, so that an
influential man never hopes for any kind of injustice from you, nor a powerless person
need question you fairness.
(c) Burden of proof /Evidence
Remember that the burden of proof is always on the plaintiff and the complainant and the
obligation of oath is upon the defendant and the respondent.
(d) Principle of Reconciliation
Reconciliation is allowed between Muslims, provided it does not permit what is
prohibited or prohibits what is permissible.
(e) Perceptive and Judicious
And you must be perceptive and judicious regarding whatever comes to your mind which
is not revealed in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah. Then search for earlier, similar
examples from the Quran and Sunnah.
(f) Judgment on the principle of Quran and Sunnah
And compare your unprecedented thoughts and ideas with what you have discovered and
then base your judgment upon what is closest to the guidance of the Almighty and nearest
to the truth.
(g) Timely Justice
And set a deadline for a complainant who is asking for a right and accept his claim if
he/she manages to produce evidence. This will leave no room for any excuse.
(h) Qualification of Witness
Muslims are equal before you as witnesses unless someone is convicted in a Hadd
(adultery) case or proved guilty of fake testimony or is seen as serving the personal
interest of a friend or relative. Almighty Allah takes responsibility of secrets and will
relieve you of your responsibility if you decide a case on the basis of evidence and proof
(i) Calmness in administering the justice
And beware of showing anger, getting annoyed and upset, hurting people and shying
away from deciding a case. Do not forget that adjudication with justice and truth will
 entitle you to some great reward from the Almighty in this world and the hereafter as the
one who makes his intentions pure regarding what is between him and other human
beings.
Critical Appraisal
1. Hazrat Umar R.A took extreme care in the selection of Judges and those chosen were
of the best character and most knowledgeable in the whole Islamic World.
2. He also organized tests for them.
3. Even though judges were appointed by the governors in their respective domains,
Hazrat UmarR.A still used to personally meet them and approve their appointments on
the basis of their knowledge and experience.
4. Besides, he also personally appeared before judges many times in disputes, in order to
ascertain their competence and neutrality.

Letter of Hazrat Umar R.A to Abu Ubaidah

When a group of Muslims flouted the Islamic ban on wine in the Euphoria over the
Conquest of Damascus, Hazrat Abu Ubaidah complained Caliph Hazrat Umar R.A about
the situation. Hazrat Umar R.A wrote letter to Abu Ubaidah:
“Flog 80 lashes to those who drink wine. Being grateful over the Damascus victory,
the Arabs should have feared from God, had faith in him and paid gratitude to him.
If anyone again drinks wine, then impose the punishment.”

Critical Appraisal:
1. In no case, the Islamic rules/bans may be violated.
2. The success/victory should not lead towards unchecked license/euphoria; instead
people should pay gratitude to God.

Letter of Hazrat Umar R.A to Utba Bin Ghazwan (Governor of Iraq)

“Refrain Muslims from committing excessive against the Zimmi’s. Always afraid of
reneging on a promise and excessive as it may cast you your leadership/governance. You
have been blessed by God with the governorship owing to a pledge of loyalty and a trust.
Keep this trust intact.”
Critical Appraisal
1. That is a responsibility of state to protect non-Muslims minority from the
excessive/atrocities of Muslims who constitute majority.
2. That a Governor/Civil Servant should fulfill his commitments.
3. That governorship/position of responsibility is a trust of God.
4. A Civil Servant should be God-fearing.

ADMINISTRATION OF HAZRAT ALI (R.A

Hazrat Ali (RA) was endowed with great intellectual powers. He was wise in counsel, intelligent,
scholarly and eloquent in speech and learned in the science and law of Islam.
 Revenue Administration and bait-ul Mal
 Stipends from Bait ul Mal to the poor
 Kindness to non-muslims; Co-existence and pluralism
 Justice and Rule of Law
 Administration of Army; Formation of new Cantonments
 Preaching of Islam: Leading by Example; I am the city of knowledge and
ëAli is its gate; so whoever desires knowledge, let him enter the gate.í
Bukhari

Letters of Hazrat Ali to to Different Authorities

Letter to Malik Al-Ashtar (Governor of Egypt)

1. The Richest Treasure

Public opinion is an administrator’s mirror image; as such only good deeds are one’s
richest treasure. Treat public kindly and do not fight with God by acts of transgression.
Be it known to you, O, Malik, that I am sending you as Governor to a country which in the past
has experienced both just and unjust rule. Men will scrutinise your actions with a searching eye,
even as you used to scrutinize the actions of those before you, and speak of you even as you did
speak of them.

2. The Common Man

the common man, not the privileged few, is the strength of the state and the religion: treat
him with justice and compassion
Maintain justice in administration and impose it on your own self and seek the consent of the
people. It is the common man who is the strength of the State and Religion. It is he who fights
the enemy. So live in close contact with the masses and be mindful of their welfare.

3. The Counselors
Seeking counsel is essential for good statecraft but choose your counsellors very prudently
Never take counsel of a miser, for he will vitiate your magnanimity and frighten you of poverty.
Do not take the advice of a coward either, for he will weaken your resolve. Do not take counsel
of the greedy: for he will instill greed in you and turn you into a tyrant. Never let men who have
been companions of tyrants or shared their crimes be your counsellors

4. Different Classes of People

There are different but interdependent classes in a society whose survival and progress
depends upon the mutual cooperation among these classes. The foremost duty of the ruler
is to maintain harmonious class relations by effectively and judiciously using the different
organs of the state.

5. The Army
The army, by the grace of God, is like a fortress to the people and lends dignity to the state. It
upholds the prestige of the faith and maintains the peace of the country. Without it the state
cannot stand. In its turn, it cannot stand without the support of the state. Our soldiers have proved
strong before the enemy because of the privilege God has given them to fight for Him.

6. Military Administration
Welfare of the soldiers is essential for good administration and survival of the state. Muslim
army who can succor the weak and smite the strong. Care for them with the tenderness with
which you care for your children, and do not talk before them of any good that you might have
done to them, nor disregard any expression of affection which they show in return, for such
conduct inspires loyalty, devotion and goodwill.

7. The Real Guidance

Turn to God and to His Prophet for guidance whenever you feel uncertain as to what you
have to do.

8. Chief Judge
Select the most upright persons as the Chief Justice/judges, treat them with dignity, pay
them handsomely and punish those who misuse their authority. One who is not obsessed
with domestic worries, one who cannot be intimidated, and one who does not err too often, one
who does not turn back from a right path once he finds it.

9. Revenue Administration
Revenue collection is secondary to land improvement and the welfare of those who till it
Great care is to be exercised in revenue administration, to ensure the prosperity of those who pay
the revenue to the state, for on their prosperity depends the prosperity of others. for revenue
cannot be derived except by making the land productive. He who demands revenue without
helping the cultivator to improve his land, inflicts unmerited hardship on the cultivator and ruins
the state. The rule of such a person does not last long.

10. Clerical Establishment

Choose your civil officers and staff after due diligence because their weaknesses will be
written down against you in your scroll of deeds. Select the best among you possess high
character and deserve your full confidence, men who may not exploit their privileged position to
go against you, who may not grow neglectful of their duties.

11. Trade and Industry

Facilitate trade and business to flourish but ensure that they comply with good business
and trade practices
12. Good Governance
Benevolence towards the poor is the ultimate test of good governance. For God’s sake,
safeguard their rights, for on you rests the responsibility of protecting their interests. Assign for
their uplift a portion of the state exchequer (Bayt al-Mal), wherever they may be, whether close
at hand or far away from you.

13. Open Conferences

Hold periodic open conferences to ascertain the views of common people and redress their
grievances promptly and sympathetically.

14. Communion with God

Best communion with God is to spend every moment of your life sincerely in the service of
your people. When you lead in congregational prayer, do not let your prayer be so lengthy as to
cause discomfort to the congregation or raise in them the feeling of dislike for it.

15. Aloofness not Desirable

Aloofness from public is not a desirable trait of an administrator as it distorts his
perspectives about good and bad, right and wrong, just or unjust

16. Merit
Avoid nepotism at all costs and deal with every case on its merits without any fear or
favour. Make this clear to yourself that those immediately about and around you, will like to
exploit their position to covet what belongs to others and commit acts of injustice.

17. Peace and Treaties

Believe in peaceful coexistence, never break the terms of peace agreement or cheat your
enemies. But be on your guard always
Bear in mind that you do not throw away the offer of peace which your enemy may himself
make.Accept it, for that will please God.

18. Security of Life

Shedding blood without a valid cause shortens the life of a state.
19. Decision-Making
Take time to arrive at a decision after due diligence and in consultation with people but
implement it promptly keeping cool

20. Last Instructions

Constant learning about the principles and practices of good governance is necessary for
faithful discharge of duties as a public servant
It is imperative on you to study carefully the principles which have inspired just and good rulers
who have gone before you. Give close thought to the example of our Prophet, his traditions, and
the commandments of the Holy Qur’an
Letter to Abdullah Bin Al-Abbas, (His Governor In Basra)

“Let it be known to you that sometimes a man gets pleased at securing a thing which he
was not going to miss at all and gets displeased at missing a thing which he would not in
any case get. Your pleasure should be about what you secure in respect of your next life
and your grief should be for what you miss in respect thereof. Do not be much pleased on
what you secure from this world, nor get extremely grieved over what you miss out of it.
Your worry should be about what is to come after death.”

Letter to one of his Officers

“Now, the cultivators (dahaaqin, plural of dihqaan) of your city have complained of your
strictness, hard heartedness, humiliating treatment and harshness. I though over it and
found that since they are unbelievers they cannot be brought near nor kept away or treated
severely because of the pledge with them. Behave with them in between strictness and
softness