Peak of Eloquence Nahjul Balagha By Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib - English Translation - Letter 26

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Given to One of His Officers Whom He Sent for the Collection of Zakat and Charities.

He (Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib [x]) ordered him to fear Allah in his

secret matters and hidden actions, where there is no witness except the One and only Who watches over all. He also orders him that whatever he does in obedience to Allah openly should not be different from what he does secretly. Anyone whose hidden attitude is not different from his open one and whose action is not different from his words has discharged his obligation and his adoration is pure.

He also ordered him that he should not harass the public. He should not be harsh to them and should not turn away from them because of the superiority of his official status over them because they are all brethren in faith and assist in the recovery of taxes:

Certainly, you have a fixed share and a known right in this levy, and there are others who are poor, weak and starving. We shall discharge your rights. So, you should [first] discharge their rights. If you do not do so, you will have the largest number of enemies on the Day of Judgement. How wretched is the man whose enemies in the view of Allah are theneedy, the destitute, the beggars, the turned away, the indebted and the (penniless) travellers?! Whoever treats the trust lightly, indulges in treachery and does not keep himself and his faith untarnished by it has certainly secured humiliation in this world while his humiliation and
disgrace in the next world will be much greater. Surely, the greatest treachery is the treachery against the Muslim community, and the most ugly deceit is deceiving the Muslim leaders, and that is the end of the matter.