Letter 40: To one of his officers

I have come to know such a thing about you that if you have done so then you have displeased your Lord, disobeyed your Imam and betrayed your trust.

أَمَّا بَعْدُ،

Now,

فَقَدْ بَلَغَنِي عَنْكَ أَمْرٌ،

I have come to know such a thing about you

إِنْ كُنْتَ فَعَلْتَهُ فَقَدْ أَسْخَطْتَ رَبَّكَ،

that if you have done so then you have displeased your Lord,

وَعَصَيْتَ إِمَامَكَ،

disobeyed your Imam

وَأَخْزَيْتَ أَمَانَتَكَ.

and betrayed your trust.

بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكَ جَرَّدْتَ الاْرْضَ فأَخَذْتَ مَا تَحْتَ قَدَمَيْكَ،

I have come to know that you have razed the ground and taken away whatever was under your feet

وَأَكَلْتَ مَا تَحْتَ يَدَيْكَ،

and devoured what ever was in your hands.

فَارْفَعْ إِلَيَّ حِسَابَكَ،

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وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ حِسَابَ اللهِ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ حِسَابِ النَّاسِ،

and know that the accounting to Allah will be severer than that to the people;

وَالسَّلاَمُ.

and that is an end to the matter.