Letter 46: To one of his Officers

Now, you are surely one of those whose help I take in establishing religion and with whose help I break the haughtiness of the sinful and guard critical boundaries.

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّكَ مِمَّنْ أَسْتَظْهِرُ بِهِ عَلَى إِقَامَةِ الدِّينِ،

Now, you are surely one of those whose help I take in establishing religion

وَأَقْمَعُ بِهِ نَحْوَةَ الاْثِيمِ،

and with whose help I break the haughtiness of the sinful

وَأَسُدُّ بِهِ لَهَاةَ الثَّغْرِ الْـمَخُوفِ.

and guard critical boundaries.

فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللهِ عَلَى مَا أَهَمَّكَ،

You should seek Allah's help in whatever causes you anxiety.

وَاخْلِطِ الشِّدَّةَ بِضِغْث مِنَ اللِّينِ،

Add a little harshness to the mixture of leniency

وَارْفُقْ مَا كَانَ الرِّفْقُ أَرْفَقَ،

and remain lenient where leniency is more appropriate.

وَاعْتَزِمْ بِالشِّدَّةِ حِينَ لاَ تُغْنِي عَنْكَ إِلاَّ الشِّدَّةُ،

Adopt harshness when you cannot do without harshness.

وَاخْفِضْ لِلرَّعِيَّةِ جَنَاحَكَ،

Bend your wings (in humbleness) before the subjects.

وَابْسِطْ لَهُمْ وَجْهَكَ وَأَلِنْ لَهُمْ جَانِبَكَ،

Meet them with your face broad and keep yourself lenient (in behaviour) with them.

وَآسِ بَيْنَهُمْ فِي اللَّحْظَةِ وَالنَّظْرَةِ،

Treat them equally in looking at them with half eyes or full eyes,

وَالاْشَارَةِ وَالتَّحِيَّةِ،

in signalling and in greeting

حَتَّى لاَ يَطْمَعَ الْعُظَمَاءُ فِي حَيْفِكَ،

so that the great should not expect transgression on your part

وَلاَ يَيْأَسَ الضُّعَفَاءُ مِنْ عَدْلِكَ،

and the weak should not lose hope in your justice;

وَالسَّلاَمُ.

and that is an end to the matter.