207. al-Kāfi – narrating from Muhājir, on the authority of a man from the Thaqif tribe: “Ali ibn Abi Tālib (a.s.) appointed me as tax collector in the region of Bānqiyā and a village in Kufa and told me in the presence of the people, ‘See into the (land) taxes and make attempts in (collecting) them. Do not neglect even a single dirham, and whenever you want to go there come to me (first).’”
[He said,] “I went to him and he told me: ‘Indeed, what you heard from me was a kind of plan and tactic. Never beat a Muslim, a Jew or a Christian for a dirham of tax; or sell an animal used by people for [levying] taxes, because we are ordered to take from them the extras [to their income].”1
208. al-Sunan al-Kubrā – narrating from `Abd al-Malik ibn `Umayr: “A man from the Thaqif tribe told me that Ali ibn Abi Tālib (a.s.) assigned me [to collect taxes] over the vast region of Shāpur2 and said: “Never whip anyone for collecting a dirham of tax or sell their sustenance, their winter or summer clothes, or their animals that they use. And do not appoint a person to collect a dirham.”
The man said: “I told him: “O Commander of the Faithful! In that case I would return to you empty-handed as I left you empty-handed!’”
He said, “Even if you return as you left. Woe onto you! We are ordered to take from them the extras.”3
1.. al-Kāfi, vol. ۳, p. ۵۴۰, h. ۸, Tahdhib al-Ahkām, vol. ۴, p. ۹۸, h. ۲۷۵, Man lā yahdarahu al-Faqih, vol. ۲, p. ۲۴, h. ۱۶۰۵.
2.. An area in Baghdad.
3.. al-Sunan al-Kubrā, vol. ۹, p. ۳۴۵, h. ۱۸۷۳۶, Usd al-Ghāba, vol. ۴, p. ۹۸, h. ۳۷۸۹, Kanz al-`Ummāl, vol. ۴, p. ۵۰۱, h. ۱۱۴۸۸.