Letter 20: To Ziyad ibn Abih

To Ziyad ibn Abih (son of his [unknown] father), when Abdullah ibn al-Abbas was the Governor of Basrah, the suburbs of Ahwaz, Fars and Kirman while Ziyad was his deputy in Basrah.

وَإِنِّي أُقْسِمُ بِاللهِ قَسَماً صَادِقاً،

I truthfully swear by Allah

لَئِنْ بَلَغَني أَنَّكَ خُنْتَ مِنْ فَيْءِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ شَيْئاً

that if I come to know that you have misappropriated the funds of the Muslims,

صَغِيراً أَوْ كَبِيراً،

small or big,

لاَشُدَّنَّ عَلَيْكَ شَدَّةً تَدَعُكَ قَلِيلَ الْوَفْرِ،

I shall inflict upon you such punishment which will leave you empty handed,

ثَقِيلَ الظَّهْرِ،

heavy backed

ضَئِيلَ الاْمْرِ،

and humiliated;

وَالسَّلاَمُ.

and that is an end to the matter.