وقال عليه السلام لزياد بن أبيه. وقد استخلفَهُ لعبد الله بن العباس على فارس وأَعمالها، في كلامٍ طويلٍ كان بينهما، نهاه فيه عن تقدم الخَراج :
When Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, put Ziyad ibn Abih in place of Abdullah ibn Abbas over Fars (in Persia) and its revenues, he had a long conversation with him in which he prohibited him from advance recovery of revenue. Therein he said:
اسْتَعْمِلِ الْعَدْلَ،
Act on justice
وَاحْذَرِ الْعَسْفَ والْحَيْفَ
and keep aloof from violence and injustice
فَإِنَّ الْعَسْفَ يَعُودُ بِالْجَلاَءِ،
because violence will lead them to forsake their abodes
وَالْحَيْفَ يَدْعُو إِلَى السَّيْفِ.
while injustice will prompt them to take up arms.
