Mutual rights of the ruler and the ruled

Delivered at the battle of Ṣiffīn

So now, Allāh, the Glorified, has, by placing me over your affairs, created my right over you, and you too have a right over me like mine over you. A right is very vast in description but very narrow in equitability of action. It does not accrue to any person unless it accrues against him also, and right does not accrue against a person unless it also accrues in his favour. If there is any right which is only in favour of a person with no (corresponding) right accruing against him it is solely for Allāh, the Glorified, and not for His creatures by virtue of His might over His creatures and by virtue of the justice permeating all His decrees. Of course, He the Glorified, has created His right over creatures that they should worship Him, and has laid upon Himself (the obligation of) their reward equal to several times the recompense as a mark of His bounty and the generosity that He is capable of.

[About mutual rights of the ruler and the ruled :] Then, from His rights, He, the Glorified, created certain rights for certain people against others. He made them so as to equate with one another. Some of these rights produce other rights. Some rights are such that they do not accrue except with others. The greatest of these rights that Allāh, the Glorified, has made obligatory is the right of the ruler over the ruled and the right of the ruled over the ruler. This is an obligation which Allāh, the Glorified, has placed on each other. He has made it the basis of their (mutual) affection, and an honour for their religion. Consequently, the ruled cannot prosper unless the rulers are sound, while the rulers cannot be sound unless the ruled are steadfast.

If the ruled fulfil the rights of the ruler and the ruler fulfils their rights, then right attains the position of honour among them, the ways of religion become established, signs of justice become fixed and the sunnah gains currency. In this way time will improve, the continuance of government will be expected, and the aims of the enemies will be frustrated.

One of Amīr al-mu’minīn’s companions replied to him by a long speech wherein he praised him much and mentioned his own listening to him and obeying him, whereupon Amīr al-mu’minīn said:

Therefore, do not abstain from saying a truth or pointing out a matter of justice because I do not regard myself above erring. [1] I do not escape erring in my actions but that Allāh helps me (in avoiding errors) in matters in which He is more powerful than I. Certainly, I and you are slaves owned by Allāh, other than Whom there is no Lord except Him. He owns our selves which we do not own. He took us from where we were towards what means prosperity to us. He altered our straying into guidance and gave us intelligence after blindness.