Al-Kafi 5862

Translation

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Hammad Bin Isa, from Hareyz, from Bureyd Bin Muawiya who said, ‘I heard Abu Abullah^asws saying: ‘Amir Al-Momineen^asws sent a <span class="iTxt">Zakāt</span> collector from Al-Kufa to its valleys, and said to him: ‘O servant of Allah^azwj! Go, and upon you be the fear of Allah^azwj Alone, there being no associates for Him^azwj, and do not be preferring your world upon your Hereafter, and be protective to what you are entrusted upon it as a shepherd of the Right of Allah^azwj, until you come over to the society of the clan of so and so. So when you set foot there, descend in their waters and do not mix in with their houses. Then go with tranquility and dignity until you are standing between them, and greet upon them. Then say to them, ‘O servants of Allah^azwj! A Guardian^asws of Allah^azwj has sent me in order to take from you a Right of Allah^azwj among your wealth. So, is there for Allah^azwj a Right in your wealth to pay it to His^azwj Guardian^asws?’ So if a spokesperson were say to you, ‘No’, then do not return him (ask him again); but if one of them says yes to you, so go with him from without having frightened him, or promising him except for goodness. So when you come to his wealth, do not enter it except by his permission, for most of it is for him. Then say, ‘O servant of Allah^azwj! Do you permit me regarding entering into your wealth?’ So if he was to permit you, do not enter it like the entering of the one dominant upon it, nor be arrogant with it. Split the wealth into two parts, then give him the choice whichever of the two parts he so likes. So whichever of the two he chooses, so do not object to him. Then split the remaining part into two parts, then give him the choice, so whichever of the two he chooses, do not object to it. And do not cease doing like that until there remain what can fulfil the Right of Allah^azwj Blessed and High, from his wealth. So when that remains, take possession of the Right of Allah^azwj from him, and if he were to ask for a reduction, reduce it. Then mix it and do similar to that which you had done firstly until you take the Right of Allah^azwj in his wealth. So when you take possession of it, do not allocate it except for a good adviser, kind, trustworthy, protective, without arrogance, from anything from it. Then bring over everything what is gathered with you, from every society, to us^asws, so we^asws can give it where Allah^azwj Mighty and Majestic has Commanded for. So when your messenger comes with it, advise him that he should neither impede between a she-camel and her young, nor effect a separation between the two, nor overdo her milking for that would be harmful with her young ones, not be excessive in riding her, and be equitable between these regarding that; and let them be watered at every watering place he passes by with them, and not isolate them from the vegetation of the earth to the middle of the road during the timings during which they should be resting and grazing; and let him be kind with them in his effort until he brings them over to us^asws by the Permission of Allah^azwj, healthy, fat, without tiredness or being over-worked. Thus, these would be distributed by the Permission of Allah^azwj upon the Book of Allah^azwj and the Sunnah of His^azwj Prophet^saww upon the friends of Allah^azwj. Thus, that would be great for your Recompense and closer for your righteous guidance. Allah^azwj is Looking at them and at you and to your efforts, and your advice to the one^asws who sent you and you sent, regarding his^asws need, for Rasool-Allah^saww said: ‘Allah^azwj does not Look at a friend of His^azwj who strives with his self with the obedience and the correct advice for himself and for his Imam^asws, except that he would be with us^saww among the lofty friends’. He (the narrator) said: ‘Then Abu Abdullah^asws wept, then said: ‘O Bureyd! No, by Allah^azwj! There does not remain (today) any sanctity for the Sake of Allah^azwj except that it is contravened, nor is there a deed being done by the Book of Allah^azwj or a Sunnah of His^azwj Prophet^saww in this world, nor a Limit is being established among these people since the passing away of Amir Al-Momineen^asws, nor has anything been done from the Truth by these people until this day’. Then he^asws said: ‘But, by Allah^azwj, The days and the night will not go away until Allah^azwj Revives the dead and Causes the living ones to die, and Allah^azwj Returns the Truth to its People^asws, and Establishes His^azw Religion which He^azwj is Pleased with for Himself^azwj and His^azwj Prophet^saww. Therefore, receive glad tidings, then receive glad tidings, then receive glad tidings, for by Allah^azwj, there is no Truth except (what will come) in your hands’.

Provided for research and educational purposes. Original source: Thaqalayn Project. Open License.