دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى ( عليه السلام ) فَقَالَ لِي يَا زِيَادُ إِنَّكَ لَتَعْمَلُ عَمَلَ السُّلْطَانِ قَالَ قُلْتُ أَجَلْ قَالَ لِي وَ لِمَ قُلْتُ أَنَا رَجُلٌ لِي مُرُوءَةٌ وَ عَلَيَّ عِيَالٌ وَ لَيْسَ وَرَاءَ ظَهْرِي شَيْءٌ فَقَالَ لِي يَا زِيَادُ لَأَنْ أَسْقُطَ مِنْ حَالِقٍ فَأَتَقَطَّعَ قِطْعَةً قِطْعَةً أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ أَتَوَلَّى لِأَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ عَمَلًا أَوْ أَطَأَ بِسَاطَ أَحَدِهِمْ إِلَّا لِمَا ذَا قُلْتُ لَا أَدْرِي جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَقَالَ إِلَّا لِتَفْرِيجِ كُرْبَةٍ عَنْ مُؤْمِنٍ أَوْ فَكِّ أَسْرِهِ أَوْ قَضَاءِ دَيْنِهِ يَا زِيَادُ إِنَّ أَهْوَنَ مَا يَصْنَعُ اللَّهُ بِمَنْ تَوَلَّى لَهُمْ عَمَلًا أَنْ يُضْرَبَ عَلَيْهِ سُرَادِقٌ مِنْ نَارٍ إِلَى أَنْ يَفْرُغَ اللَّهُ مِنْ حِسَابِ الْخَلَائِقِ يَا زِيَادُ فَإِنْ وُلِّيتَ شَيْئاً مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ فَأَحْسِنْ إِلَى إِخْوَانِكَ فَوَاحِدَةٌ بِوَاحِدَةٍ وَ اللَّهُ مِنْ وَرَاءِ ذَلِكَ يَا زِيَادُ أَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ مِنْكُمْ تَوَلَّى لِأَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ عَمَلًا ثُمَّ سَاوَى بَيْنَكُمْ وَ بَيْنَهُمْ فَقُولُوا لَهُ أَنْتَ مُنْتَحِلٌ كَذَّابٌ يَا زِيَادُ إِذَا ذَكَرْتَ مَقْدُرَتَكَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَاذْكُرْ مَقْدُرَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكَ غَداً وَ نَفَادَ مَا أَتَيْتَ إِلَيْهِمْ عَنْهُمْ وَ بَقَاءَ مَا أَتَيْتَ إِلَيْهِمْ عَلَيْكَ .
Translation
Al Husayn Bin Al Hassan Al Hashimy, from Salih Bin Abu Hammad, from Muhammad Bin Khalid, from Ziyad Bin Abu Salma who said, ‘I went over to Abu Al-Hassan Musa<sup>asws</sup>, so he<sup>asws</sup> said to me: ‘O Ziyad! You are working as an office-bearer of the Sultan (ruling authority)?’ I said, ‘Yes’. He<sup>asws</sup> said to me: ‘And why?’ I said, ‘I am a man with magnanimity for me, and upon me are dependents, and there is nothing upon my back (no wealth)’. So he<sup>asws</sup> said to me: ‘O Ziyad! If I<sup>asws</sup> were to fall down from a high mountain and be cut into pieces and pieces, it would be more beloved to me<sup>asws</sup> than I<sup>asws</sup> govern for anyone from them as an office-bearer, or roll out a carpet for one of them, except for that’ I said, ‘I do not understand, may I be sacrificed for you<sup>asws</sup>’. So he<sup>asws</sup> said: ‘Except for relieving the suffering of a Believer, or freeing his chains, or paying off his debts. O Ziyad! The easiest of what Allah<sup>azwj</sup> would Deal with the one who rules for them as an office-bearer is that He<sup>azwj</sup> would Set up over them pavilions of Fire until Allah<sup>azwj</sup> is Free from Reckoning the creatures. O Ziyad! So if you were to govern anything from their works, so reckon to your brethren, one with one (equal terms), and Allah<sup>azwj</sup> is from behind that (Backer). O Ziyad! Whichever man from you governs for anyone from them (government), so he treats equally between you and them, so say to him, ‘You are an impersonating liar’. O Ziyad! When you remember your power over the people so remember the Power of Allah<sup>azwj</sup> upon you tomorrow, and it will deplete what you give to them from them (government), and it would remain upon you what you give to them’.
Compiled by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni
Source
License: Free for educational and research use (Thaqalayn Data API)
Provided for research and educational purposes. Original source: Thaqalayn Project. Open License.