From this cause...

From this cause, it is important for the ruler to select well-qualified and decent retinue so that they will positively help him and contribute to achieving the subjects’ pleasure. (E) Settlement with the Officials Because most of them take pride in their authority, officials usually challenge and treat people arrogantly and neglect their duties. Such behaviours will surely dissatisfy people with the ruling authorities.

From this cause, it is necessary for rulers to supervise and call the officials to account so as to reward the dutiful and punish the negligent. By doing so, each individual will perform his duty towards society properly, tragedies and varieties of flattering to the office will be eradicated, and all social affairs will he prevail by justice. (F) Achievement of Social Happiness The ruler is responsible for the moral and material development of the subjects.

This happiness can be achieved when the ruler supervises the subjects, pays attention to their interests, secures their rights of security, justice, and luxury, raises their scientific, physical, social, moral, and structural levels, cares for the industrial, agricultural, and commercial development, and encourages the talents and abilities.

Rulers’ Rights against Subjects The ruler, in his capacity as the pioneer of national development and civilization, enjoys definite rights imposed upon the subjects. In the following words, Amir ul-Mu’minin (a) refers to the rights of the rulers: 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 Sunna gains currency. In this way time will improve, the continuance of government will be expected, and the aims of the enemies will be frustrated.

But if the ruled gain sway over the ruler, or the ruler oppresses the ruled, then difference crops up in every word, signs of oppression appear, mischief enters religion and the ways of the Sunna are forsaken. Then desires are acted upon, the commands (of religion) are discarded, diseases of the spirit become numerous and there is no hesitation in disregarding even great rights, nor in committing big wrongs.