Nehjul Balagah Detailed Explanation Nehjul Balagah Detailed Explanation : 25

Detailed Explanation — Letter (25): The will of the person who was appointed to collect Zakat and Sadaqah.

This letter is from Imam Ali (a.s.) to the officials he appointed to collect Zakat and Sadaqah. In this letter, Imam provides them with important instructions to carry out their duties in accordance with Islamic principles. Historically, this letter was written during the time when Imam Ali (a.s.) established the Islamic government and felt the need to organize the system of Zakat collection. Through this letter, Imam taught these officials about justice and fairness, emphasizing how they should approach the collection of Allah's rights.

Imam Ali (a.s.) highlighted several key themes in this letter, such as treating Muslims kindly, how to take Allah's right from their wealth, and being gentle with animals. He made it clear that no Muslim should be frightened, nor should more than Allah's right be taken from their wealth. Additionally, he instructed that when going to a tribe, one should first approach their wells, to avoid intruding into their homes.

A significant phrase from Imam is: "Walk with the fear of Allah, who has no partner." This means that in every action, one should consider seeking Allah's pleasure. Imam also emphasized that when collecting Zakat, one should approach people with gentleness and respect. All these instructions reflect Imam Ali's (a.s.) commitment to establishing a social order based on truth and justice.

The moral and spiritual lesson here is that we should always consider Allah's pleasure when fulfilling our duties, respect the rights of others, and treat them with kindness and compassion. Practically, this teaches us to adopt justice and mercy in our social dealings, especially when helping others or fulfilling their rights. Imam Ali's (a.s.) letter serves as a reminder of how we can build a better society by adhering to Islamic principles.