Hawzah News Agency | Imam al-Sajjad, peace be upon him, supplicates to Almighty God in Sahifa al-Sajjadiyyah as follows:
«اَللَّهُمَّ إِنیِّ أَعُوذُ بِکَ مِنْ ... سُوءِ الْوِلاَیَةِ لِمَنْ تَحْتَ أَیْدِینَا.»
“O God! I seek refuge in You from mistreating those under my authority.” (Supplication no. 8)
Explanation:
The functioning of society and the maintenance of order require that some people be placed in positions of authority, while others, as subordinates and those who carry out instructions, undertake various responsibilities. What deserves attention is that, from the religious perspective, neither being in a position of authority nor being a subordinate is a sign of superiority or inferiority. What is worthy of divine attention and consideration is the observance of God-Wary (taqwa).
For this very reason, one of the emphatic teachings of Islam is to pay attention to those under one’s authority. Such consideration can win the heart of a worker, subordinate, or person carrying out instructions, causing him to stand alongside the person in charge or the manager and, as a result, to devote the utmost sincerity and effort to serving and advancing the objectives of the organization and its manager.
The Noble Messenger of God, peace and blessings of God be upon him and his household, says in one of his recommendations:
«إِخْوَانُکُمْ جَعَلَهُمُ اَللَّهُ تَحْتَ أَیْدِیکُمْ فَمَنْ کَانَ أَخُوهُ تَحْتَ یَدِهِ فَلْیُطْعِمْهُ مِمَّا یَأْکُلُ وَ لْیَکْسُهُ مِمَّا یَلْبَسُ وَ لاَ یُکَلِّفْهُ مَا یَغْلِبُهُ فَإِنْ کَلَّفَهُ مَا یَغْلِبُهُ فَلْیُعِنْهُ.»
“They are your brothers whom God has placed under your authority. Whoever has his brother under his authority must feed him from what he himself eats, clothe him from what he himself wears, and must not burden him with more than he is capable of doing. If he does burden him, then he should help him.” (Bihar al-Anwar, v. 71, p 141)
It was stated that the divine criterion for distinguishing people is taqwa, not whether one is a leader or person in charge. This truth can be found throughout the lives of the chosen servants of God.
A person who was traveling to Khurasan(1) in the company of Imam al-Rida, peace be upon him, relates:
«... دَعَا یَوْماً بِمَائِدَةٍ لَهُ فَجَمَعَ عَلَیْهَا مَوَالِیَهُ مِنَ اَلسُّودَانِ وَ غَیْرِهِمْ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاکَ لَوْ عَزَلْتَ لِهَؤُلاَءِ مَائِدَةً فَقَالَ مَهْ إِنَّ اَلرَّبَّ تَبَارَکَ وَ تَعَالَی وَاحِدٌ وَ اَلْأُمَّ وَاحِدَةٌ وَ اَلْأَبَ وَاحِدٌ وَ اَلْجَزَاءَ بِالْأَعْمَالِ.»
One day, he ordered that the tablecloth be spread, and he invited the black servants and others to sit at the table with him. I said, “May I be sacrificed for you! It would be better if you prepared a separate table for them.” The Imam said, “Leave this talk aside. Blessed and Exalted is God, and He is One. The mother is one and the father is one, and people receive their reward only according to their deeds.” (Al-Kafi, v. 8, p. 230)
Indeed, paying attention to this seemingly simple point—that there is no distinction between a person in authority and a subordinate in the presence of God except on the basis of taqwa—can uproot the very foundations of pride, prejudice, oppression, discrimination, and injustice.
The importance of the rights of subordinates is such that Imam Ali, peace be upon him, in a profound letter addressed to Malik al-Ashtar(2), offers numerous recommendations concerning how those under one’s authority and the people should be treated. In one passage of this letter, he writes:
«فَإِنَّ فِی النَّاسِ عُیُوباً، الْوَالِی أَحَقُّ مَنْ سَتَرَهَا.»
“People have faults, and the leader of the community (the leader, manager, supervisor, commander, and so on) is the one most entitled to conceal them from others.” (Letter no. 53)
Concealing the faults of one’s subordinates!!! Perhaps it would be difficult to find many people in positions of authority who have such a view of their managerial position.
And there are many other teachings and emphatic recommendations in the noble religion of Islam concerning the observance of the rights of those under one’s authority. Paying attention to these teachings may lead many faithful individuals to consider the acceptance of managerial positions with greater thoughtfulness and deliberation.
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(1). Today it is one of the northern cities of Iran.
(2). al-Ashtar (مالک الأشتر) was one of the especial companions of Imam Ali (a). The famous treaty of Malik al-Ashtar is a letter that Imam Ali (a) wrote to him while he was in Egypt.
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