Letter 60: To the officers through whose jurisdiction the army passed

ومن كتاب له (عليه السلام)

إلى العمال الذين يطأ عمَلَهُمْ الجيشُ

From the servant of Allah `Ali, Amir al-mu'minin, to all the collectors of revenue and officers of the realm through whose area the army passes.

مِنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ عَلِيٍّ أَمِيرِالْمُؤمِنِينَ إِلَى مَنْ مَرَّ بِهِ الْجَيْشُ مِنْ جُبَاةِ الْخَرَاجِ وَعُمَّالِ الْبِلاَدِ.

Now, I have sent an army that will pass by you, if Allah wills. I have instructed them about what Allah has made obligatory on them, namely that they should avoid molestation and avert harm. I hold myself clear before you and those (unbelievers) who are under your protection from any annoyance committed by the army except when one is compelled by hunger and there is no other way of satisfying it. If anyone of them takes anything through force you should punish him. None of you should be foolish enough to obstruct them or intervene in matters which we have allowed them by way of exception. I am myself within the army. So, refer to me their high-handedness and any hardship which is caused by them and which you cannot avert except through Allah and through me. I shall then avert it with the help of Allah, if He so wills.

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنِّي قَدْ سَيَّرْتُ جُنُوداً هِيَ مَارَّةٌ بِكُمْ إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ، وَقَدْ أَوْصَيْتُهُمْ بِمَا يَجِبُ لله عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ كَفِّ الاْذَى، وَصَرْفِ الشَّذَى، وَأَنَا أَبْرَأُ إِلَيْكُمْ وَإِلَى ذِمَّتِكُمْ مِنْ مَعَرَّةِ الْجَيْشِ، إِلاَّ مِنْ جَوْعَةِ الْمُضْطَرِّ، لاَ يَجِدُ عَنْهَا مَذْهَباً إلَى شِبَعِهِ.فَنَكِّلُوا مَنْ تَنَاوَلَ مِنْهُمْ [شَيْئاً] ظُلْماً عَنْ ظُلْمِهِمْ، وَكُفُّوا أَيْدِيَ سُفَهَائِكُمْ عَنْ مُضَادَّتِهِمْ، وَالتَّعَرُّضِ لَهُمْ فِيما اسْتَثْنَيْنَاهُ مِنْهُمْ، وَأَنَا بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِ الْجَيْشِ، فَارْفَعُوا إِلَيَّ مَظَالِمَكُمْ، وَمَا عَرَاكُمْ مِمَّا يَغْلِبُكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ، وَلاَ تُطِيقُونَ دَفْعَهُ إِلاَّ بِاللهِ وَبِي، أُغَيِّرْهُ بِمَعُونَةِ اللهِ، إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ.