فَلَمْSoيَقْبَلِdid not acceptالْأَمِينُAl-Aminذَلِكَthatلِلْأَمْرِdue to the matterالْمَقْدُورِdecreedوَالْقَضَاءِand the decreeالسَّابِقِprevious
So Al-Amin did not accept that due to the decreed matter and the previous decree,
وَعَجَّلَand he hastenedإِلَىtoخَلْعِdethroningالْمَأْمُونِAl-Ma'munفِيinعَقْدِcontractingالْأَمْرِthe affairلِابْنِهِfor his sonحَتَّىuntilكَانَoccurredمَاwhatكَانَoccurred.
and he hastened to dethrone Al-Ma'mun by contracting the succession for his son until what occurred, occurred.
وَلَيْسَAnd is notيَبْلُغُreachingشَيْءٌanythingفِيinالْمُلْكِthe kingdomوَالدَّوْلَةِand the stateخَاصَّةًspecificallyمَبْلَغَthe extent ofالرَّأْيِsound judgment
And nothing in the kingdom and the state specifically reaches the level of sound judgment,
لِأَنَّbecauseالرَّأْيَjudgmentلَاdoes notيَحْتَاجُneedإِلَىtoالسِّلَاحِweaponry
because judgment does not need weaponry,
وَالسِّلَاحُwhile weaponryيَحْتَاجُneedsأَهْلُهُits peopleإِلَىtoالرَّأْيِjudgment
while those who wield weaponry need judgment,
وَإِلَّاotherwiseكَانَتْwould beعُدَّتُهُمْtheir preparationعَلَيْهِمْagainst themضَرَرًاa harmإِذَاifلَمْnotيُصِيبُواthey hitفِيinاسْتِعْمَالِهَاusing itوَجْهَthe direction ofالرَّأْيِsound judgment.
otherwise their preparation would be a harm against them if they do not direct its use with sound judgment.
[مَسَاوِئُ[The evils ofمَنْone whoيَسْتَشِيرُ]seeks consultation]
[The Evils of Consulting Others]
قَالَSaidبَعْضُsomeأَهْلِpeople ofالْعِلْمِ:knowledge:
Some people of knowledge said:
لَوْHadلَمْnotيَكُنْbeenفِيinالْمَشُورَةِconsultationإِلَّاexceptالِاسْتِحْقَارُthe belittlingمِنْfromصَاحِبِهَاits giverلَكَto you
Had there been nothing in consultation except the belittling of you by its giver
وَظُهُورُand the appearance ofفَقْرِكَyour needإِلَيْهِfor himلَوَجَبَit would be obligatoryاطِّرَاحُto cast asideمَاwhatتُفِيدُهُit yields ofالْمَشُورَةِconsultation
and the manifestation of your need for him, it would be obligatory to cast aside the benefits of consultation
وَإِلْقَاءُand to dropمَاwhatتُكْسِبُهُit earns forالْإِنْسَانَ،man,
and to drop what it earns for a person.
وَمَاAnd I have notاسْتَشَرْتُconsultedأَحَدًاanyoneقَطُّeverإِلَّاexcept thatكَبُرَgrew greatعِنْدِيin my viewوَتَصَاغَرْتُand I became smallلَهُto him
And I have never consulted anyone except that he grew great in my view and I became small before him,
وَدَخَلَتْهُand pride enteredالْعِزَّةُhimوَدَخَلَتْنِيand humility enteredالذِّلَّةُ،me,
and pride entered him while humility entered me.
فَإِيَّاكَSo bewareوَالْمَشُورَةَof consultationوَإِنْeven ifضَاقَتْgrew narrowبِكَupon youالْمَذَاهِبُthe paths
So beware of consultation even if the paths grew narrow upon you
وَاخْتَلَفَتْand differedعَلَيْكَupon youالْمَسَالِكُthe routesوَأَدَاكَand led youالِاسْتِبْهَامُambiguityإِلَىtoالْخَطَإِthe errorالْفَادِحِ،grave,
and the routes differed upon you and ambiguity led you to grave error,
فَإِنَّfor indeedصَاحِبَهَاits takerأَبَدًاalwaysمُسْتَذَلٌّhumiliatedمُسْتَضْعَفٌ،weakened.
for indeed its taker is always humiliated and weakened.
وَعَلَيْكَAnd upon you isبِالِاسْتِبْدَادِself-relianceفَإِنَّfor indeedصَاحِبَهَاits practitionerأَبَدًاalwaysجَلِيلٌgloriousفِيinالْعُيُونِthe eyesمَهِيبٌreveredفِيinالصُّدُورِ،the chests,
And you must rely upon yourself, for indeed its practitioner is always glorious in the eyes, revered in the chests.
وَلَنْAnd you will notتَزَالَcease to beكَذَلِكَthusمَاas long asاسْتَغْنَتْyou are independent ofعَنِfromالْعُقُولِ،intellects,
And you will not cease to be thus as long as you are independent of other intellects.
فَإِذَاSo whenافْتَقَرْتَyou become in needإِلَيْهَاof themحَقَرَتْكَbelittled youالْعُيُونُthe eyes
So when you become in need of them, the eyes will belittle you,
وَرَجَفَتْand trembledبِكَwith youأَرْكَانُكَyour pillarsوَتَضَعَضَعَand weakenedشَأْنُكَyour standing
and your pillars will tremble with you, your standing will weaken,
وَفَسَدَand corruptedتَدْبِيرُكَyour managementوَاسْتَحْقَرَكَand belittled youالصَّغِيرُthe smallوَاسْتَخَفَّand held in contemptبِكَyouالْكَبِيرُthe great
your management will be corrupted, the small will belittle you, the great will hold you in contempt,
وَعُرِفْتَand you were knownبِالْحَاجَةِby the needإِلَيْهِمْ،to them,
and you will be known for your need of them.
وَقَدْAnd it has beenقِيلَ:said:نِعْمَExcellentالْمُسْتَشَارُis the consultantالْعِلْمُknowledgeوَنِعْمَand excellentالْوَزِيرُis the ministerالْعَقْلُ.intellect.
And it has been said: Excellent is the consultant knowledge and excellent is the minister intellect.
وَمِمَّنِAnd among those whoاقْتَصَرَconfinedعَلَىtoرَأْيِهِhis opinionدُونَwithoutالْمُشَاوَرَةِconsultationأَبُوAbuجَعْفَرٍJa'farالْمَنْصُورُ،Al-Mansur,
And among those who confined themselves to their own opinion without consultation was Abu Ja'far Al-Mansur.
فَإِنَّهُFor indeedلَمَّاwhenحَدَثَaroseمِنْfromأَمْرِthe affair ofإِبْرَاهِيمَIbrahimوَمُحَمَّدِand Muhammadابْنَيْthe two sons ofعَبْدِAbdاللَّهِAllahبْنِson ofالْحَسَنِAl-Hasanمَاwhatحَدَثَarose
For when there arose concerning the affair of Ibrahim and Muhammad, the two sons of Abdullah bin Al-Hasan, what arose,
أَمْسَكَwithheldالْمَنْصُورُAl-Mansurعَنِfromالْمُشَاوَرَةِconsultationوَاسْتَبَدَّand acted independentlyبِرَأْيِهِwith his opinion
Al-Mansur withheld from consultation and acted independently with his opinion,
وَأَقْبَلَand turnedعَلَىtoالسَّهَرِsleeplessnessوَالْخَلْوَةِand seclusionوَلَمْand did notيَذْكُرْmentionأَمْرَهُمَاtheir affairلِأَحَدٍto anyoneمِنْofأَهْلِهِ،his family,
and he turned to sleeplessness and seclusion, and did not mention their affair to anyone of his family.
وَكَانَAnd there wasتَحْتَهُbeneath himمُصَلًّىa prayer matقَدْalreadyتَفَزَّزَwas frayedلَحْمَتُهُits woofوَسَدَاهُand its warp
And beneath him was a prayer mat whose woof and warp had become frayed,
وَكَانَand it wasجُلُوسُهُhis sittingوَمَبِيتُهُand his lodgingعَلَيْهِupon itفَلَمْso he did notيُغَيِّرْهُ،change it,
and his sitting and lodging were upon it, yet he did not change it.
وَعَلَيْهِAnd upon himجُبَّةُwas a robeخَزٍّof silk velvetدَكْنَاءُdark-coloredقَدْalreadyدَرِنَhad become soiledجَيْبُهَاits collarفَلَمْso he did notيُغَيِّرْهَاchange itحَتَّىuntilظَفِرَ،he triumphed,
And upon him was a dark silk-velvet robe whose collar had become soiled, yet he did not change it until he triumphed.
وَكَانَAnd he usedيَقُولُto sayفِيinتِلْكَthatالْحَالِ:state:إِيَّاكَBewareوَالْمَشُورَةَof consultation
And he used to say in that state: Beware of consultation,
فَإِنَّfor indeedعَثْرَتَهَاits stumbleلَاis notتُسْتَقَالُrescindedوَزَلَّتَهَاand its slipلَاis notتُسْتَدْرَكُ،rectified,
for indeed its stumble cannot be rescinded and its slip cannot be rectified.
فَكَمْFor how manyقَدْhaveرَأَيْتُI seenمِنْofنَصِيحٍa sincere advisorعَادَwhose sincerity turnedنُصْحُهُintoغِشًّا!deception!
For how many a sincere advisor have I seen whose sincerity turned into deception!
وَمِنْهُمْAnd among themالرَّشِيدُwas Al-Rashidفَإِنَّهُfor indeedحُكِيَit was narratedعَنْهُabout himأَنَّهُthat heبَعَثَsentذَاتَoneلَيْلَةٍnightإِلَىtoجَعْفَرِJa'farبْنِson ofيَحْيَى:Yahya:
And among them was Al-Rashid, for it was narrated about him that one night he sent word to Ja'far bin Yahya:
إِنِّيIndeed Iقَدْhaveسَهِرْتُstayed awakeفَوَجِّهْso sendإِلَيَّto meبَعْضَsome ofسُمَّارِكَ.your night-companions.
I have stayed awake, so send to me some of your night-companions.
فَوَجَّهَSo he sentإِلَيْهِto himبِسَمِيرٍa companionلَهُof hisكُوفِيٍّ،Kufan,فَسَامَرَهُand he kept him company in conversationلَيْلَتَهُ،his night,
So he sent to him a Kufan companion of his, and he kept him company in conversation that night.
فَلَمَّاSo whenأَنْheرَجَعَreturnedسَأَلَهُasked himجَعْفَرٌJa'farعَنْaboutخَبَرِهِ.his news.
When he returned, Ja'far asked him about his news.
فَقَالَ:He said:سَامَرْتُهُI kept him companyلَيْلَتِيmy nightكُلَّهَاall of itفَأَنْشَدْتُهُand I recited to himفَمَاand I did notرَأَيْتُهُsee himاسْتَحْلَىfind sweetإِلَّاexceptبَيْتَيْنِtwo versesمِنْofشِعْرٍpoetryأَنْشَدْتُهُمَاI recited both of themإِيَّاهُto him
He said: I kept him company all night and recited poetry to him, and I did not see him find sweet anything except two verses of poetry which I recited to him,
فَإِنَّهُfor indeedأُولِعَhe became infatuatedبِهُمَاwith themوَمَاand he did notزَالَceaseيَأْمُرُنِيcommanding meبِتَكْرِيرِهِمَاto repeat bothعَلَيْهِto himحَتَّىuntilحَفِظَهُمَا.he memorized both.
for he became infatuated with them and kept commanding me to repeat them to him until he memorized them.
فَقَالَSaidجَعْفَرٌ:Ja'far:وَمَاAnd whatهُمَا؟are they?
Ja'far said: What are they?
قَالَ:He said:
He said:
لَيْتَWould thatهِنْدًاHindأَنْجَزْتَنَاfulfilled for usمَاwhatتَعِدُshe promises......وَشَفَتْand healedأَنْفُسَنَاour soulsمِمَّاfrom whatتَجِدُthey find
Would that Hind fulfilled for us what she promises ... and healed our souls from what they experience
وَاسْتَبَدَّتْAnd she acted independentlyمَرَّةًonceوَاحِدَةًsingle......إِنَّمَاIndeedالْعَاجِزُthe incapableمَنْis the one whoلَاdoes notيَسْتَبِدُّact independently
And she acted independently just once ... Indeed, the incapable one is he who does not act independently
فَقَالَSaidلَهُto himجَعْفَرٌ:Ja'far:أَهْلَكْتَنِيYou have destroyed meوَاللَّهِby Allahوَأَهْلَكْتَand you have destroyedنَفْسَكَ!yourself!
Ja'far said to him: By Allah, you have destroyed me and you have destroyed yourself!
قَالَ:He said:وَكَيْفَAnd howذَاكَ؟is that?
He said: And how is that?
قَالَ:He said:إِنَّهُIndeed heكَانَwasلَاnotغِنَىindependentبِهِin himselfعَنِّيof meوَعَنْand ofمُشُورَتِيmy consultation
He said: He was not independent of me and my consultation,
وَلَمْand he did notيُكَرِّرِrepeatالْبَيْتَيْنِthe two versesإِلَّاexcept thatوَقَدْalreadyعَزَمَhe has resolvedعَلَىuponتَرْكِleavingمُشَاوَرَتِيmy consultationوَالِاسْتِبْدَادِand acting independentlyبِالرَّأْيِ.with opinion.
and he did not repeat the two verses except that he had already resolved to abandon my consultation and act independently with his opinion.
فَقَتَلَهُSo he killed himبَعْدَafterحَوْلٍ.a year.
So he killed him after a year.
وَقَالَAnd saidالشَّاعِرُthe poetفِيregardingمِثْلِهِ:the like of him:
And the poet said regarding the like of him:
بَدِيهَتُهُHis spontaneityوَفِكْرَتُهُand his thoughtسَوَاءٌare equal......إِذَاwhenنَابَهُafflicts himالْخَطْبُthe great affairالْكَبِيرُgrave
His spontaneity and his thought are equal ... when the grave affair afflicts him
وَأَحْزَمُAnd most prudentمَاwhatيَكُونُisالدَّهْرُtimeرَأْيًاin opinion......إِذَاwhenعَمِيَis blindedالْمُشَاوِرُthe consulteeوَالْمُشِيرُand the consultant
And the most prudent time in opinion is ... when the consultee and the consultant are blinded
وَصَدْرٌAnd a chestفِيهِin itلِلْهِمَمِfor aspirationsاتِّسَاعٌis expanse......إِذَاwhenضَاقَتْstraitenedبِمَاwith whatفِيهِis in themالصُّدُورُthe chests
And a chest in which there is expanse for aspirations ... when chests are straitened by what is in them
وَمِنْهُمُAnd among themالشَّعْبِيُّ،was Al-Sha'bi,فَإِنَّهُfor indeedذَكَرَhe mentionedأَنَّهُthat heكَانَwasصَدِيقًاa friendلِابْنِto the son ofأَبِيAbiمُسْلِمٍMuslimكَاتِبِthe scribe ofالْحَجَّاجِAl-Hajjaj
And among them was Al-Sha'bi, for he mentioned that he was a friend to Ibn Abi Muslim, the scribe of Al-Hajjaj,
وَأَنَّهُand that heلَمَّاwhenقُدِمَwas broughtبِهِwith himعَلَىbeforeالْحَجَّاجِAl-Hajjajلَعَنَهُ،who cursed him,
and that when he was brought before Al-Hajjaj, who cursed him,
فَقَالَhe saidلَهُ:to him:أُشِرْAdviseعَلَيَّ.me.
he said to him: Advise me.
فَقَالَ:He said:مَاI do notأَدْرِيknowبِمَاwith whatأُشِيرُI adviseوَلَكِنِbutاعْتَذِرْapologizeبِمَاwith whatقَدَرْتَyou are ableعَلَيْهِ.to.
He said: I do not know what to advise, but apologize with whatever you are able to.
وَأَشَارَAnd advisedعَلَيْهِhimبِذَلِكَwith thatجَمِيعُallأَصْحَابِهِ.his companions.
And all his companions advised him with that.
قَالَSaidالشَّعْبِيُّ:Al-Sha'bi:فَلَمَّاSo whenدَخَلْتُI enteredخَالَفْتُI opposedمُشُورَتَهُمْtheir consultationوَرَأَيْتُand I sawوَاللَّهِby Allahغَيْرَother thanالَّذِيwhatقَالُوا،they said,
Al-Sha'bi said: When I entered, I opposed their consultation and saw, by Allah, other than what they said.
فَسَلَّمْتُSo I greetedعَلَيْهِhimبِالْإِمْرَةِwith the greeting of leadershipثُمَّthenقُلْتُ:I said:أَصْلَحَMay He make rightاللَّهُAllahالْأَمِيرَ!the Amir!
I greeted him with the title of leadership, then I said: May Allah make the Amir right!
إِنَّIndeedالنَّاسَthe peopleقَدْhaveأَمَرُونِيcommanded meأَنْtoأَعْتَذِرَapologizeبِغَيْرِwith other thanمَاwhatيَعْلَمُknowsاللَّهُAllahأَنَّهُthat it isالْحَقُّ،the truth,
The people have commanded me to apologize with other than what Allah knows to be the truth,
وَأَيْمُand by the oath ofاللَّهِAllahلَاI will notأَقُولُsayفِيinمَقَامِيmy stationهَذَاthisإِلَّاexceptالْحَقَّ!the truth!
and by Allah, I will not say in this station of mine except the truth!
قَدْWe haveجَهَدْنَاstrivenوَحَرَّضْنَاand incitedفَمَاyet we were notكُنَّاwe wereبِالْأَقْوِيَاءِthe strongالْفَجَرَةِthe wickedوَلَاnorبِالْأَتْقِيَاءِthe piousالْبَرَرَةِ،the righteous,
We have striven and incited, yet we were neither the strong wicked nor the pious righteous,
وَلَقَدْand indeedنَصَرَكَmade you victoriousاللَّهُAllahعَلَيْنَاover usوَأَظْفَرَكَand made you prevailبِنَا،over us,
and indeed Allah made you victorious over us and made you prevail over us.
فَإِنْSo ifسَطَوْتَyou strikeفَبِذُنُوبِنَاthen for our sinsوَإِنْand ifعَفَوْتَyou pardonفَبِحِلْمِكَthen for your forbearanceوَالْحُجَّةُand the argumentلَكَis for youعَلَيْنَا.against us.
So if you strike, it is for our sins, and if you pardon, it is for your forbearance, and the argument is yours against us.
فَقَالَSaidالْحَجَّاجُ:Al-Hajjaj:أَنْتَYou areوَاللَّهِby Allahأَحَبُّmore belovedإِلَيْنَاto usقَوْلًاin speechمِمَّنْthan the one whoيَدْخُلُentersعَلَيْنَاupon usوَسَيْفُهُwhile his swordيَقْطُرُis drippingمِنْwithدِمَائِنَاour blood
Al-Hajjaj said: By Allah, you are more beloved to us in speech than the one who enters upon us while his sword is dripping with our blood,
وَيَقُولُ:and says:وَاللَّهِBy AllahمَاI did notفَعَلْتُdoوَمَاand I did notشَهِدْتُ،witness,
and says: By Allah, I did not do it and I did not witness it.
أَنْتَYou areآمِنٌsafeيَاOشَعْبِيُّ!Sha'bi!
You are safe, O Sha'bi!
فَقُلْتُ:So I said:أَيُّهَاOالْأَمِيرُAmirاكْتَحَلْتُI have anointedوَاللَّهِby Allahبَعْدَكَafter youبِالسَّهَرِwith sleeplessness
So I said: O Amir, by Allah, after you I have anointed my eyes with sleeplessness,
وَاسْتَحْلَسْتُand made a habit ofالْخَوْفَfearوَقَطَعْتُand severedصَالِحَrighteousالْإِخْوَانِbrethrenوَلَمْand I did notأَجِدْfindمِنَfromالْأَمِيرِthe Amirخُلُقًا.good character.
and made fear a habit, and severed ties with righteous brethren, and I did not find good character from the Amir.
فَقَالَ:He said:صَدَقْتَYou spoke the truthفَانْصَرِفْ.so depart.
He said: You spoke the truth, so depart.
فَانْصَرَفْتُ.So I departed.
So I departed.
[مَحَاسِنُ[The virtues ofكِتْمَانِconcealingالسِّرِّ]the secret]
[The Virtues of Concealing a Secret]
قَالَ:He said:كَانَused toالْمَنْصُورُAl-Mansurيَقُولُ:say:الْمُلُوكُKingsتَحْتَمِلُtolerateكُلَّeverythingشَيْءٍofمِنْfromأَصْحَابِهِمْtheir companionsإِلَّاexceptثَلَاثًا:three:
Al-Mansur used to say: Kings tolerate everything from their companions except three things:
إِفْشَاءَdivulgingالسِّرِّ،the secret,وَالتَّعَرُّضَand encroaching uponلِلْحُرُمِ،the sanctities,وَالْقَدْحَand disparagingفِيinالْمُلْكِ.the kingdom.
divulging the secret, encroaching upon sanctities, and disparaging the kingdom.
وَكَانَAnd he usedيَقُولُ:to say:سِرُّكَYour secretمِنْis ofدَمِكَyour bloodفَانْظُرْso lookمَنْto whomتَمْلِكُهُ.you entrust it.
And he used to say: Your secret is part of your blood, so look to whom you entrust it.
وَكَانَAnd he usedيَقُولُ:to say:سِرُّكَYour secretلَاdoes notيَطَّلِعُbecome knownعَلَيْهِtoغَيْرُكَ.anyone other than you.
And he used to say: Your secret should not be known by anyone other than you.
إِنَّIndeedمِنْofأَنْفَذِthe sharpestالْبَصَائِرِinsightsكِتْمَانُis the concealment ofالسِّرِّthe secretحَتَّىuntilيُبْرَمَis concludedالْمَبْرُومُ.what is to be concluded.
Indeed, among the sharpest insights is the concealment of the secret until the matter is firmly concluded.
وَقِيلَAnd it was saidلِأَبِيto AbuمُسْلِمٍMuslimصَاحِبِthe master ofالدَّوْلَةِ:the state:بِأَيِّBy whatشَيْءٍthingأَدْرَكْتَdid you attainهَذَاthisالْأَمْرَ؟affair?
And it was said to Abu Muslim, the master of the state: By what means did you attain this affair?
فَقَالَ:He said:ارْتَدَيْتُI clothed myselfبِالْكِتْمَانِwith concealmentوَاتَّزَرْتُand girt myselfبِالْحَزْمِwith prudenceوَحَالَفْتُand allied myselfالصَّبْرَwith patienceوَسَاعَدْتُand cooperated withالْمَقَادِيرَdestiniesفَأَدْرَكْتُso I attainedظَنِّيmy expectationوَحُزْتُand acquiredحَدَّthe limit ofبُغْيَتِي،my desire,وَأَنْشَدَ:and he recited:
He said: I clothed myself in concealment, girt myself in prudence, allied myself with patience, and cooperated with destinies, so I attained my expectation and acquired the limit of my desire, and he recited: