Aslam

(14) Once Caliph Mansur stayed sometimes at Darum Nadwa at Mecca. He used to pray at the latter part of the night at the Ka'ba and go round it and nobody knew it. He then used to lead the morning prayer. One right while going round the Ka'ba he heard a man saying : O God. I complain to you that distrubance, rebellion, oppressin and injustice are going on in the country. After hearing it, the Caliph sat in a corner and the man was called to him. When he came, the Caliph said : I have heard you saying such and such. I am greatly disturbed to hear it.
The man said : If you grant me security of life, I may tell you . The Caliph said : You have got no fear. The man then said : You are responsible for the disurbance and disorder in the country . The greed which finds place in you has not entered into any other person. God placed upon you the burden of administration over the Muslims. You are neglecting to do good to them and you are busy in misapporiating their properties. Between you and the public, there are, the stumbling block of limes, bricks, iron doors and guards with arms. You have appointed such officers who oppress the people. You have given them power to take by oppression the properties of the people. You have issued orders prohibiting the entry of the public to you except some persons.
You have made no provision for the oppressed, hungry, naked, weak and poor. When the people see that you have selected some special men for you and do not give permission to anybody except those persons, they say that the Caliph has broken the

204 Enjoining good and forbidding evil Vol-II

trust of God. So they say : Why should we not break our trust with him ?

During the reign of Banu Omayya, whenever the oppessed reached the rulers, they at once meted out justice to them. You amass wealth for one of three reasons (1) If you say: I amass wealth for my children, God advises you that when a child is born,it does not take wealth with it or food. God gives it out of His kindness provision and arranged it beforehand in its mother's breast. (2) If you say : I am getting wealth to make my reign firm, God advises you that those who were before you amassed gold and silver, arms and ammunition which did not benefit to them. When God intended to make you Caliph , you had no wealth. (3) If you say : I amass wealth in order to live more comfortably than what I lived before, I will say that the rank which is gained by good works is more than that in which you are now. What will you do with the reign which God has given you ?
When the Almighty will snatch away your reign and call you to account, your pomp and grandeur will come of one use to you.