Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 1 of 2

CHAPTER FOUR
Financial and judiciary Institutions
at the time of Amir al-Mu'mineen
'Ali ibn Abi Tslib, and some of
his views on Islamic jurisprudence
1. Financial institutions
A t the time of 'Ali ibn Ahi T2lib (&), there were not many
changes worth mentioning in the financial policies of the Islamic
state. Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&)returned to the way of Ahu B&T
as-Siddeeq (&) in giving equal stipends to the people,' and he did
not show preference to anyone; he gave to slaves as he gave to their
masters.' In some regions, the treasury was entrusted to the
governors themselves. Qays ibn Sa'd ibn 'Ubidah, the general
governor of Egypt, was in charge of the treasury there. Similarly,
when 'Ali (&,) sent al-Ashtar an-Nakha'i to be governor of Egypt,
he indicated that in addition to his general duties, he was responsible
for the treasury and for supervising it in a way that served the
people's interests. He explained: "Because if the people are in good
shape, than the treasury will continue to be in good shape. The affairs
of the community cannot be sound unless they are in good shape,
because all the people are dependent on the treasury and on those
who are in charge of it. So your focus should he on developing the
land to bring about prosperity, more than on collecting money from
the people, because collection of taxes is dependent upon prosperity.