Durar al-Suluk fi Siyasat al-Muluk
- Author died
- 450 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Waṭan
Durar al-Suluk fi Siyasat al-Muluk (Pearls of Conduct in the Statecraft of Kings) is a concise political treatise on governance and royal ethics by the Shafi'i jurist Abu al-Hasan al-Mawardi (d. 450 AH / 1058 CE) .
Composition and Purpose
Al-Mawardi composed the work as a succinct manual on statecraft and dedicated it to the Buyid dynasty ruler Baha' al-Dawla Abu Nasr Ahmad ibn 'Adud al-Dawla (d. 403 AH / 1012 CE) . In the introduction, the author states that sincere loyalty and duty toward the sovereign prompted him to assemble essential principles of political management, intended both as a practical reminder for the ruler and as guidance for the proper ordering of the realm .
Structure and Content
The treatise is organized into two main parts :
- The King's Ethics (Fi akhlaq al-malik): Focuses on personal conduct and self-discipline, arguing that one who cannot govern oneself cannot govern others . This section contrasts destructive arrogance (kibr) and self-conceit (i'jab) with commendable dignity and composure (waqar), cautions against court flatterers and deceitful opportunists, and stresses the value of truthfulness, restraint in speech, and receptivity to sincere counsel .
- The King's Statecraft (Fi siyasat al-malik): Examines the mechanisms of administration and public authority . Al-Mawardi outlines the core pillars of just rule as inducement (raghba), deterrence (rahba), and equity (insaf) . He also emphasizes the monarch's obligation to patronize scholars and preserve knowledge, warning that neglecting religious and intellectual authorities leads to social corruption and the decay of learning . The work closes with an exhortation for rulers to practice benevolence and leave an enduring, honorable legacy .
Publication
The text has been edited and published in Riyadh by Dar al-Watan (1417 AH / 1996 CE) .
Answer updated