Tahrir al-Suluk fi Tadbir al-Muluk
- Author died
- 925 AH
- Editions
- Tahrir al-Suluk fi Tadbir al-Muluk
Tahrir al-Suluk fi Tadbir al-Muluk (The Elaboration of Conduct in the Governance of Kings) is a treatise on Islamic political governance (siyasah shar'iyyah) and the administration of justice by Abu al-Fadl Muhammad al-A'raj (d. 925 AH / 1519 CE) .
Purpose and Structure
The author composed the work drawing on established literature in governance to serve as an authoritative guide for rulers and officials tasked with public affairs and the administration of justice . The book is structured into three principal sections:
- Introduction (al-Muqaddimah): Details the grave shortcomings and vices from which a ruler (wali al-amr) must divest himself, as well as the manifest virtues and noble qualities with which he should be adorned .
- Core Section (al-Wasitah): Focuses on the sovereign ordinances (al-ahkam al-sultaniyyah) and religious policies (al-siyasat al-diniyyah) relied upon by the ruler when presiding over the redress of grievances (al-mazalim) and adjudicating disputes .
- Conclusion (al-Khatimah): Sets forth the practical measures and legal judgments exercised by the ruler when investigating crimes (al-jara'im) .
Content and Method
The treatise examines the distinct jurisdiction and broad authority of the magistrate of grievances (al-nazir fi al-mazalim) in contrast to standard judges (qadis) . Unlike regular judges, who adjudicate only formal suits presented to them through explicit acknowledgement or formal testimony, the ruler or magistrate of grievances is granted wider discretionary powers . These include the ability to initiate investigations prior to a formal complaint, interrogate suspects when corroborating evidence or suspicious indicators are present, enforce detention, compel the repayment of debts, and discipline deniers once rights are established .
The book also addresses the enforcement of religious obligations and penalties, surveying both transgressions against the rights of God—such as unlawful sexual intercourse, wine consumption, theft, and highway robbery—and offenses against the rights of individuals, including false accusations of fornication (qadhf) and bodily injury (qisas), directing rulers to detailed legal manuals for specific penal limits (hudud) and discretionary punishments (ta'zir) .
Attribution and Publication
Bibliographical sources also record a work under the identical title Tahrir al-Suluk fi Tadbir al-Muluk attributed to the scholar 'Ali ibn Muhammad ibn 'Ali, known as Ibn Abi Qusaybah al-Husayni al-Ghazali (d. after 878 AH) . The text authored by Abu al-Fadl Muhammad al-A'raj was edited and studied by Fu'ad Abd al-Mun'im Ahmad and published in Alexandria in 1982 CE .
Answer updated