Tashil al-Nazar wa Tajil al-Zafar fi Akhlaq al-Malik
- Author died
- 450 AH
- Editions
- Dar al-Nahdah al-Arabiyyah
Tashil al-Nazar wa Tajil al-Zafar fi Akhlaq al-Malik ("Facilitating Reflection and Expediting Victory Regarding the Ethics of the King") is a treatise on Islamic political ethics and statecraft by the Shafi'i jurist Abu al-Hasan al-Mawardi (364–450 AH / 975–1058 CE) .
Title and Scope
The work is known under several titles in biographical and bibliographical literature. Haji Khalifa recorded the work as Tashil al-Nasr wa-Ta'jil al-Zafar, noting that an older manuscript dated 703 AH recorded the title as Tashil al-Nazar wa-Ta'jil al-Tafar fi Akhlaq al-Malik wa-Siyasat al-Mulk . In modern critical studies, it is commonly referenced as Tashil al-Nazar wa-Ta'jil al-Zafar fi Akhlaq al-Malik wa-Siyasat al-Mulk . The text addresses the intersection between personal morality and the administration of the realm, analyzing the conduct required of rulers and political authorities .
Content and Themes
The book systematically expounds the principles of royal leadership, state preservation, and administrative governance:
- Foundations and Conditions of Governance: Al-Mawardi states that the foundations of rule rest upon two pillars: establishment (ta'sis) and governance (siyasa) . He identifies three essential states of the kingdom: consolidating its foundations against rivals and adversaries, managing the affairs of the subjects, and securing the uprightness of royal assistants and deputies .
- Principles of Just Rule: In his discussion on managing subjects, he posits that just administration is established upon four core principles: inducement and hope of reward (al-raghba), fear of deterrence and authority (al-rahba), equity (al-insaf), and seeking justice and redress (al-intisaf) .
- Military Organization: The work details the requirements for managing soldiers (tadbir al-jund) to ensure discipline, readiness, and loyalty to the ruler without oppressing the population .
- Economic and Agrarian Policy: Al-Mawardi dedicates portions of the work to agrarian infrastructure and the cultivation of lands ('imarat al-mazari'), assigning rulers three primary duties: managing and securing public water supplies, protecting farmers from exploitation, and ensuring stability so subjects can cultivate their lands safely .
Manuscripts and Editions
Manuscripts of the treatise are preserved in international collections, including the Gotha Research Library in Germany (MS 1872) , the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London (MS 3:458) , and the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh .
The work has been edited and published in modern times, notably:
- An edition prepared by Muhyi Hilal al-Sarhan, reviewed and introduced by Hasan al-Sa'ati, published in Beirut by Dar al-Nahda al-Arabiyya (1981) and later by Dar al-Fikr (1414 AH / 1994 CE) .
- A critical edition by Ridwan al-Sayyid, published in Beirut by al-Markaz al-Islami lil-Buhuth and Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyya (1987) .
Answer updated