Monday, March 7, 2011

Advice to Governors

By: Nizam Al Mulk

In one of the advice proposed by Nizam Al-Mulk in his work "Advice to governors", he mentioned about the roles of boon-companions. Boon-companions here refer to the companies of the king. There are many criteria needed to become a boon-companion. A boon-companion needs to be someone who is familiar, he must always be in a position of a body guard to the king, must have cheerful face, pure faith, able to keep secrets and wear good clothes. He must also be a good talker and pleasant partner to the king.

Apart from those criteria, there is another criterion that we personally feel a little bit unislamic about it which is agreeing on whatever the king says or does. If the boon-companions practice this kind of behavior in giving their service for the king it will somehow portray injustice which is absolutely unacceptable in Islam. The issue of injustice in this situation happens when the king does or says something that is not right in accordance to Islam then it is approved and supported by the boon-companions
As it is stated in the Holy Qur'an;



“…When you speak, speak with justice, even if it is against someone close to you…” 
                                                                                                          (Surah Al-An'am:152). 


So, what can we do in a way to Islamize the implementation of unislamic behavior practiced years ago in an Islamic country is that even if you are selected to become the company of the king you must always, by hook or by crook practice the Islamic teachings fully as how they are sent down from Allah S.W.T through His messengers. Islam is a comprehensive religion and you will not become a perfect believer of Islam if you only practice a part of it and at the same time abandoning what is it actually promoting to its believers. And from the part of the king, he should know that whatever he does or says, it must always be in line with the Islamic jurisprudence. 

Therefore, the moral lesson that can be taken from this idea about justice in governing a country in Nizam Al-Mulk's piece of work is that everyone from the king,the boon-companions and to the citizens, they must always speak the truth and practice justice in their deeds so that Islam will be seen as a just religion.

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