The Importance, Responsibilities, & Ten General Matters Required of the Khalīfah

From the book, Islamic Legal Rulings Related to Governance, or ‘Aḥkām as-Sulṭānīyah, by ‘Abūl-Ḥasan al-Māwardī, page 40:

Section: The Importance, Responsibilities, & Ten General Matters Required of the Khalīfah

1) To preserve the Dīn upon its well-established foundations and what the Salaf of the ‘Ummah have agreed upon. So, if innovators or deviants espousing doubts about that appear, [the Khalīfah] can make the proofs manifest to them and clarify what is correct;

– To adopt what is required of him in terms of rights [Ḥuqūq] and punishments [Ḥudūd]- in order that the Dīn is safeguarded from disturbance and the ‘Ummah [is safeguarded] from error.

2) To enforce Islamic legal rulings between those who are quarreling, to end legal disputes between those in conflict so that justice becomes prevalent. Thus, the oppressor cannot transgress and the oppressed do not languish.

3) To protect property/possessions and defend households so that people dispose of their affairs in life and disperse in travel with security from exposure to danger to their selves and property.

4) To enact legal punishments [Ḥudūd] so that the prohibitions of Allah ﷻ are protected from violation and to preserve the rights of His slaves from corruption and destruction.

5) To protect the frontiers with non-Muslim lands through preparation of deterrence and repelling force so that enemies do not achieve victory through inattentiveness, violating the prohibited in them or shedding the blood of Muslims or treaty-holders in them.

6) To fight Jihād against whoever opposes ‘Islām after the invitation until they accept ‘Islām or enter into a covenant of protection [Dhimmah, i.e., accept the rule of ‘Islām over them] so that the right of Allah ﷻ is enacted in terms of its victory over all religion.

7) To collect spoils of war and charity based on the requirements of legislation, textually and juristically, without fear or inequity.

8) To evaluate donations and what is required in the treasury [Bayt al-Māl] without waste or miserliness; and to pay it on time without advance or delay.

9) To seek sufficiency with trustworthy individuals and follow those who give sincere counsel in terms of what is delegated to them of work and entrusted to them of wealth so that the work will be [performed] with sound competence and wealth will be [handled] with guarded trust.

10) To take upon himself supervision of affairs and scrutiny of circumstances so that the politics of the ‘Ummah are managed and the religion [Millah] is protected; he should not rely on delegation [of responsibilities] out of preoccupation with personal enjoyment or worship and thus, betray and cheat [that] trust.