“Amir” of Al-Ghazali
Al-Ghazali, a political philosopher, renowned in East and West because of his versatile genius, harnessed his thoughts into a proper channel for an efficient and systematic government in order to bring about progress and peace in the state. He appears to be particular about the duties and functions of the sovereign, so that administration of the state must not become unwieldy and dogmatic. He enumerates the necessary qualities of an ideal ruler, and reverently expresses that he should have intellect, knowledge, perception, right proportion of things, chivalry, loves for his subjects, diplomatic bend, foresight, strong will-power and must be well informed of the news of the day and the past history of the kings. He must learn the lesson from the past kings. He should n ot repeat the errors and failures of his predecessors. Amir must also vigilantly watch that his judges, secretaries, viceroys and other officers did their work well, it is chiefly in these qualities which go to make a ruler the shadow of God on earth.
Al-Ghazali relates how a learned man once told the great Caliph, Harun-ar-Rashid, to beware that he was sitting where Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A.) once sat and be truthful, where Hazrat Umar (R.A.) once sat and differentiate between right and wrong, where Hazrat Usman (R.A.) once sat and be modest and bountiful, where Hazrat Ali (R.A.) once sat and be knowing and just. He puts forward the case of the Apostle of Islam, who himself fed his cattle, tied his camel, swept his house, milked his goat, mended his shoes, patches his clothes, took meals with his servants, ground his own corn in time of need and did his own marketing.
Daily Routines and Duties of “Amir”
Al-Ghazali says that the daily routines of an Amir should be following:
1. The Amir, after morning prayers, should go out riding in order to have investigation in person about wrongs done to his subject.
2. He should then sit in court and permit all and sundry to have a direct access so that he might have first-hand information about any complaints.
3. The ruler should make a point of taking advice from simple men of knowledge, intelligence and experience.
4. The ruler must extend interviews to foreign ambassadors and envoys. He should be well-versed in diplomacy and politics.
5. Al-Ghazali strictly warns the Amir against too much indulgence in drink, chess or hunting and says that the best mode of simple life be practiced.
6. The Amir and good kings should used to divide their time in four parts, setting apart one for prayers, another for state affairs, justice and counsel of the learned about the affairs of the state, the third for food and rest, and the last for recreation and hunting.
7. He is very particular that the Amir should not pay head to the advice offered by his women favorites, and quotes the instance of Umar who actually divorced his favorite wife when he was elated to his exalted office for fear of being influenced by her in state affairs.
8. Al-Ghazali warns that the ruler must not show them any favoritism, but instead must appoint nepotism or people on merits.
Rosenthal said,
“Al-Ghazali proceeds to enumerate the virtues by which the Imam must be distinguished in order to lead men entrusted to his care to the goal which the Sharia has set for men. Although we meet with the qualifications stipulated by Al-Mawardi they are partly modified to meet the general political situation and the particular case of Al-Mustazhir. Ability to wage jihad is conditioned by the possession of power and courage. It has always been considered one of the foremost duties of the Caliph. But Al-Ghazali faced with a young Caliph and a powerful Seljuq master, explains away its absence in Al-Mustazhir by pointing to the Shawka, the force and power of the Seljuqs which guarantees the najda required of the Caliph. He wants to think of them not as independent rulers but as the loyal servants of the Caliph.”
Simplicity of the “Amir”:
Al-Ghazali persistently lays stress that the ruler should be simple in his habits. He says that the Amir should have a limited source of income which does not provide him possible opportunity to indulge in luxury and debauchery. He says that Amir must spend his life according to the income at his disposal, and should not abundantly and lavishly spend so that the economy of the country may not be disturbed. Al-Ghazali quotes the Apostle that God would be kind and compassionate to rulers who are themselves meek and kind to their people. He regards Caliph Umar bin Abdul Aziz as a model of justice, equality and simplicity, who once wanted his monthly salary in advance to buy the Eid clothes for his daughters but desisted from drawing it from the state treasury because he was reminded by Finance Minister that there was no certainty of his living for the month for which he wished to draw his pay.
Oppression and tyranny was normally the salient feature of king’s life and the ruler had to become totalitarian in order to create effective subjugation over the people. Complete arrest from freedom and political subjugation were the normal orders of the day. But the sages of ages became the source of instrumental change of destinies. They played a vital role in liberating the people from enslavement and cruel yoke. Beyond any praise such was the greatness of Al-Ghazali in those fretful days that in spite of the great honor bestowed upon him, he replied that he did not want anything from any of God’s creatures.
“In spite of those lofty ideals, Al-Ghazali seems to have rightly realized that time had changed since the early days of Islam, and besides honest work there was something else, a certain amount of prestige which is wanted to exert a psychological influence on the people and keep law and order in the hand, and he would desist from doing anything which might result in the disintegration of the state through the lack of these factors.” (Sherwani)