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AlGhazalisIhya-Book_of_knowledge, page : 47
Concerning charity, the jurist examines what satisfies the demand of the
magistrate so that, in the event that the payment of the alms is withheld and,
consequently, the magistrate exacts it by force, the jurist then rules that the
responsibility of the magistrate has been fulfilled. It is related that Abu Yusef, the
judge, was in the habit of giving away all his income to his wife at the end of each
year and in turn making her give away hers to him in order to avoid the payment
of alms. On being informed of it, Abu Hanifah declared that this was the result of
Abu Yusef‟s (versatility in) jurisprudence; and Abu Hanifah was right because
such a thing is the result of worldly wisdom. Nevertheless, its harm in the
Hereafter outweighs every benefit (it may yield in this world). Moreover, such
knowledge is harmful.
Concerning the lawful and the unlawful, abstinence from the latter is a part of
religion. Piety, moreover, has four grades.
The first is that piety, which is required for just testimony and the relinquishing of
that, which disqualifies man to bear witness before a court, or to be a judge or to
act as governor. It consists, in other words, in avoiding all that is clearly unlawful.
magistrate so that, in the event that the payment of the alms is withheld and,
consequently, the magistrate exacts it by force, the jurist then rules that the
responsibility of the magistrate has been fulfilled. It is related that Abu Yusef, the
judge, was in the habit of giving away all his income to his wife at the end of each
year and in turn making her give away hers to him in order to avoid the payment
of alms. On being informed of it, Abu Hanifah declared that this was the result of
Abu Yusef‟s (versatility in) jurisprudence; and Abu Hanifah was right because
such a thing is the result of worldly wisdom. Nevertheless, its harm in the
Hereafter outweighs every benefit (it may yield in this world). Moreover, such
knowledge is harmful.
Concerning the lawful and the unlawful, abstinence from the latter is a part of
religion. Piety, moreover, has four grades.
The first is that piety, which is required for just testimony and the relinquishing of
that, which disqualifies man to bear witness before a court, or to be a judge or to
act as governor. It consists, in other words, in avoiding all that is clearly unlawful.