Shafaqna English- Commentary on Imam Sajjad’s (AS) Treaties of Right by Mohammad Sobhanie.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
وَأمّــا حَقُّ الشَّرِيكِ، فَإنْ غَابَ كَفَيْتَـــــــــــــــــهُ، وَإنْ حَضَرَ سَــــــــــــاويْتَهُ، ولا تَعْزِمْ عَلَى حُكْمِكَ دُونَ حُكْمِـــــهِ، وَلا تَعمَــــــــــــــــــلْ برَأْيكَ دُونَ مُنــــاظَرَتهِ، وتَحْفَظُ عَلَيْهِ مَالَهُ وَتنْفِي عَنْهُ خِيَانتَهُ فِيمَـا عَزَّ أَو هَانَ فَإنَّهُ بَلَغَنَا أَنَّ “يَدَ اللهِ عَلَى الشَّرِيـكَيْنِ مَــــــــــــــــــا لَمْ يَتَخاوَنا”. ولا قُوَّةَ إلا باللهِ.
The right of the Partner (34th)
Translation: The right of the partner is that you should take care of his affairs in his absence and treat him equally when he is present. You should not make any decisions without considering his opinion and should not act according to your opinion before discussing it with him. You should safeguard his property and prevent any acts of betrayal regarding it, whether a little or a lot. It has been transmitted to us: “God’s hand is with partners as long as they do not cheat. [1]” And there is no power except with God.
Commentary: Individuals with limited capital and resources may struggle to start a business. As a result, they often seek out like-minded individuals interested in providing financial or intellectual support, becoming business partners in the process. Experience has shown that a stable company relies on two key conditions:
First, partners must be trustworthy and prioritize the company’s interests above their own. It is reassuring to know that the Messenger of God (PBUH) narrated a saying from God Almighty: “If two of you enter into a partnership, I will be the third among you, as long as there is no treachery. However, if there is treachery, I will leave the partnership.” [2] This statement emphasizes God’s unwavering support for the partnership, provided no dishonesty is involved.
Second, effective coordination and collective decision-making among partners are essential for a successful partnership. These elements enhance cooperation and foster long-lasting collaboration, motivating everyone to work together toward a common goal.
The Imam (AS) stated: The right of a partner is:
- Take care of his affairs in his absence. (فَإنْ غَابَ كَفَيْتَـــــــــــــــــهُ)
- Treat him equally when he is present. (وَإنْ حَضَرَ سَــــــــــــاويْتَهُ)
- Do not make any decisions without considering his opinion. (وَإنْ حَضَرَ سَــــــــــــاويْتَهُ)
It is worth noticing that Imam Sajjad (AS) refers to a Hadith from the Messenger of God (PBUH), who said: “The hand of Allah (SWT) is upon the partners as long as they do not betray each other.”[3] (إِنَّ يَدَ اللهِ عَلَى الشَّرِيكِينَ مَا لَمْ يَتَخَاوَنَا)
Hassan bin Mukhtar once asked Imam Sadiq (AS): “If a man has a partner and it is confirmed that the partner has betrayed him, does he have the right to take from the partnership’s share without the partner’s knowledge?”
Imam’s (AS) response was profound and filled with disapproval: “This is a disgraceful act! They became partners while seeking refuge in God to be trustworthy toward each other. If one sees betrayal from his partner, he should cover it up to protect his partner’s reputation. I disapprove of him taking anything without the partner’s knowledge.” [4]
Note:
[1] The phrase: ‘God’s hand is with partners, signifies the divine support and guidance bestowed upon a partnership based on trust and cooperation.
[2] http://shiaonlinelibrary.com/الكتب/1249_مستدرك-الوسائل-الميرزا-النوري-ج-١٣/الصفحة_448
[3] http://shiaonlinelibrary.com/الكتب/1249_مستدرك-الوسائل-الميرزا-النوري-ج-١٣/الصفحة_448
[4] http://shiaonlinelibrary.com/ الكتب/1166_التهذيب-ج-٦/الصفحة_0? Page 350
Part of a Series: Commentary on Imam Al-Sajjad’s (AS) treaties of right
Commentary on Imam Sajjad’s (AS) Treaties of Right (Part 35)