Betterment of the People (by a ruler)
نهج، نهج البلاغة مِنْ عَهْدٍ لَهُ ع كَتَبَهُ لِلْأَشْتَرِ النَّخَعِيِّ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ لَمَّا وَلَّاهُ عَلَى مِصْرَ وَ أَعْمَالِهَا حِينَ اضْطَرَبَ أَمْرُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ وَ هُوَ أَطْوَلُ عَهْدٍ كَتَبَهُ وَ أَجْمَعُهُ لِلْمَحَاسِنِ
(The book) ‘Nahj Al Balagah’
From a pact of his-asws he-asws had written for Al-Ashtar Al-Nakhaie, may Allah-azwj have Mercy on him when he-asws made him-asws ruler of Egypt and its office bearers, when the matter of Muhammad Bin Abu Bakr, may Allah-azwj have Mercy on him, became precarious, and it is the longest of pacts he-asws had written and it is a collection of the goodness: –
هَذَا مَا أَمَرَ بِهِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ عَلِيٌّ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَالِكَ بْنَ الْحَارِثِ الْأَشْتَرَ فِي عَهْدِهِ إِلَيْهِ حِينَ وَلَّاهُ مِصْرَ جِبَايَةَ خَرَاجِهَا وَ جِهَادَ عَدُوِّهَا وَ اسْتِصْلَاحَ أَهْلِهَا وَ عِمَارَةَ بِلَادِهَا
‘This is what a servant of Allah-azwj Ali-asws, Amir Al-Momineen instructs Malik Bin Al-Haris Al-Ashtar with, in his-asws pact to him where he-asws is making him a ruler of Egypt, collector of its taxes, and fighting against its enemies, and ‘اسْتِصْلَاحَ’ betterment of its people, and build its cities (an extract).[1]
[1] بحار الأنوار (ط – بيروت)، ج33، ص: 599, H. 744