شروط الإمام
I have placed my trust in our Lord—exalted be His remembrance.
Praise belongs to our Lord al-Ḥākim, who originates truth and supports it, subdues falsehood through truth, humiliates its people and scatters them, supports His friends and servants, and destroys the unbelieving deniers and obstinate opponents who doubted His perfect favor, His all-embracing blessings, and His repeated, continuous gifts.
His prayers are upon the one He chose from among His servants to unveil the secret of His commands and prohibitions, make plain the path for those seeking insight, and weaken the plotting of the disappointed people of error: I mean the Qāʾim of the Age and his servants, the ranks employed in his service.
From the chosen servant to all his brethren who call to the tawḥīd of the Lord, God, al-Ḥākim, the Compeller, and who have been appointed to judge among the righteous Unitarians and the discerning Helpers.
It has reached me—may the Lord prolong the lives of my masters and brethren the shaykhs—that the rulings concerning the obligations of contentment and submission in the marriage of Unitarians, and the union of brethren and sisters, have become closed to them, and that they do not know what the conditions of the religion require or how companionship between them is to be conducted.
My masters must know that the conditions of contentment and submission do not follow the course of other marriages, for contentment and submission belong to the affairs of the Creator—glorified is He. Whoever breaks them has opposed the command of our Lord—exalted be His remembrance.
What the conditions of religion require is that when a Unitarian man takes one of his Unitarian sisters as his wife, he should regard her as equal to himself and treat her justly in everything in his possession.
If separation occurs between them, the question is which one has wronged the other. If the woman has departed from obedience to her husband, and it is known that he treated her with strength and fairness, yet separation is unavoidable, he is entitled to half of everything she possesses, provided trustworthy people establish her transgression against him and his fairness toward her.
If trustworthy people determine that he has treated her unjustly and that she departed under compulsion, she leaves with everything she owns, and he has no claim upon any of her property.
If she is the one who opposes him and refuses to abide by his way, he is entitled to half of everything she owns, even the garment around her neck.
If the man chooses to separate from her of his own will, without any offense committed against him by her, she is entitled to half of everything he owns, including garments, household goods, silver, gold, and whatever his hand possesses, in accordance with fairness and justice.
Let the masters understand this letter and act according to it and to these conditions. Such is the rule.
Peace upon you, and praise belongs to our Lord alone, without partner.