Diwan ni jina linalotolewa kwa mahali ambapo makatibu huketi kufanya kazi na ambapo kumbukumbu huhifadhiwa. Pia ni jina linalotolewa kwa kumbukumbu zenyewe, na kuna uhusiano kati ya maana hizi mbili.

The Diwan is a name given to the place where the secretaries sit down to work and records are kept. It is also a name given to the records themselves, and there is an attachment between the two meanings.

Uanzishwaji wa kwanza wa Diwani na kuteuliwa kwa mahali pa kuzihifadhi ulifanyika wakati wa ‘Umar b. Al-Khattab mwaka wa 20 AH. Wakati wa uhai wa Mtume wa Allah ﷺ, Hazina haikuwa na Diwani maalum, ingawa Mtume wa Allah ﷺ aliwateua makatibu wa kuweka kumbukumbu za mali. Aliwateua Mu’ayqeeb Ibnu Abi Fatima Aldusi kuwa katibu wa ghanima, na Zubayr Ibnul Awwam kuwa katibu wa Sadaqat, Huzaifah Ibnul Yaman kuwa katibu juu ya mazao ya kilimo ya Hijaz, na Abdullah Ibnu Ruwaha kuwa katibu juu ya mazao ya kilimo ya Khaybar. Al Mughira Ibnu Shu’ba aliteuliwa kuwa katibu wa mikopo na miamala, wakati Abdullah Ibnu Arqam alikuwa katibu wa kumbukumbu za kabila na maji yao. Hata hivyo, Mtume wa Allah ﷺ hakuweka Diwani zozote wala kuandaa mahali pa kuzihifadhi na kuziandikia. Hali hii iliendelea wakati wa Ukhalifa wa Abu Bakr. Hata hivyo, mambo yalibadilika ‘Umar b. Al-Khattab alipokuwa Khalifa, na ushindi ukaongezeka. Hili lilisababisha mali nyingi kumiminika Madinah, jambo lililohitaji kuanzishwa kwa diwani, kuandikwa kwa kumbukumbu, na kuteuliwa kwa mahali pa kuzihifadhi na kuziandikia.

The first establishment of Diwans and designation of a place to keep them in was at the time of ‘Umar b. Al-Khattab in the year 20AH. In the life time of the Messenger of Allah (saw) , the Treasury did not have a reserved Diwan though the Messenger of Allah (saw) did appoint secretaries to keep record of the funds. He appointed Mu’ayqeeb Ibnu Abi Fatima Aldusi as secretary of the spoils (Al-ghanaim), and Zubayr Ibnul Awwam as secretary of the Sadaqat, Huzaifah Ibnul Yaman as secretary over the agricultural produce of Hijaz, and Abdullah Ibnu Ruwaha as secretary over the agricultural produce of Khaybar. Al Mughira Ibnu Shu’ba was appointed as secretary for the loans and transactions, while Abdullah Ibnu Arqam was a secretary for the records of the tribes and their water. However, the Messenger of Allah (saw) did not keep any Diwans nor did he set up a place for keeping them and writing them. This went on during the Khilafah of Abu Bakr . However, things changed when ‘Umar b. Al-Khattab became Khalifah, and the conquests increased. This consequently increased funds pouring into Madinah, which necessitated the setting up of diwans and writing records and designating places for keeping them and writing them.

Imepokewa kwamba sababu ya moja kwa moja iliyopelekea kuanzishwa kwa Diwani ni kwamba Abu Hurayra alimletea 'Umar kiasi kikubwa cha fedha kutoka Bahrain. Basi 'Umar akamuuliza: "Umeleta nini?" Akasema: "Nimekuletea dirhamu laki tano (500,0000)." 'Umar akamwambia: "Je, unajua unachosema? Huenda umechoka, basi nenda ukalale, kisha uje kuniona asubuhi." Alipokuja siku iliyofuata, 'Umar alimuuliza: "Ni kiasi gani?" Abu Hurayra akasema: "Dirhamu 500,000." 'Umar akauliza: "Je, ni halali?" Abu Hurayra akajibu: "Sijui chochote zaidi ya hilo." Hapo 'Umar alipanda mimbarini, akamsifu Allah (SWT) na kumtukuza, kisha akasema: "Enyi watu! Kiasi kikubwa cha fedha kimetufikia, basi mkitaka tutawagawia kwa kipimo, au mkitaka tutazihesabu." Mtu mmoja miongoni mwa watu akasema: "Ewe Amiri wa Waumini! Kwa nini usianzishe vitabu vya hesabu (Diwani) ili uandike kila unachowapa watu?"

It has been reported that the direct reason behind establishing the Diwans was because Abu Hurayra once brought to ‘Umar a large amount of funds from Bahrain. So ‘Umar asked him: “What have you brought?” He said: “I brought you five hundred thousand Dirhams (500,0000).” ‘Umar said to him: “Do you know what you are talking about? You must be tired, so go to sleep and come and see me in the morning. When he came the next day, ‘Umar asked him ‘How much is it?’ Abu Hurayra said: ‘500,000 Dirham.’ ‘Umar enquired: ‘Is it legitimate (Halal)?’ Abu Hurayra replied: ‘I know nothing else but that. Upon this ‘Umar stepped up the Mimbar, praised Allah (swt) and glorified Him, then said: ‘O people! A large amount of funds has reached us, so if you wish we can divide it among you in measure or if you wish we can count it. A man from among the people said: “O Amir al-Mu’amineen!, Why don’t you set up account books (Diwan) so that you can record whatever you give to people.’”.

Al-Waqidi alisimulia: Hakika ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab aliwashauri Waislamu kuhusu kuanzisha vitabu vya hesabu (Diwans). Ali alimwambia: “Kila mwaka, unapaswa kugawa fedha zote unazopokea bila kuzuia chochote.” Uthman alisema: “Naona kuna kiasi kikubwa cha fedha kitakachotolewa kwa watu. Ikiwa watu hawa hawatahesabiwa ili kusaidia kufuatilia nani amechukua na nani hajachukua, nina hofu mambo yanaweza kwenda vibaya.” Kufuatia hayo, Al-Walid bin Hisham bin Al-Mughira alisema: Nimekwenda Ash-Sham na nimejifunza kwamba wafalme wake walikuwa wameanzisha kitabu cha hesabu (Diwan) na kuajiri wanajeshi (kwa vita), kwa hiyo kwa nini wewe usifanye vivyo hivyo? ‘Umar alichukua ushauri wake, akawaita Aqeel bin Abi Talib, Makhrama bin Nawfal, na Jubayr bin Mut’im, ambao walikuwa wataalamu wa nasaba za Quraysh, akawaambia: Nendeni mkafanye sensa ya nyumba kwa nyumba. Basi walianza na Bani Hashim, kisha Abu Bakr na watu wake, kisha ‘Umar na watu wake, kisha wakahesabu makabila na kumrudishia ‘Umar taarifa. ‘Umar alipoangalia sensa alisema: Hapana, sikutaka iwe hivi. Hata hivyo, anzeni na jamaa za Mtume ﷺ, kisha walio karibu nao, na kadhalika hadi mtakapomweka ‘Umar mahali ambapo Allah (SWT) amemweka.

Al- Waqidi reported: Verily ‘Umar b. Al-Khattab consulted the Muslims about setting up the account books (Diwans). Ali said to him; “Each year, you should divide all the funds you receive without holding back anything.” Uthman said: “I can see that there are large amounts of funds to be given to the people, if these people are not counted to help keep track of who has taken from who has not , I fear that things could get out of hand.” Upon this Al-Walid Ibnu Hisham Ibnul Mughira said: I have been to Ash-Sham and I learnt that its Kings had set up an account book(Diwan) and recruited conscripts (for war), so why don’t you do the same? ‘Umar took up his advice and summoned Aqueel Ibnu Abi Talib and Makhrama Ibnu Nawfal, and Jubayr Ibnu Mut’im who were of the genealogist of Quraysh, and said to them: Go and carry a house to house census. So they began with Bani Hashim, then with Abu Bakr and his folk then ‘Umar and his folk, then they counted the tribes and reported back to ‘Umar. When ‘Umar looked at the census he said: No, I did not want it to be like this, however, do start with the family of the Messenger (saw), then the nearer to them and so on until you put ‘Umar where Allah (swt) has put him.

Hili, kwa upande wa Diwani ya ruzuku na ya waliondikishwa jeshini, liliandikwa kwa Kiarabu. Kwa upande wa Diwani ya muda wa malipo na ukusanyaji wa mapato ya hazina, hali ilikuwa tofauti. Diwani ya Iraq iliandikwa kwa Kiajemi, kama ilivyokuwa wakati wa dola ya Kiajemi, na vivyo hivyo Diwani ya nchi zilizokuwa chini ya utawala wa Waajemi. Hivyo basi, Diwani ya kodi ya ardhi na Jizya, muda wa malipo na ukusanyaji wa mapato ya hazina, viliandikwa kwa Kiajemi. Kwa upande wa Ash-Sham na maeneo yaliyotawaliwa na Warumi, Diwani yao iliandikwa kwa Kirumi, kama ilivyokuwa walipokuwa chini ya utawala wa Warumi. Hali hii iliendelea tangu siku za ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab hadi wakati wa Ukhalifa wa Mwamayya Abdul Malik bin Marwan, ambapo mwaka wa 81 AH Diwani ya Ash-Sham ilihamishiwa kwa Kiarabu.

This, as far as the Diwan (account book) of the grants and the conscripts is concerned, and it was written in Arabic. As for the Diwan of the payment time and fund collection, the case was different. The Diwan of Iraq was written in Persian as it was the case in the times of the Persian empire, so was the Diwan of the countries which were under the Persian ruling. Thus the Diwan of their land tax and Jizya, payment time and funds collection were written in Persian. As for Ash- Sham and the areas which were ruled by the Romans, their Diwan was written in Roman as it was the case when these were ruled by the Romans. This went on since the days of ‘Umar b. Al- Khattab until the time of the Khilafah of the Umayyad Abdul Malik Ibnu Marwan, when in the year 81AH the Diwan of Ash-sham was transferred to Arabic.

Imepokewa kwamba kilichomsukuma Abdul Malik Ibnu Marwan kuhamisha Diwani kutoka lugha ya Kirumi kwenda Kiarabu ni kwamba Katibu wa Diwani, ambaye alikuwa Mrumi, wakati mmoja alihitaji maji kwa ajili ya chupa yake ya wino, hivyo akakojoa ndani ya chupa ya wino badala ya kuweka maji. Abdul Malik alipopata habari hizi alimkemea; kisha akamwamuru Sulayman Ibnu Sa’ad ahamishe Diwani kwenda Kiarabu. Hivyo akamwomba msaada kwa kumpa Kharaj ya Yordani kwa mwaka mmoja. Sulayman alikubali na akamteua kuwa Wali juu ya Yordani, ambayo Kharaj yake ilikuwa Dinari 180,000. Ilimchukua Sulayman chini ya mwaka mmoja kukamilisha tafsiri ya Diwani kwenda Kiarabu. Akaipeleka kwa Abdul Malik Ibnu Marwan, ambaye alimwita Katibu wake Sarjoon na kumwonyesha. Sarjoon alihuzunika kwa jambo hili na akaondoka kwenye baraza la Abdul Malik akiwa amevunjika moyo. Makatibu wengine wa Kirumi walikutana naye, naye akawaambia: “Afadhali mtafute njia nyingine ya kujipatia riziki, kwani Allah (SWT) ameondoa riziki hii kutoka kwenu.”

It has been reported that what led Abdul Malik Ibnu Marwan to transfer the Diwan from Roman to Arabic was that the Secretary of the Diwan who was Roman, was once in need of water for his inkwell so he urinated in the inkwell instead of putting water. Abdul Malik heard of this and rebuked him; then he ordered Sulayman Ibnu Sa’ad to tranfer the Diwan to Arabic. So he asked him for assistance by making the Kharaj of Jordan available to him for one year. He agreed and appointed him Wali over Jordan, whose Kharaj was 180,000 Dinars. It took Sulayman less than a year to complete the translation of the Diwan into Arabic. He took it to Abdul Malik Ibnu Marwan who then summoned his Secretary Sarjoon and showed it to him. Sarjoon was saddened by this and left Abdul Malik’s court dejected. Other Roman clerks met with him, so he said to them: “You better seek another way of earning your living, for Allah (swt) has taken away this provision from you.”.

Kwa upande wa Diwani ya Iraq, ilikuwa ni Wali wa Al-Hajjaj Abdul Malik juu ya Iraq aliyemwamuru Katibu wake Salih bin Abdul-Rahman kuihamisha kutoka lugha ya Kiajemi kwenda lugha ya Kiarabu. Salih alikuwa stadi wa lugha zote mbili, kwa hiyo alikubali kufanya kazi hii na akapewa muda wa kuikamilisha. Katibu wa Kiajemi wa Al-Hajjaj, Muradnashah bin Zadan Farukh, aliposikia hayo, alijaribu kumhonga Salih dirhamu 100,000 ili ajifanye hana uwezo, lakini alikataa. Hivyo akamwambia: Allah (swt) akukate kutoka uhai huu kama ulivyoikata lugha ya Kiajemi.

As for the Diwan of Iraq, it was Al- Hajjaj Abdul Malik’s Wali over Iraq that ordered his Secretary Salih Ibnu Abdul-Rahman to transfer it from Persian into Arabic. Salih was fluent in both languages, so he agreed to do this and was given time to complete the task. When the Persian Secretary of Al- Hajjaj, Muradnashah Ibnu Zadan Farukh, heard of this, he tried to bribe Salih with 100,000 Dirham in order to pretend his incompetence, but he refused. So he said to him: May Allah (swt) dissect you from this life as you have dissected the Persian language.