Hazrat Umar (ra) and the System of Revenue Collection

Then, there was the system of revenue collection. Following the conquest of Iraq and Syria, Hazrat Umar (ra) turned his attention towards the management of revenues. Previous kings had forcibly taken land from people and distributed it among their courtiers and chiefs, Hazrat Umar (ra) returned these lands back to the local people. Along with this, Hazrat Umar (ra) ordered that the Arabs, who had spread across these lands, would not carry out any agricultural work. That is, the Arabs would not be involved in farming. The benefit of this was that the Arabs did not have the experience of the farming methods required of that area as compared to the locals. Every region has its own method for agriculture. Hence, it was ordered that those who were not locals and had come from outside would not be involved in agriculture and that this would be carried out by the locals.

Previously, Kharaj [tax on land] was forcibly taken from the people. After establishing rules in relation to taxes, Hazrat Umar (ra) eased the method by which taxes were collected to a great extent and he also made new amendments. He took great care of non-Muslims [dhimmi] living under Muslim rule and at the time of collecting taxes, he regularly asked if any injustice had been committed against them. He would ask the opinion of the non-Muslim subjects, who were either Zoroastrians or Christians and he would also regard their opinions.

(Al-Farooq, Shibli Naumani, p. 198, 202, pp. 209-210, Dar-ul-Ishaat Karachi [1991])