Welcome to this week’s episode of the series Let’s Know Islam. in the view of the First Infallible Imam of Prophet of Islam’s Household, Imam Ali (Peace be upon him), the principle which can maintain the community’s balance, please everyone, establish a healthy society, and grant calm to the community, is administration of justice. Injustice is incapable of even pleasing the oppressor; let alone the oppressed.

Speaking about Imam Ali is not an easy task. He was a grand figure, who is the prime example of truthfulness, chastity, and justice. No one in history has captured the attention of scientists and thinkers as much as Imam Ali. His honorable life was spent for protection of the divine religion of Islam and he selflessly made utmost efforts to this end.
As it was previously mentioned, the most important feature of Imam Ali’s ruling system is administration of justice, such that everyone was aware of Imam’s Ali’s emphasis on justice.

The views of Imam Ali (AS) about justice and terms of administration of justice are eternal; setting a unique role model for anyone who seeks justice. Imam Ali believed that justice is an important principle which can grant calm to the community and set the stage for public content.

The speeches, sermons, letters and advices of Imam Ali revolve round justice and its status. The question which is raised is why did Imam Ali put emphasis on justice? In order to find the reason behind this fact we should pay a glance at the situation of Islamic community in 35 AH, concurrent with the election of Imam Ali. Throughout the era of Prophet Mohammad (Blessings of God upon him and his progeny), public assets were not to an extent which would stir rivalry or hostility. The limited assets which were attained were equally divided among people.

However, upon the demise of Prophet of Islam, the situation changed. The Islamic territories expanded. Concurrent with the election of Imam Ali to rule Muslims, Islamic territories stretched from Central Asia to North Africa, while revenues poured in from the liberated lands into the Islamic government’s treasury, leading to accumulation of a huge wealth.

On the other hand, in order to determine Muslims’ share of the treasury, they were classified based on their ethnical, racial, and Islamic background. Thus, some, without a justifying reason, maintained a larger share of the treasury. In the initial years of rule of 2^nd Caliph, the consequences of such a discriminatory policy were not evident as such. However, with the passage of time, the negative impacts of this discriminatory policy became tangible. Piety which was recognized as criterion for superiority was replaced by materialistic values and accumulation of wealth. Moreover, ethnical and racial rivalries escalated.

Twenty-Five years had passed since the demise of Prophet Mohammad, and people were not appropriately familiar with the tradition of Prophet of God and the elevated values of the divine religion of Islam. Some of the disciples of Prophet of God, who were alive, had reached an advanced age, and were exhausted. They wanted a bigger share of the treasury to lead peaceful and comfortable lives. Meanwhile, this was in contrast with the principle of justice in the community. Anyhow, in a community with such traits, Imam Ali accepted Caliphate. He wanted to rule a community, in which administration of justice and ethical virtues had faded away.

In the view of Imam Ali, equality of all members of the community was the main principle of social justice. Thus, he opposed any discrimination and injustice in division of treasury. He did not prioritize anyone to others in the division of public assets and equally divided the treasury between Arabs and non-Arabs.

Imam Ali delegated the responsibility of administration of treasury to two of his disciples and instructed them in writing to consider all Muslims, from any tribe and ethnicity, as equal to one another. Sahl Ibn Hanif, brought a black servant before Imam Ali. He asked Imam Ali about the share of this black servant from the treasury. Imam Ali asked Sahl ibn Hanif about his own share of the treasury. He said that he received three dinars. Imam Ali in response said that the share of his black servant from the treasury was also three dinars.

The emphasis of Imam Ali on uprooting injustice and discrimination never pleased those, who maintained excessive demands. The looters of the public assets, who benefited from the unfair relations, were angered upon observing Imam Ali’s just approach in division of the treasury; trying to sabotage Imam Ali’s righteous measures. They could not bear to be considered equal to the poor. Muslims who had migrated from Mecca to Medina were given three dinars. Later on the Muslims of Medina and in the next phase, all people were granted three dinars, each, from the treasury. Also, according to instructions, whatever which was in Ottoman’s house from the treasury were returned to the treasury. This measure of Imam Ali shook the oppressors to the core.

In the view of Imam Ali, justice was considered a main principle in the economic, social, and political domains. In Imam Ali’s standpoint, administration of justice was not just an ethical virtue, and was in fact one of the main goals and ideals behind formation of ruling system. Thus, Imam Ali considered the ruling system as a means for administration of justice. Imam Ali did not consider the ruling system as a means for rebellion, selfishness, and accumulation of wealth.

The general strategy of Imam Ali throughout his rule was to establish public welfare via uprooting poverty, and not to allow a few rich and influential individuals to accumulate wealth; in order to shape economic justice. Imam Ali considered discrimination and injustice as the root causes of rebellion of oppressed masses; the main cause of fall of regimes, and ultimately a factor which led to divine wrath. Thus, he advised rulers not to impose injustices against people.

Imam Ali believed that nothing reinforces and cements the pillars of the ruling system as administration of justice, and considered administration of justice a means for empowerment of the political system. One of the all-encompassing impacts of justice is reformation of the community’s affairs, because justice leads to organization and regulation of the society’s affairs.

Imam Ali also considered rights which hardly meet the eye. For instance, one day he saw a blind elderly man who was begging. Imam asked his associates about him. They told Imam Ali that the blind beggar was a Christian man who had served governmental offices at a young age. Imam Ali was saddened by watching this scene and noted: You recruited him at a young age and denied him of his rights when he grew old.

Then Imam Ali instructed financial assistance to this blind elderly man from public funds. This event goes to show the precise and multilateral view of Imam Ali (AS) toward the rights of members of the community.

MR/MG