Welcome to this week’s episode of the series Let’s Know Islam. In this episode, we study other aspects of the rule of the First Infallible Successor to Prophet of Islam, Imam Ali (Peace be upon him).

As previously mentioned, Imam Ali paid especial attention to administration of justice in the community. In the view of Imam Ali (AS), the community succeeds when justice is administered, righteousness is sought, and falsehood is not permitted to emerge. In Imam Ali’s outlook, nothing is more important than righteousness; and the power and ruling system are valued as long as they are coupled with righteousness and justice. Commitment to righteousness and justice prolongs power, and injustice pushes power and authority to the verge of destruction.

One of the interesting points in Imam Ali’s rule was administration of justice, coupled with kindness toward people. In Imam Ali’s view, the administration of justice is a must, and the ruler should be kind and gentle toward masses of people. The ruler should treat people kindly and should wholeheartedly like them from all walks of life. On this basis, resorting to force in a rigid and inflexible form, even in a legitimate manner, is banned. Otherwise, a climate of fear is shaped in the community and social relations are sabotaged, while upbeat spirits start to fade away in the community. In the outlook of Imam Ali, persistent resort to force leaves negative impacts and drifts apart people from the ruling system. However, forgiveness and patience toward people, pleases them. Imam Ali (AS) noted: “The beauty of politics is administration of justice and forgiveness in a position of authority.”

Undoubtedly, mutual friendship and amity between people and rulers facilitates administration of justice. The ruler should be prudent and influential in order to mobilize the huge power and will of people for advancement of affairs and materialization of ideals.

Imam Ali (AS) in addition to administration of justice was kind toward people. He rushed to help and assist the poor and the needy, and treated the needy with modesty. He personally studied the situation of the needy and sympathized with orphans. Imam Ali had an orchard in the city of Medina which he had developed with his personal efforts. One day, he sold his orchard for 10,000 dinars, and divided the money among the poor and the needy. Throughout his rule, he walked passed alleys and marketplace in the capital of his caliphate, Kufa, to observe the lives of people, first hand. He also advised people not to encroach on each other’s rights.

One day, Imam Ali (AS) was passing by the date marketplace, when he saw a female servant weeping. He asked the servant the reason behind her despair.  She said that her master sent her to the market to buy dates. However, the members of her master’s house did not like the dates that she had bought and urged her to return to the marketplace and to persuade the seller to take the dates back. However, the seller had refused to take back the dates.

Meanwhile, Imam Ali approached the date seller and kindly asked the seller to take back the dates and return the female servant’s money. The date seller, who had not recognized Imam Ali, rudely told the Imam that this case was none of his business.

The people who were standing by, told the seller that the man he mistreated was the ruler of Muslims, Imam Ali (AS). The date seller was shaken and asked Imam Ali for forgiveness. Imam Ali responded that if the seller would treat people kindly, he would also be pleased with the date seller.

In an instruction to governor of Egypt, Malek Ashtar, Imam Ali (AS) noted: “Be kind toward people and forgive their sins and wrongdoings, as you like God to forgive you.”

One of the main missions of any ruling system is maintenance of people’s security. A country which would not be able to maintain security can never solve any of its other problems. Focus on security plays an important part in resolution of problems; given that in the absence of security, development in political, cultural, and economic domains is an impossible task. Imam Ali, upon his election as caliph, clearly announced his stand on the necessity to establish and maintain security.

Given that maintenance of security is one of the main duties of a ruling system, Imam Ali continuously reminded his officials to honor the lives, assets, and reputation of their citizens.

Imam Ali put emphasis on the security of borders. Obviously, any given nation stands up against its foreign enemies for its survival and defends its existence. In this regard, the troops stand firm against foes and protect the borders. Protection of borders was of significant importance for Imam Ali such that he criticized one of his loyal disciples, Komail ibn Ziad, for his laxity in fending off enemy’s aggression.

Imam Ali was the first ruler who established law enforcement forces in an Islamic country for maintenance of internal security, instating a police chief. Imam Ali also sent especial inspectors to different regions to precisely report on the situation of any province and its people, and the performance of government officials.

In the view of Imam Ali, security was an all-encompassing topic of importance, in the light of which fulfillment of mutual rights of members of the community toward each other and the mutual rights of people and ruling system toward each other becomes meaningful.

Imam Ali also granted honor and freedom to followers of other religions. Imam Ali urged his followers not to commit any injustice against People of the Book.

One of the other aspects of security in the view of Imam Ali was mental security. The wisdom of individuals grows when they benefit from mental security, enabling them to defend their rights. Due to maintenance of this type of security throughout Imam Ali’s rule, people and even opponents were completely free to express their views. Although the opponents of Imam Ali (AS) spoke against him in mosques and public places, they were free to express their views, as long as they did not take up arms. Imam Ali tolerated his opponents and treated them in a broadminded manner.

MR/MG