PROGRAM OF REFORMATION - Imam Ali the Commander of Faithful [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

PROGRAM OF REFORMATION

Imam Ali (a.s.) laid his general plan of reformation,
with most of his attention given to reforming the
administration, economy and government as we said.

Through this immense undertaking, Amir Al-Mu'minin (a.s.)
pioneered a new course, the nation attained many great
achievements in the interests of the people and their
progress in general. Below we refer to some o-f these
achievements.

First: He established a system of governors and
officials qualified to administer the rudder of Islamic
life. They were individuals ideal in their spiritual,
intellectual and committal standards, like Uthman bin
Hanif, Muhammad bin Abi Bakr and Malik Al-Ashtar.

Although those individuals were excellent examples of
men, at the highest level of fitness, thought, action and
ability in administration and leadership, Imam Ali (a.s.)
furnished them with guiding advice and instructive plans,
helping them with the practical aspects of ruling and in
their relations with different sectors of the people whom
they were to govern.

He enjoined his governors to advise the servants of
Allah, spreading justice among them, treating them with
leniency and kindness, brushing aside all aspects of
haughtiness that high positions may create in man,
steering influential people from affecting social life
contrary to the course of Islamic justice, and offering
pieces of advice required to spread justice and establish
truth among the people.

His advice was clearly laid out as in the following
examples:

"Treat them with respect. Be kind and
considerate to them...Meet them with a smiling face. Be
fair, just and impartial in your dealings so that even
influential persons may not dare take advantage of your
leniency, and the uninfluential and poor may not be
disappointed in your justice and dealings. Remember that
Allah, the Exalted, is going to take account of your
sins, major and minor, O creatures Of Allah, from the
path of Islamic justice, influencing his judgements, or
sins, it will be because of your being unjust, and it He
forgives you, it will be because of His great mercy and
compassion..."(104)

"Treat people pleasantly and kindly, welcome
them to your audience and company, do not be harsh in
issuing and enforcing your orders, do not lose your
temper, because this weakness is always a good opening
for Satan to find its way into your mind. Always keep
this in mind that the thing which takes you nearer to
Allah will carry you away from Hell, and the thing which
drives you away from Allah will drive you towards
Hell."(105)

These extracts of Imam Ali's (a.s.) instructions were
to be followed by his governors in their practical life
also.

It goes without saying that Imam Ali (a.s.), despite his
insistent keenness on selecting the most efficient and
God fearing persons, was also keen on knowing their
methods of treating people while in their posts. For this
purpose he engaged a system of supervisors, through whose
eyes he could see how loyal and obedient they were in
carrying out the principles of Islamic justice. Whoever
made a mistake or faltered, Imam Ali (a.s.) would quickly
set his conduct right, by correcting and educating
offenders or by threatening or even deposing those
responsible. Here is part of his procedure in this
respect:

Uthman bin Hanif, his governor of Basra, once accepted
an invitation from a rich man in Basra. When Imam Ali
(a.s.) heard of this, he was afraid that such affairs
might distract his governor and divert him from the path
of Islamic justice, influencing his judgements, or
encourage him to be tyrannical in his treatment of the
people. He wrote to him:

"O Ibn Hanif! I have received information that
a per son of Basra invited you to a dinner and you
immediately accepted the invitation, and very sumptuous
meals were served there. The finest varieties of viands
were placed before you on large plates and you enjoyed
them. I a m sorry to hear the news. I never expected that
you would accept the invitation of a person who invites
big officers and rich people, and from whose doors poor
persons and hungry paupers are rudely turned away. Look
carefully into the things which you eat. If there is even
a shadow of doubt of their being obtained unlawfully then
throw them away. Only eat such things about which you are
perfectly certain that they are obtained in an honest,
lawful and virtuous way.

"You must know, bin Hanif, that for everyone
who follows a religion, there is a leader and a guide
from whom the follower learns the canons of that religion
and the ways of leading a pious life. Now look to your
Imam and leader. In this world he has satisfied himself,
and is content with, two old, torn and course garments
and two loaves of bread. I know that is too hard a life
for you to adopt, but at least try to help me with piety,
strife, chasteness and unerringness..."(106)

He wrote to Masqala Al-Shaibani, the governor of
Ardskir Kharra:

"..I have received certain information about
you. If you had actually done it, then you have verily
displeased Allah, and have disobeyed your Imam. I am
given to understand that you are lavishly distributing
state treasury-which has been gathered by Muslims' spears
and horses, and for which their blood has been
shed--among the bedouins of your own clan.

"I swear by Allah, Who split the seed and
creates the soul, that if this accusation against you
proves correct, then you will verily humiliate yourself
in my eyes and will verily be light to me in weight. So,
do not belittle the right of Allah, and do not mend your
world by ruining your religion, or you will be one of
those who have the most losing deeds...."(107)

He also wrote to one of his agents:

"Information about you has come to my
knowledge. If you have done it, then you have angered
your Lord, disobeyed your Imam, and disgraced your
honesty. It has come to me that you have taken possession
of land, seized what is under your feet, and eaten what
is in your hand. So, immediately send me your account,
and be ware that the Lord's reckoning is far more severe
than any of man's."(108)

As Imam Ali (a.s.) used to make plans for governors
and give them his guiding advice, he acted likewise to
assist his army officers, pointing out signs to them on
their way, and what they had to do when facing the enemy.

Imam Ali (a.s.) also used to tell them not to be
tyrannical, not to start any war, not to lose their
temper, and to remain patient. At the beginning they
should always take the defensive. When the enemy
transgresses, then they will have to stop the aggression.
If, then, Allah granted them victory, they were not to be
taken by the ecstasy of triumph over the enemy and chase
their soldiers running away from the battlefield without
weapons to defend themselves with. They could not kill
the wounded, nor insult the women, even if they were so.

Here are some of his instructions to his officers:

"Do not take the initiative to begin the
battle; let them begin it, because by the favor of Allah
you are on the side of truth and justice. Leave them
until they begin their hostilities, and then you are at
liberty to start fighting. Their keenness to begin a
battle will be another proof of your sincere belief in
the orders of Allah. If Allah favors you with your
success and their defeat, then do not kill the deserter,
do not finish the wounded, do not excite the women by
injuring them, even when they insult your women and curse
your commanders..."(109)

"...My duty towards you is not to keep from
you any secret except those of war, not to hide from you
any affair except in judgement, not to delay any of your
rights later than its due, and not to cut it below its
prescribed limit. You will, to me, be equal in the truth.
If I achieve this, Allah will bestow His blessings upon
you, and you will have to obey me, not to recoil from the
call, not to fall back from righteousness, and to wade
through difficulties to reach the truth..."(110)

Owing to the importance of the tax-collecting system
in the Islamic state, general rights in private property
form an important factor in Islamic economy The right of
the community to private possession provides a large
source of helping the Islamic state to meet its great
expenditures in social, military and other fields of
general life.

Because of this importance, Imam Ali (a.s.) showed
great interest, not in collecting as much money as
possible, but having the system follow the Islamic course
of justice, which the Imam (a.s.) idealized in the life
of the people. He was extremely anxious to educate
tax-collectors to strictly adhere to justness, virtue,
nobility, and to respect their responsibility. Their
duty, to the Imam, was not just to levy money for the
sake of money. They had to adhere to the right in fairly
treating the people and implementing the justness of
Islam to those whom they encountered. They were not to
cause anger among the people, not to maltreat them, not
to beat anyone for a Dirham, for example, and they might
not trespass on the property of any Muslim or non-Muslim
who enjoys being subject of the Islamic State. They might
also not sell a man's clothes or his animals in order to
levy taxes. None of the collectors had the right to
reproach anyone, nor to levy more than was allowed. They
might not look down at people but had to greet them with
kindness and to treat them with leniency. Here is another
example of his teachings in this respect:

"Treat tax-payers with equity and justice, and
consider their wishes with patience and kindness, because
you are the treasurer of the authority. Do not force
anyone to forsake his requirements and go without his
necessities. In collecting taxes do not sell their winter
and summer clothing, their slave or such of their animals
which are of service to them. Do not resort to whipping
for a Dirham, and do not touch their property, be they
Muslims or non-Muslims..."(111)

"Do not give up fearing Allah alone Who has no
partner. Do not frighten any Muslim, and do not go past
him with reluctance. Do not take from him more than what
is due to Allah from his property. When you reach their
quarter stay at their water-place, and do not get near
their houses. Then go to them with dignity and prestige
till you come among them, then wish them peace, and
refrain not from paying them compliments. Then say: O
servants of Allah! I have been sent to you by the Caliph
to collect from you the dues of Allah; so, are there any
of Allah's dues in your property which you may pay to His
Caliph?"(112)

Second: Incarnating the Islamic plan of social
justice in its most explicit picture and most minute
details.

Imam Ali (a.s.) took the most reformative steps in order
to implement the most complete illustration of social
justice according to detailed Islamic concepts.

The Islamic society, with all its sectors, had
witnessed the foremost justice during the days of the
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.).

Hereunder, are some examples of that radiant historical
experience of the Islamic nation:

A. Clemency in Attendance

Diverse sectors of the nation witnessed different
sorts of attendance to their affairs, in being treated
with kindness and care and ensuring equality among all
the subjects of the Islamic state. This is personified in
the following extracts:

"The wealth is Allah's, and it is to be
equally distributed among you, with no priority to anyone
of you."

"...By Allah, I will verily be fair with the
wronged against the one who wronged him. I will certainly
drag the wrong-doer by his 'nose ring' until I bring him
to the source of the truth, even if he is
reluctant."(113)

Furthermore, the nation, as a whole, led by Amir Al
Mu'minin (a.s.), witnessed full examples of administering
its affairs and caring for its welfare, in realizing its
strength and happiness.

Here are some of these examples:

Hakam is quoted to have said:

"I saw Ali when water-skins full of honey were
brought to him. He summoned the orphans and said to them:
‘Taste and lick,’ as much as I wished I
were an orphan. Then he distributed them among the
people. One water-skin remains. He ordered it to be
distributed among those present in the mosque (114)

Harun bin Antara citing Zadan, says:

"I was once accompanying Qanbar, Ali's servant.
Re came to Ali and said to him: 'Come, O Amir
Al-Mu'minin, come with me, I have a thing hidden for
you.' ‘What is it, boy?’ Ali asked.
'Come with me,' answered he. Ali went home with him.
There we found a sack with cups full of gold and silver.
Re said: 'O Amir AI-Mu'minin, I know you would leave
nothing unless you distribute it, so I kept this for
you.' ‘Woe to you!’ said Ali, 'You
wanted to bring a great fire into my house!' Then he
drew his sword and cut the sack into pieces and the gold
scattered on the earth. Re called to the people and told
them to distribute it among themselves in portions. Then
he went to the public treasury and distributed what was
therein, until there remained only some needles and
sticks. Re said, 'Let these be distributed,
too,'..."(115)

Hakam further said: "Ali divided the pomegranates
among the people, and the share of their mosque was seven
pomegranates. So he said: 'O people, we receive things
which seam plenty to look at, but we find them little
after distribution. We have distributed everything we
received.' He also received plates of silver. He
broken them in pieces and distributed them among
us."

Ali bin Rabi'a says: "bin Al-Tayah came to Ali
bin Abi Talib (a.s.) and said to him: 'O Amir
Al-Mu'minin, the treasury is full of the 'Yellow and
White' [gold and silver].' Allah is greater! " Ali
said and stood up leaning on bin Al-Taih's hand. He
entered the treasury, then the people were called in, and
he gave out whatever was there, while saying: "O
White and Yellow, seduce other than me!’ As
there remained nothing in it, he ordered it to be
sprinkled with water, then he performed two Rak'ahs of
prayer."

Owing to his anxious attempts to remove the heaviness of
poverty and injustice from the people, he kept rigidly to
his program throughout his caliphate as described in the
following extracts:

"...If I had so wanted I could have very
easily found ways and means to provide for myself the
purest and clearest honey, the best variety of wheat and
the finest silk clothes. But my desire can never overcome
me, nor can greediness persuade me to select the choicest
victuals, when in Hijaz and Yemen there may be people who
have no hope of obtaining a loaf of bread and who have
never satisfied their hunger, nor can I sleep with a
heavy stomach when around me there are people with hungry
stomachs and thirsty livers! Am I to be content with
being addressed as Amir Al-Mu'minin without sharing with
them the calamities of life, or setting for them an
example of bearing up bereavements of living?"(116)

B. Strict Supervision of the Market

Imam Ali (a.s.) was keen on seeing economic justice
dominating all aspects of life. For this purpose he laid
a plan to monitor the market in respect to buying,
selling and the quality of the goods offered for sale, so
as to prevent shortfalls, price fluctuations and
cheating.

Imam Al-Baqir (a.s.) said:

"Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.) used to pass
through, one by one, the markets of Kufa every morning
with his two-tailed whip on his shoulder. It was called
"Al-Sabibah". He used to stop at each market
and call out:

'O merchants! Offer the best, receive the blessing
of being easy, get nearer to the buyers, adorn yourselves
with patience, refrain from lying and swearing, be away
from wrong doing, be fair with those wronged, keep away
from usury, give full measure and full weight, in
justice, belittle not peoples' goods, and make not
mischief to cause corruption in the earth'..."(117)

Abu Al-Nawwar says: "I saw Imam Ali (a.s.) stop
at a tailor's and tell him: 'O tailor! strengthen the
string, take care of the seams, make the stitches short.
As I heard the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) say: 'The
treacherous tailor is brought, on the Day of
Resurrection, with a shirt and a cloak of his bad
tailoring so that he is disgraced before all witnesses.'
Then he said to the tailor: 'O tailor, beware of the
remnants and leftovers, as t he owner of the dress has
more right to them'..."(118)

In these ways Imam Ali (a.s.) incarnated the Islamic
plan of social justice in the best possible way. He
treated the people with kindness and love, living with
their hopes and pains until they reaped the most
wonderous fruits of justice in their history as it was in
the days of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.).

C. Self- Denial

Imam Ali (a.s.) adopted the policy of self-denial for
the sake of the nation, by way of true forsaking of
whatever covetous people greedily look for such as
wealth, pleasures and delights of life.

Amir Al-Mu'minin (a.s.) lived in a modest house similar
to those in which the poor lived. He used to, both before
and during his caliphate, eat the barley which his wife
or he himself used to grind. He wore the coarsest and the
plainest of clothes. His unchangeable principle in this
was:

"...Your Imam is content, in this world, with
two coarse old garments and two loaves of bread...I swear
by Allah that, from this world of yours, I have neither
amassed gold, nor have I gathered wealth; nor have I
changed these coarse and old garments for new ones, nor
have I owned of this land even a span (of the hand), nor
have I taken from it more than sustaining food. It is
[your world], in my eye, lower and more trivial than a
bitter gallnut."(119)

We may also observe this policy of the Imam (a.s.)
towards himself through the following incidences:

Harun bin Antara records that his father said, "I
entered Al-Khawarnaq where I saw Ali bin Abi Talib
wearing worn-out velvet in the winter season.

I said: 'O Amir Al-Mu'minin! Allah has granted you and
your family a share in this wealth, and yet you do this
to yourself!’

He said: 'By Allah I would not lessen your dues.
This is the same velvet which I brought with me from
Madinah."(120)

One day Asim bin Ziyad [justifying his indifference to
worldly pleasures] addressed the Imam (a.s.) and said:
" Look at your own dress how coarse it is, and to
your own food how meagre it is!"

Imam Ali (a.s.) replied him:

"Woe to you! I am not like you. Allah has made
it incumbent upon just Imams to keep themselves on the
level of the poorest of men, so that they may not feel
too deeply the pains of poverty."(121)

Suwaid bin Ghaflah recalls: "One day I called
upon Imam Ali (a.s.) at his house. There I saw nothing
except an old mat on which he was sitting. I said: O Amir
AI-Mu'minin, you are the King of the Muslims, and you
control the public treasury, yet you receive your guests
in a house which has only this mat!

He said: 'O Suwaid, why should a house be furnished in
this transient world when we have to move to the
permanent house to which we have moved our belongings and
to which we are moving presently?"(122).

Imam Ali (a.s.) went to the market to sell his sword
in order to buy an apron at a time when he was Amir
AI-Mu'minin, the leader of the Islamic nation, to whom is
levied money from all parts of the Islamic world.

In this respect Abu Raja' says:

"Imam Ali (a.s.) brought his sword to the market and
called: 'Who buys this from me? By Allah Who has Ali's
soul in His hand, I would not have sold it had I got the
value of an apron!' I said to him: 'I will sell you
an apron on credit until you receive your due,' and I
gave him an apron on credit. When he received his due he
paid me the value of the apron."(123)

Imam Ali (a.s.) took nothing from the public treasury, so
that when he leaves a town he leaves it with only what he
had brought with him from Madinah--his saddled camel and
his servant.

Bakr bin Isa says: "Imam Ali (a.s.) used to say: 'O
people of Kufa, if I left your town with more than my
camel, saddle and servant, then I would be a
traitor."

His expenditure used to be sent to him from his
proceeds in Yanbu' in Madinah, which he spent to feed the
people with bread and meat, while he ate the bread soaked
in fat.

He was very keen on following the example of the
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) in his justness and
abstinence. In this respect Aqaba bin Alqama says:

"I called on Imam Ali (a.s.) one day. I saw him
eating dry bread and sour milk whose sourness hurt me. I
exclaimed, 'O Amir Al-Mu'minin, do you eat this?' 'O
Abul Janub,' he replied, 'the Messenger of Allah
(s.a.w.) used to eat drier than this and wear coarser
than this (pointing to his dress), so, if I do not do
what he used to do, I am afraid I will not be able to
catch up with him."(124)

Abdullah bin Husain bin Hasan (a.s.) says: "Imam
Ali (a.s.), during the days of the Messenger of Allah
(s.a.w.), emancipated 1,000 slaves out of his working
wages and the sweat of his forehead. He became caliph,
and wealth came to him, yet dates remained his dessert,
and coarse cloth was his dress."(125)

Umar bin Qais, on the authority of Sufyan AI-Thawri,
says: "Imam Ali (a.s.) was seen wearing a patchy
garment on and was reproached for that. He said:

"This causes the heart to submit, and the
faithful to follow."(126)

His deep abstinence and self-denial for the sake of
Allah are quite explicit in his words: "...Look
at me. I have patched my dress so often that I feel
ashamed to hand it over for anymore patches. Somebody
suggested to me to throw it away, but I told him, 'Be
gone! do not try to tempt me, because those who bear
hardships in this life will pass happy days in the
Hereafter."(127)

These were some of Imam Ali's (a.s.) ways which he set
as examples for the faithful to follow. They represent
aspects of Islamic justice personified in Imam Ali
(a.s.), living among the people and exemplifying the
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.).

D. Equalizing His Family With Others

The standards which Imam Ali (a.s.) applied to his
family and relatives were very close to those which he
applied to himself, only less severe. They were based on
equalizing them with other citizens in their rights and
duties. Yet, what they bore for the sake of protecting
the Message and its progress was much more than the
rights they received.

Imam Ali (a.s.) was keen on treating his relatives, in
respect to their rights, as if they were ordinary people.
He never gave them more than their dues, and never
distinguished them with privileges. He treated them as to
educate and train them to follow his wake and at times,
showed severity with some of his relatives so that they
might take to the line he drew for them.

A Muslim of the Hana narrates:

"When Imam Ali (a.s.) finished with 'The Owners of
the Camel' [the Battle of Basrah], he returned to Kufa,
entered Beit al-Mal [the public treasury] and said: 'O
wealth tempt someone else.' Then he divided it among us.
A daughter of Hasan or Husain (a.s.) came in and picked
up some of it. The Imam (a.s.) ran after her, opened her
fist, and took it out. We said: 'O Amir Al-Mu'minin, she
has a right to it.' He said, 'When her father takes
his due, let him give her whatever he likes."(128)

Harun bin Sa'id narrates: "Abdullah bin Ja'far
bin Abi Talib said to Imam Ali (a.s.): 'O Amir
Al-Mu'minin, will you have them give me some help or
expenditure, as, by Allah, I have nothing to spend,
unless I sell my beast on which I ride!' The Imam said. 'No,
by Allah! I can find nothing for you except that you may
order your uncle [ Imam Ali (a.s.) himself] to steal and
give it to you'..."(129)

One day Aqil bin Abi Talib, who was blind, came to his
brother, Imam Ali (a.s.) asking for a Sa' [measure equal
to four times the quantity of corn that fills two hands
of a man of moderate size] of wheat, more than his due
from Beit al-Mal, and he kept repeating his demand. Imam
Ali (a.s.) wanted to give him a good lesson: so he heated
a piece of iron on the fire, then brought it near him.
Aqil recoiled in fear. Imam Ali (a.s.) then said to him, "O
Aqil, you groan from a piece of iron heated by a creature
for his sport, whereas you are dragging me towards a fire
kindled by the Almighty for his wrath! You moan from fear
of being hurt, so why shouldn't I moan from the kindled
Fire?"(130)

Abu Sadiq, quoting Imam Ali (a.s.), said: "He
married Layla. She hung some curtains for him, but he
pulled them down, saying: 'It suffices Ali's folk what
they have [to answer for]."(131)

Hasan bin Salih bin Hay said: "It came to me that
Imam Ali (a.s.) married a woman who arranged a decorated
room for him. But he refused to enter it."(132)

Kilab bin Ali Al-Amiri said: "When Imam Ali (a.s.)
married my aunt, she was sent to him riding on an ass
with a velvet covering and a basket hanging
behind."(133)

Such examples of how Imam Ali (a.s.) used to treat his
family and relatives show he never neglected any of the
rights of the Muslims for the interests of his own folk.
He, actually, tried to teach them how to ascend to his
level of self-denial and abstinence in the way of Allah,
and for the sake of the Muslim community.

His method was quite explicit. There was no vagueness and
he was unaffected by any sort of emotion or compromise.

He said; "By Allah I prefer to pass a
sleepless night on prickly thorns, or be dragged in
fetters, rather than meet my Lord and His Messenger on
the Day of Resurrection as one who had wronged some of
His servants, or who had usurped some treasures. Why
should I wrong others for the benefit of a self which
shortly decays and lies, for a long period, in the
grave?"(134)

This way of life adopted by Imam Ali (a.s.) represents
a further aspect of the general social justice which he
was very keen on embodying in the living practice of the
life of the people.