Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Imam Ali (a.s.)'s Book of Government

This book is corrected and edited by Al-Hassanain (p) Institue for Islamic Heritage and Thought

• A Word to the Readers
• Note
• Prolegomenon
• Politics in two Schools
• Umayyad Policies
• 'Alawi Politics
• 'Alawi Reformations
• 'Alawi Policies in Confrontation with Deviations
• The Policy of Administrative and Economical Reformation
• Notes
• Policy of Cultural Reformation
• One: The Foundations of Ruling over the Hearts
• Two: Administrative Policies
• 1. Honesty in Politics
• 2. Truth-Orientedness
• 3. Adherence to law
• 4. Administrative Discipline
• 5. Appointment of Competent and Capable Administrators
• 6. Providing the Administrators with their financial Needs
• 7. Special Care for the Armed Forces
• 8. Necessity for setting up an Establishment to Monitor the Function of the Administrators
• 9. Never Accepting any Gifts
• 10. Decisiveness Coupled with Tolerance
• Three: Cultural Policies
• 1. Development of Education
• 2. Correction of Public Culture
• 4. Imam Ali (a.s.)'s Reaction to Destructive Criticisms
• 5. Adherence to Truth, rather than to Personalities
• Four: Economical Policies
• 1. Promotion of Work Ethos
• 2. Agricultural Development
• 3. Development of Crafts
• 4. Development of Trade
• 5. Direct Supervision of the Market
• 6. Fair Levy of Taxes
• 7. Not Delaying in Distribution of Public Assets
• 8. Necessity of People's Equal Enjoyment of Public Assets
• 9. Provision of Basic Needs of life for all People
• 10. Prohibition of Bestowing Gifts out of Public Assets
• 11. Never Granting Privileges to One's Kith and Kin
• 12. Frugality in Public Assets
• Five: Social Policies
• 1. Social Justice
• 2. Safeguarding People's Rights
• The Mutual Rights of People and the leadership
• 3. Development of Legitimate and Constructive Freedoms
• 4. Caring about People
• 5. Protection of the Oppressed
• 7. Attempts in Creating Empathy and Solidarity in the Society
• Six: Judiciary Policies
• 1. Appointment of the Best Judges for Juridical Posts
• 2. Providing for financial Needs of the Judges
• 3. Job security for the Judges
• 4. Observance of Judgment Rules
• 5. Close Supervision over the Judges' Function
• 6. Integrated Judicial Procedures
• 7. Equality of all People before the Law
• 8. The Status of an Islamic State's Expedience in Issuing Verdicts
• Seven: Security Policies
• 1. Establishing an Efficient Intelligence System
• 2. Détente
• 3. Vigilance and timeliness
• 4. Avoidance of Terrorization and Spread of Horror
• 5. Adherence to law in Dealing with Criminals
• 6. Tolerance towards Political Dissidents
• Eight: Military Policies
• 1. Attempts in Martial Training and Arrangement of Troops
• 2. Formation of Special Forces
• 3. Enhancement of the Troops' Morale
• 4. Employing Deceitful Tactics in Battles
• 5. Ethics of War
• A. Never Initiating a War
• B. Not Calling to War
• C. Diplomatic Immunity of the Enemy's Envoys
• D. Raising an Argument before Starting the War
• E. Supplication at the Time of war
• F. Starting the War in the Afternoon
• G. Fair Treatment of the Enemy's Troops Left behind
• Nine: International Policies
• 1. Policies Perpetuating Governments
• 2. Policies Causing Decline of Governments
• 3. Efficient International Policies
• Summing up Imam Ali (a.s.)'s Policies
• Notes
• Overall Defense of Imam Ali's Statesmanship
• Notes
• Reasons for Imam Ali (a.s.)'s Loneliness
• Raising the Issue
• Role of the Elite in Political and Social Transformations
• Role of the Kufans in Ali's Hukuma
• Ali's Loneliness in his own Words
• 1. Contradictory Demands
• 2. Treason of the Elite and their being
• A Step beyond Delineation of the Roots
• Expressing Grievances, an Ultimatum to all People
• Warning the Common People
• Risk of Abandoning Commanding Good and Forbidding Wrong
• 3. Equity in Distribution
• 4. Avoidance of Using Illegitimate Instruments in Enforcement of commands
• Imam Ali (a.s.)’s Predictions Coming True
• 5. Peripheral Factors
• Misconception of War against the People of Qibla
• Warriors being Tired of a War with no Spoils
• Losing Eminent Companions
• The Leader’s Utmost Power in his Utter Loneliness
• Chapter One: Allegiance of Light
• 1.1 The Date of Allegiance to the Imam
• 1.2 People’s Freedom in Electing the Imam
• 1.3 The Imam’s Reluctance to Rulership
• An Analysis of the Reasons for Imam Ali (a.s.)’s Discontent in Accepting the Rulership
• 1.4 The Imam’s Motives in Accepting the Rulership
• 1.5 The First Person to Swear Allegiance
• Attributing “Auguring Evil” to the Imam
• 1.6 People Welcoming Allegiance
• 1.7 Allegiance of General Public
• 1.8 Words of a Group of Imam Ali’s Companions after Swearing Allegiance
• 1.9 Turning away from Swearing Allegiance to the Imam
• 1.10 The Biography of a Group of those who Rejected Allegiance
• a) ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Umar b. Khattab
• b) Sa‘d b. Abi Waqqas
• c) Muhammad b. Muslima
• d) Usama b. Zayd
• e) Hassan b. Thabit
• Notes
• Chapter Two: 'Alawi Reformation
• 2.1 Cry of Justice and its Reverberation
• 2.2 Dismissing ‘Uthman’s Administrators
• 2.3 Refunding Public Assets
• 2.4 Difficulty of Certain Reforms
• Notes
• Chapter Three: Administrative Policies
• 3.1 Honesty in Policy
• 3.2 Truth-Oriented
• 3.3 Adherence to Law
• 3.4 Uncompromisingness
• 3.5 Planning and Organizing
• 3.6 Selection of Competent Administrators
• 3.7 Not Employing the Treacherous and the Feeble
• 3.8 Generosity in Providing Administrators with Daily Sustenance
• 3.9 Choosing Secret Agents to Keep a Check on the Administrators
• 3.10 Rewarding and Punishment
• 3.11 Decisiveness toward Administrators
• a) Ash‘ath b. Qayth
• b) Ziyad b. Abih
• c) Shurayh al-Qadi
• d) ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Abbas
• e) ‘Uthman b. Hunayf
• f) Qudama b. ‘Ajlan
• g) Masqala b. Hubayra
• h) Al-Mundhir b. Jarud
• 3.12 Dismissing Treacherous Administrators
• 3.13 Punishing Treacherous Administrators
• 3.14 Forbidding Administrators from Accepting Gifts
• 3.15 Mingling Strictness with Softness
• Notes
• Chapter Four: Cultural Policies
• 4.1 Development of Education
• 4.2 Prevention from Abolishing Proper Customs
• 4.3 Fighting against Evil Customs
• 4.4 Avoiding Reception Ceremony
• 4.5 Criticizing rather than Admiring
• 4.6 Truth-Orientedness in Getting to Know Men
• Notes
• Chapter Five: Political Policies
• 5.1 Encouraging to Work
• 5.2 Engendering Prosperity in the Cities
• 5.3 Agricultural Development
• 5.4 Development of Crafts
• 5.5 Development of Trade
• 5.6 Direct Inspection of the Bazaars
• 5.7 Prevention from Hoarding
• 5.8 Levying Taxes
• 5.9 Not Postponing Distribution of Public Assets
• 5.10 Equality in Distributing Public Assets
• An Explanation on How in Early Islam Public Revenue was Distributed
• Specific Expenditure
• General Expenditure
• 5.11 Fulfillment of Basic Needs for All
• 5.12 Supporting Lowest Class
• 5.13 Great Concern for the Orphans
• 5.14 Prevention of Extravagance in Public Property
• 5.15 Not Preferring One’s Children and Kin
• a) Hasan and Husayn
• b) Umm Kulthum
• c) ‘Aqil
• Soon he will make me rich, he who made me independent of you
• d) ‘Abd Allah b. Ja’far
• e) Imam’s Granddaughter
• f) Imam’s Sister
• g) Imam’s Maidservant
• 5.16 Piety and Prudence in Expending Public Treasury
• Notes
• Chapter Six: Social Policies
• 6.1 Establishing Justice
• 6.2 Commitment to Rights
• 6.3 Developing Constructive Freedoms
• 6.4 Endeavor in Pleasing People
• 6.5 Kindness and Amiability to People
• 6.6 Direct Contact with People
• 6.7 Tolerating Difficulties Caused by People
• 6.8 Avoiding Anger
• 6.9 Avoidance of Fault-finding
• 6.10 Uncovering Excuses to Remove Suspicions
• 6.11 Helping out the Oppressed
• 6.12 Setting up Complaints House
• 6.13 Inspection in Order to Avert the Tyranny of the Troops
• 6.14 Attempts toward Unification of Muslim Community
• Notes
• Chapter Seven: Judicial Policies
• 7.1 Selection of the Elite for Judgment
• 7.2 Financial Support of the Judges
• 7.3 Job Security for Judges
• 7.4 Enjoining to Observe Judgment Rules
• 7.5 Dismissing Judges Violating Judgment Rules
• 7.6 Overseeing the Judgment of the Judges
• 7.7 Warning against Unjust and Negligent Judgments
• 7.8 Imam’s Direct Judgments
• 7.9 Consistency in Judgment Procedures
• 7.10 Execution of Legal Punishment Equally on Near of Kin and Strangers
• 7.11 Submission to Judgment
• 7.12 The Status of Islamic State Expediency in Issuing Verdicts
• Notes
• Chapter Eight: Security Policies
• 8.1 Importance of Security
• 8.2 Collecting Information
• 8.3 Rectifying the Enemies
• 8.4 Compromise Accompanied by Sagacity
• 8.5 Keeping Extremely vigilant against the Enemy
• 8.6 Not Underestimating the Enemy
• 8.7 Avoid Consultation with the Enemy, except for Trial
• 8.8 Knowing the Right Time in Encountering the Enemies
• 8.9 Not Punishing on the Basis of Conjecture
• 8.10 Warning against Torture
• 8.11 Warning against Invective
• 8.12 Gentleness as long as no Intrigue is Going on
• 8.13 Exiling or Incarcerating the Plotters
• Notes
• Chapter Nine: Warfare Policies
• 9.1 Endeavors in Military Training
• A. Training the Troops
• B. Arrangement the Troops
• C. Enjoining to Get Hold of One’s Weapon in Battles
• D. Exploiting the Opportunities
• E. Tactical Withdrawal
• 9.2 Forming Especial Forces
• 9.3 Paying Special Attention to the Armed Forces
• 9.4 Caring for the Troops Morale
• A. Encouragement
• B. Watchword
• C. Inculcation of Victory
• D. Warning against Escape from the Battleground
• E. Hiding away whatever that Ruins the Troops’ Morale
• 9.5 Deception
• 9.6 Ethics of War
• A. Avoidance of Initiating a Battle
• B. Avoidance of Calling to Power
• C. Diplomatic Immunity of Envoys
• D. Raising an Argument before a Battle
• E. Supplication before a Battle
• F. Starting the Battle in the Afternoon
• G. Helping the Feeble
• H. Good Conduct toward the Reminder of the Enemy Troop
• Notes
• Chapter Ten: State Policies
• 10.1 Causes for Durability of Governments
• a) Establishing Justice
• b) Good Management
• c) Good Behavior
• d) Vigilance in Taking Care of Affairs
• 10.2 Causes for the Decline of States
• a) Tyranny
• b) Unlawful Bloodshed
• c) Mismanagement
• d) Arrogance
• e) Violation of the Principles
• 10.3 Recommendations on Socio-Political Relations
• Treating others as Treating Oneself
• b) Self-Esteem
• c) Avoidance of Enmity
• d) Fidelity in Agreements
• e) Discharging Obligations
• f) Exploiting Other People’s Knowledge
• g) Cultural Independence
• h) Miscellaneous
• Notes