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

Imam Ali (a.s.) and Political Leadership

This text presents Imam Ali's policy in governmental, political, military, social, cultural, economical and judicial affairs in Islam.

Author(s): Ayatullah Muhammadi Rayshahri

Translator(s): Ahmad Rezwani

Publisher(s): Dar al-Hadith Publications

Table of Contents

A Word to the Readers 9

Note 10

Prolegomenon 11

Politics in two Schools 12

Umayyad Policies 12

'Alawi Politics 13

'Alawi Reformations 14

'Alawi Policies in Confrontation with Deviations 14

The Policy of Administrative and Economical Reformation 14

Notes 16

Policy of Cultural Reformation 17

One: The Foundations of Ruling over the Hearts 17

Two: Administrative Policies 19

1. Honesty in Politics 19

2. Truth-Orientedness 20

3. Adherence to law 20

4. Administrative Discipline 20

5. Appointment of Competent and Capable Administrators 20

6. Providing the Administrators with their financial Needs 21

7. Special Care for the Armed Forces 21

8. Necessity for setting up an Establishment to Monitor the Function of the Administrators 21

9. Never Accepting any Gifts 22

10. Decisiveness Coupled with Tolerance 22

Three: Cultural Policies 22

1. Development of Education 22

2. Correction of Public Culture 23

4. Imam Ali (a.s.)'s Reaction to Destructive Criticisms 25

5. Adherence to Truth, rather than to Personalities 25

Four: Economical Policies 25

1. Promotion of Work Ethos 26

2. Agricultural Development 26

3. Development of Crafts 26

4. Development of Trade 26

5. Direct Supervision of the Market 26

6. Fair Levy of Taxes 27

7. Not Delaying in Distribution of Public Assets 27

8. Necessity of People's Equal Enjoyment of Public Assets 28

9. Provision of Basic Needs of life for all People 28

10. Prohibition of Bestowing Gifts out of Public Assets 28

11. Never Granting Privileges to One's Kith and Kin 29

12. Frugality in Public Assets 29

Five: Social Policies 29

1. Social Justice 29

2. Safeguarding People's Rights 30

The Mutual Rights of People and the leadership 31

3. Development of Legitimate and Constructive Freedoms 32

4. Caring about People 32

5. Protection of the Oppressed 33

7. Attempts in Creating Empathy and Solidarity in the Society 34

Six: Judiciary Policies 35

1. Appointment of the Best Judges for Juridical Posts 35

2. Providing for financial Needs of the Judges 35

3. Job security for the Judges 35

4. Observance of Judgment Rules 36

5. Close Supervision over the Judges' Function 36

6. Integrated Judicial Procedures 36

7. Equality of all People before the Law 37

8. The Status of an Islamic State's Expedience in Issuing Verdicts 37

Seven: Security Policies 37

1. Establishing an Efficient Intelligence System 38

2. Détente 38

3. Vigilance and timeliness 38

4. Avoidance of Terrorization and Spread of Horror 38

5. Adherence to law in Dealing with Criminals 39

6. Tolerance towards Political Dissidents 39

Eight: Military Policies 39

1. Attempts in Martial Training and Arrangement of Troops 39

2. Formation of Special Forces 40

3. Enhancement of the Troops' Morale 40

4. Employing Deceitful Tactics in Battles 42

5. Ethics of War 42

A. Never Initiating a War 42

B. Not Calling to War 43

C. Diplomatic Immunity of the Enemy's Envoys 43

D. Raising an Argument before Starting the War 43

E. Supplication at the Time of war 43

F. Starting the War in the Afternoon 43

G. Fair Treatment of the Enemy's Troops Left behind 44

Nine: International Policies 44

1. Policies Perpetuating Governments 44

2. Policies Causing Decline of Governments 45

3. Efficient International Policies 45

Summing up Imam Ali (a.s.)'s Policies 46

Notes 46

Overall Defense of Imam Ali's Statesmanship 48

Notes 50

Reasons for Imam Ali (a.s.)'s Loneliness 51

Raising the Issue 51

Role of the Elite in Political and Social Transformations 51

Role of the Kufans in Ali's Hukuma 52

Ali's Loneliness in his own Words 53

1. Contradictory Demands 53

2. Treason of the Elite and their being 54

A Step beyond Delineation of the Roots 55

Expressing Grievances, an Ultimatum to all People 56

Warning the Common People 57

Risk of Abandoning Commanding Good and Forbidding Wrong 58

3. Equity in Distribution 59

4. Avoidance of Using Illegitimate Instruments in Enforcement of commands 61

Imam Ali (a.s.)’s Predictions Coming True 62

5. Peripheral Factors 65

Misconception of War against the People of Qibla 65

Warriors being Tired of a War with no Spoils 66

Losing Eminent Companions 67

The Leader’s Utmost Power in his Utter Loneliness 68

Chapter One: Allegiance of Light 72

1.1 The Date of Allegiance to the Imam 72

1.2 People’s Freedom in Electing the Imam 72

1.3 The Imam’s Reluctance to Rulership 73

An Analysis of the Reasons for Imam Ali (a.s.)’s Discontent in Accepting the Rulership 74

1.4 The Imam’s Motives in Accepting the Rulership 77

1.5 The First Person to Swear Allegiance 78

Attributing “Auguring Evil” to the Imam 79

1.6 People Welcoming Allegiance 80

1.7 Allegiance of General Public 81

1.8 Words of a Group of Imam Ali’s Companions after Swearing Allegiance 82

1.9 Turning away from Swearing Allegiance to the Imam 83

1.10 The Biography of a Group of those who Rejected Allegiance 89

a) ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Umar b. Khattab 89

b) Sa‘d b. Abi Waqqas 92

c) Muhammad b. Muslima 92

d) Usama b. Zayd 93

e) Hassan b. Thabit 93

Notes 94

Chapter Two: 'Alawi Reformation 98

2.1 Cry of Justice and its Reverberation 98

2.2 Dismissing ‘Uthman’s Administrators 105

2.3 Refunding Public Assets 107

2.4 Difficulty of Certain Reforms 108

Notes 110

Chapter Three: Administrative Policies 112

3.1 Honesty in Policy 112

3.2 Truth-Oriented 112

3.3 Adherence to Law 113

3.4 Uncompromisingness 114

3.5 Planning and Organizing 114

3.6 Selection of Competent Administrators 115

3.7 Not Employing the Treacherous and the Feeble 116

3.8 Generosity in Providing Administrators with Daily Sustenance 117

3.9 Choosing Secret Agents to Keep a Check on the Administrators 117

3.10 Rewarding and Punishment 117

3.11 Decisiveness toward Administrators 118

a) Ash‘ath b. Qayth 118

b) Ziyad b. Abih 118

c) Shurayh al-Qadi 119

d) ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Abbas 119

e) ‘Uthman b. Hunayf 120

f) Qudama b. ‘Ajlan 121

g) Masqala b. Hubayra 122

h) Al-Mundhir b. Jarud 123

3.12 Dismissing Treacherous Administrators 123

3.13 Punishing Treacherous Administrators 125

3.14 Forbidding Administrators from Accepting Gifts 125

3.15 Mingling Strictness with Softness 126

Notes 127

Chapter Four: Cultural Policies 130

4.1 Development of Education 130

4.2 Prevention from Abolishing Proper Customs 131

4.3 Fighting against Evil Customs 131

4.4 Avoiding Reception Ceremony 131

4.5 Criticizing rather than Admiring 132

4.6 Truth-Orientedness in Getting to Know Men 133

Notes 134

Chapter Five: Political Policies 135

5.1 Encouraging to Work 135

5.2 Engendering Prosperity in the Cities 135

5.3 Agricultural Development 136

5.4 Development of Crafts 136

5.5 Development of Trade 136

5.6 Direct Inspection of the Bazaars 137

5.7 Prevention from Hoarding 141

5.8 Levying Taxes 141

5.9 Not Postponing Distribution of Public Assets 145

5.10 Equality in Distributing Public Assets 147

An Explanation on How in Early Islam Public Revenue was Distributed 150

Specific Expenditure 150

General Expenditure 151

5.11 Fulfillment of Basic Needs for All 152

5.12 Supporting Lowest Class 152

5.13 Great Concern for the Orphans 153

5.14 Prevention of Extravagance in Public Property 155

5.15 Not Preferring One’s Children and Kin 155

a) Hasan and Husayn 156

b) Umm Kulthum 156

c) ‘Aqil 158

Soon he will make me rich, he who made me independent of you 159

d) ‘Abd Allah b. Ja’far 159

e) Imam’s Granddaughter 159

f) Imam’s Sister 160

g) Imam’s Maidservant 160

5.16 Piety and Prudence in Expending Public Treasury 160

Notes 162

Chapter Six: Social Policies 166

6.1 Establishing Justice 166

6.2 Commitment to Rights 168

6.3 Developing Constructive Freedoms 169

6.4 Endeavor in Pleasing People 169

6.5 Kindness and Amiability to People 170

6.6 Direct Contact with People 170

6.7 Tolerating Difficulties Caused by People 171

6.8 Avoiding Anger 172

6.9 Avoidance of Fault-finding 172

6.10 Uncovering Excuses to Remove Suspicions 173

6.11 Helping out the Oppressed 173

6.12 Setting up Complaints House 175

6.13 Inspection in Order to Avert the Tyranny of the Troops 175

6.14 Attempts toward Unification of Muslim Community 175

Notes 178

Chapter Seven: Judicial Policies 181

7.1 Selection of the Elite for Judgment 181

7.2 Financial Support of the Judges 181

7.3 Job Security for Judges 181

7.4 Enjoining to Observe Judgment Rules 181

7.5 Dismissing Judges Violating Judgment Rules 183

7.6 Overseeing the Judgment of the Judges 183

7.7 Warning against Unjust and Negligent Judgments 184

7.8 Imam’s Direct Judgments 184

7.9 Consistency in Judgment Procedures 185

7.10 Execution of Legal Punishment Equally on Near of Kin and Strangers 186

7.11 Submission to Judgment 186

7.12 The Status of Islamic State Expediency in Issuing Verdicts 188

Notes 188

Chapter Eight: Security Policies 190

8.1 Importance of Security 190

8.2 Collecting Information 190

8.3 Rectifying the Enemies 191

8.4 Compromise Accompanied by Sagacity 191

8.5 Keeping Extremely vigilant against the Enemy 192

8.6 Not Underestimating the Enemy 192

8.7 Avoid Consultation with the Enemy, except for Trial 192

8.8 Knowing the Right Time in Encountering the Enemies 193

8.9 Not Punishing on the Basis of Conjecture 193

8.10 Warning against Torture 194

8.11 Warning against Invective 195

8.12 Gentleness as long as no Intrigue is Going on 196

8.13 Exiling or Incarcerating the Plotters 197

Notes 197

Chapter Nine: Warfare Policies 200

9.1 Endeavors in Military Training 200

A. Training the Troops 200

B. Arrangement the Troops 202

C. Enjoining to Get Hold of One’s Weapon in Battles 202

D. Exploiting the Opportunities 203

E. Tactical Withdrawal 203

9.2 Forming Especial Forces 203

9.3 Paying Special Attention to the Armed Forces 204

9.4 Caring for the Troops Morale 205

A. Encouragement 205

B. Watchword 206

C. Inculcation of Victory 207

D. Warning against Escape from the Battleground 208

E. Hiding away whatever that Ruins the Troops’ Morale 208

9.5 Deception 209

9.6 Ethics of War 210

A. Avoidance of Initiating a Battle 210

B. Avoidance of Calling to Power 211

C. Diplomatic Immunity of Envoys 211

D. Raising an Argument before a Battle 211

E. Supplication before a Battle 211

F. Starting the Battle in the Afternoon 212

G. Helping the Feeble 212

H. Good Conduct toward the Reminder of the Enemy Troop 213

Notes 214

Chapter Ten: State Policies 216

10.1 Causes for Durability of Governments 216

a) Establishing Justice 216

b) Good Management 217

c) Good Behavior 218

d) Vigilance in Taking Care of Affairs 218

10.2 Causes for the Decline of States 218

a) Tyranny 218

b) Unlawful Bloodshed 219

c) Mismanagement 219

d) Arrogance 220

e) Violation of the Principles 220

10.3 Recommendations on Socio-Political Relations 220

Treating others as Treating Oneself 221

b) Self-Esteem 221

c) Avoidance of Enmity 221

d) Fidelity in Agreements 222

e) Discharging Obligations 223

f) Exploiting Other People’s Knowledge 223

g) Cultural Independence 224

h) Miscellaneous 224

Notes 227

A Word to the Readers

Siyasat Nama is the most efficient part of Mawsu'a al-Imam Ali b. Abi Talib - The Encyclopedia of Imam Ali (a.s.) - for ruling a country and the noblest asset for organizing the well-founded Islamic Civilization in the human society today.

In effect, Siyasat Nama of Imam Ali (a.s.) - Imam Ali's Book of Government - is a volume consisting of Sovereignty policies of human values. Thus, it is extremely helpful and instructive not only for the Islamic world and statesmen, but also for all those who are suffering from the dominance of power, gold, and fraudulence under various rubrics, and those who yearn for the rule of values (on top of which lies justice). This part of the Mawsu'a was translated prior to other sections of this collection and presented hereby, in a separate volume, to the interested readers.

Before reading this volume, the esteemed readers are asked to pay attention to the following points:

1. Siyasat Nama is a complete translation [into English] of the fourth volume of Mawsu'a of Imam Ali (a.s.), which includes the Arabic text, too, for those interested in hadith and historical texts in the source language.

2. The prolegomenon to this version of Siyasat Nama is more detailed than the fourth volume of the Mawsu'a, consisting, besides new points, an analysis explaining the reasons for Imam Ali (a.s.)'s being left alone toward the end of his rule, as well as the reasons behind disruption of 'Alawi Rule despite his efficient policies.1

3. Prolegomenon of Siyasat Nama is a summing up of 'Alawi policies. To learn more thoroughly about Imam Ali (a.s.)'s policies in various fields, however, it is necessary to refer to the main text [of this volume] in due order of the policies.

4. The references in the footnotes of the "Prolegomenon" are just part of the sources used in Siyasat Nama for further information about other sources; it is required to refer to the main chapters of the book.

5. Also, wherever reference is made to a "section", it is meant the sections of Mawsu'a al-Imam Ali b. Abi Talib.

In the end, I would like to thank all my respected colleagues and others who collaborated in compilation and authoring the Mawsu'a al-Imam Ali b. Abi Talib; particularly, the two eminent scholars, Mr. Sayyid Muhammad Kazim Tabataba'i and Sayyid Tabataba'i Nijad as well as the honorable Professor Muhammad Ali Mahdawi Rad, who took on organizing its analysis.

Also, I am sincerely grateful to Mr. Ahmad Ridwani who took on the English translation of Siyasat Nama as well as another brother for editing this work. I pray to the Beneficent God to bestow on them all, rewards befitting His Grace and the dignity of the Master of the Pious [Ali b. Abi Talib (a.s.)]. O Lord! Accept this from us! Verily You are the All-hearing, the All-knowing.

Muhammad Muhammadi Rayshahri

January 22, 2001

Note

1. This analysis is added to the prolegomenon of the present book from the Seventh Volume of "The Encyclopedia of Amir al-Mu'minin", [The Persian translation of the "Mawsu'a"].

Prolegomenon

Politics in two Schools

Policy of Cultural Reformation

Overall Defense of Imam Ali's Statesmanship

Reasons for Imam Ali (a.s.)'s Loneliness