It is said that someone once asked Imam Hasan (peace be upon him) about politics, and he replied:
“That ‘politics’ involves observing the rights of God, the living, and the deceased: the rights of God are to do what He has commanded and to avoid what He has prohibited; the rights of the living are to fulfill one’s duty towards religious brothers and not delay in serving fellow believers, and to show sincerity towards the ruler, as long as he is sincere towards the people. However, when he deviates from the straight path, you must raise your voice against him; the rights of the deceased are to mention their good deeds and to refrain from speaking of their sins and mistakes, for they have a Lord who will judge their actions.” [1]
In the view of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), the true policy that should illuminate all Islamic lands is a policy focused on the public good. It must create the means for the community to achieve both material and spiritual progress, and reach its noble ideals.
Some of the most important goals that the Prophet’s family championed and which were practically manifested in the political behavior of Amir al-Mu’minin and Imam Hasan (peace be upon them) include:
A. Justice:
Islamic policy, with all its concepts and dimensions, is based on justice and has an absolute orientation towards it. All of its programs are focused and implemented in light of justice, to the extent that if a ruler deviates from justice, he must be removed from power. For example, Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him) removed one of his governors when a woman named “Suda” complained about his injustice in governance.
B. Clarity and Honesty:
The policy that the Prophet’s family raised the banner of is free from hypocrisy and deceit. In the view of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), politics does not deceive people with false promises or lead them into false hopes; rather, in all its plans and programs, clarity and sincerity are evident.
Imam Hasan (peace be upon him) also followed this righteous method and never used any means not approved by religion. He said to Sulayman Sarid, “If I were thinking for the world and working for it, striving for it, then Muawiya would not be stronger and more capable than me, but I do not think like you.”
In this statement, the Imam (peace be upon him) shows that if he were working only for the world, he would be victorious over his enemy, but he loved to adhere to and protect the commands of Islam more than anyone else.
C. Competence of Governors and Administrators:
The policy of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) is based on the principle that the administrators of the Islamic government must be the best members of society in terms of competence, purity, efficiency, and strength in handling state affairs. They must place the public interest before their own, promote pure justice and competence among the people, be trustworthy, and use the government budget for the welfare of society.
D. Military Service:
The Ahl al-Bayt’s (peace be upon them) policy never forced people into military service. They did not send people to the battlefield by coercion or dissatisfaction. Instead, they called them to jihad, which is one of God’s duties. In this case, if someone goes to jihad, they have obeyed God’s command. But if they stay at home, they have disobeyed God’s command, and there is no need for them to be threatened or angered because, even though jihad is obligatory and a believer must certainly participate, they are free in their decision. Imam Hasan (peace be upon him) also implemented this principle in his battle with Muawiya. The Umayyads used to threaten and bribe people to send them to war. If Imam Hasan (peace be upon him) had forced his army into submission and punished the disobedient, the outcome of the battle with Muawiya would have been different. However, he did not compel anyone to fight, but rather invited them to jihad. [2]
E. Financial Policy:
The financial policy of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) entailed spending the central budget on the public welfare and organizing the vital interests of the people so that the dark shadow of poverty and despair would be eliminated forever. They never spent even a single dirham on anything other than the people’s benefit.
Had Imam Hasan (peace be upon him) deviated from this noble approach and spent the Muslims’ wealth to attract powerful people and tribal leaders, he would have never reached the position that he did. But Imam Hasan (peace be upon him) chose to safeguard Islam, preserve its values, and its future. He followed the methods of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and his father, a method that was only compatible with the path of Islam and considered all people equal in benefiting from the public treasury.
Indeed, the politics of the Ahl al-Bayt is never based on deceit, trickery, hypocrisy, chaos, misguidance, or unrealistic methods. Rather, it is based on a clear and straightforward method in all its goals and plans, so that justice may prevail everywhere.
Footnotes:
[1] Tadhkira Ma’lufiya, Vol. 9
[2] For example, Ubaydallah ibn Ziyad, who was appointed as the governor of Kufa by Yazid, doubled the people’s wages and harshly dealt with anyone who was not seen in battle.