When we review history, we can see how\nkings and governors and those in power reacted to those in disagreement with\nthem. They not only prevented others to express their opposing views, but also\nsuppressed as many as they could by imprisonment, torture and bloodshed.\nHowever, Amir al-Mu\u2019minin (PBUH) presents a different role model in responding\nto opposition and behaving with enemies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The history tells us that after the\ngeneral body of Medina\u2019s population paid their allegiances to Amir al-Mu\u2019minin\n(PBUH), Ammar Yasir came to him and said, \u201cO Master of believers! People from\nall levels of the city have come to confirm your mastership and submit to you\nas their Imam. But there are a number of minorities whom have not done so. If\nyou would agree, we could invite all of them to come and pay their allegiances\nto your new government like others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Amir al-Mu\u2019minin replied, \u201cO Ammar!\nThe one who does not want to see us, we do not need anything from him. Then why\nshould we meet him?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Contributing to the conversation,\nMalik Ashtar said, \u201cO Master of believers! Inviting the people who are in\ndisagreement with you is good for the government. When they come and offer oath\nto you in public, then there won\u2019t be any excuse to draw their swords on you\nlater in future. The people are now obedient to you for their own sake \u2013as they\nhave offered their oath to you in public- and this way you have considered your\ngovernment\u2019s sake while you encourage the rest of people to offer oath and be\nin agreement with you. \u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imam Ali (PBUH) responded, \u201cMalik! I\nknow the people better than you do. Allow them to do whatever they wish.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And therefore, Amir al-Mu\u2019minin (PBUH)\ndid not force his government\u2019s oppositions to pay their allegiances. As a\nmatter of fact Imam Ali\u2019s (PBUH) lenient reaction was not exclusive to those\nwho only criticized him in words or those who did not speak about their\ndisagreement in public; he even had an exceptionally soft reaction to those who\nwere harshly opposing the government in public. For example, Imam Ali\u2019s (PBUH)\npatience in dealing with Khawarij, who were one of the most clear groups which\nopposed his government, is very obvious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One day a group of Khawarij entered\nthe mosque of Kufa to disrupt Imam\u2019s speech with repetitive slogans. While Amir\nal-Mu\u2019minin (PBUH) was delivering his speech one of them stood up and yelled,\n\u201cThere\u2019s no rule but Allah\u2019s rule\u201d; then another yelled from another corner,\n\u201cThere\u2019s no rule but by Allah\u201d; a third person said the same thing immediately\nand then a group of them stoop up among the people and shouted the same slogan\nover and over during Imam\u2019s speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Amir al-Mu\u2019minin (PBUH), patiently\nbared their oppositions. Then he turned to people and said, “It is a true\nslogan which they want to use for their wrong doing.” He turned to the\nopposing group (Khawarij) and continued, \u201dAs long as you don\u2019t use your swords\nand stay with us we shall give you three principal rights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. We will not\nprevent you to attend the prayers in the mosque.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. We will not\nvoid or withhold your rights to public\u2019s-treasury (Beit al-Maal).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. We will not\nstart any war against you unless you start one.\u201d (1)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Therefore, what distinguishes Imam\nAli\u2019s (PBUH) short governing era from others\u2019 is simply his leniency, patience\nand his divine approach in interacting with those who oppose and criticize him;\nwhether those who kept their animosity in heart or those who declared they\nopposition toward him in public. Such merciful and magnanimous behavior is only\nresult of Amir al-Mu\u2019minin\u2019s (PBUH) global view toward people and governing. He\nviewed the people he ruled first as humans and brothers before he recognized\nwho approves and disapproves. This matter can be seen in his letter to Malik\nAshtar (appointed governor of Egypt by Imam Ali (PBUH)),<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHabituate your\nheart to the mercy for people and the affection and kindness for them. Do not\nstand over them like greedy beasts who feel it is enough to devour them, since\npeople are of two kinds, either your brother in religion or one like you in\ncreation. They will commit slips and encounter mistakes. They may act wrongly,\nwillfully, or by neglect. So, extend to them your forgiveness and pardon in the\nsame way as you would like Allah to extend his forgiveness and pardon\u2026\u201d (2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indeed, true Islam is what its true\nleader shows us in practices\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(The above is a\nselection taken from \u201cBehavioral Models from Imam Ali (PUBH)\u201d, by Muhammad\nDashti)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Roshd Website offers its condolences\nto all and especially to you dear friend on the 21st of Ramadan, the martyrdom\nanniversary of the manifestation of patience and kindness, the heavenly Imam,\nImam Amir al-Mu\u2019minin Ali ibn Abi Talib (PBUH).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Tarikh\nTabari, vol. 4, p. 53<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Nahj\nal-Balaghah, Letter 53<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When we review history, we can see how kings and governors and those in power reacted to those in disagreement with them. They not only prevented others to express their opposing views, but also suppressed as many as they could by imprisonment, torture and bloodshed. However, Amir al-Mu\u2019minin (PBUH) presents a different role model in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28248],"tags":[63254,63258],"class_list":["post-4031","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-occasional-letters","tag-governance","tag-tolerance-with-enemies"],"yoast_head":"\n