226. Al-Da`awāt: “Whenever the Commander of the Faithful gave out what was in the treasury, he would order it to be swept and would perform prayers there and would say in his invocation: “O God! I seek Your protection from the sin that brings my deeds to naught; and I seek Your protection from the sin that expedites retribution; and I seek Your protection from the sin that alters blessings; and I seek Your protection from the sin that holds back provision; and I seek Your protection from the sin that averts repentance; and I seek Your protection from the sin that tears apart immunity; and I seek Your protection from the sin that brings about penitence; and I seek Your protection from the sin that withholds portion (in bounties).”1
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Equality in Distributing Public Assets
227. al-Ikhtisās - describing the characteristics and virtues of Imām Ali (a.s.): “He made equal distributions and practiced justice among citizens. He appointed `Ammār ibn Yāsir and Abu Haytham ibn Tayyhān as directors of the treasury of Madina and wrote to them: “The Arabs, Qurayshites, Ansārs, non-Arabs and whoever is a Muslim, whether from among the Arab or non Arab tribes are all equal.”
Sahl Ibn Hanif brought a freed black slave to him and asked: “How much would you give him?”
The Commander of the Faithful asked him: “How much have you received?”
He replied: “Three dinārs. The others have received the same amount.”
The Imām said: “Give the freed one the same amount as others: three dinārs.”2
228. Al-Amāli – narrating from Ibrāhim ibn Sālih al-Anmāti: “In the morning after the allegiance, he entered the treasury and distributed the wealth that gathered there among all the people present, giving three dinārs to each one of them.
Sahl ibn Hunayf stood up and said: “O Commander of the Faithful! I freed this slave.”
Then the Imām gave him [the freed slave] three dinārs; the same amount that he had given to Hanif.”3
1.. al-Da`awāt, p. ۶۰, h. ۱۵۰, Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۹۴, p. ۹۳, h. ۹.
2.. al-Ikhtisās, p. ۱۵۲, Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۴۰, p. ۱۰۷, h. ۱۱۷.
3.. al-Amāli by al-Tusi, p. ۶۸۶, h. ۱۴۵۷, Manāqib Ali ibn Abi Tālib, vol. ۲, p. ۱۱۱
