Chapter Seven: Judicial Policies

Encyclopedia of Imam Ali (AS), written by Muhammad Muhammadi Rayshahri, abridged by Mahdi Gholamali, translated by Zaid Alsalami and Safyullah Khan, edited by Hamid Reza Salarkia and published by NORPUB.

257. الإمام عليّ عليه السلامـ في عَهدِهِ إلى مالِكٍ الأَشتَرِ ـ:

257. Imam Ali (AS) said, in his instructions to Malik al-Ashtar:

ثُمَّ اختَر لِلحُكمِ بَينَ النّاسِ أفضَلَ رَعِيَّتِكَ في نَفسِكَ ،

“Then choose to judge among men, the most excellent of subjects in your sight,

مِمَّن لا تَضيقُ بِهِ الاُمورُ ،

i.e., one who is not beleaguered by (complex) affairs,

ولا تُمَحِّكُهُ الخُصومُ ،

who is not rendered ill-tempered by the litigants,

ولا يَتَمادى فِي الزَّلَّةِ ،

who does not persist in error,

ولا يَحصَرُ مِنَ الفَيءِ إلَى الحَقِّ إذا عَرَفَهُ ،

who is not distressed by returning to the truth when he recognizes it,

ولا تُشرِفُ نَفسُهُ عَلى طَمَعٍ ،

whose soul does not descend to any kind of greed,

ولا يَكتَفي بِأَدنى فَهمٍ دونَ أقصاهُ ،

who is not satisfied with an inferior understanding (of a thing) short of the more thorough,

وأوقَفَهُم فِي الشُّبهاتِ ،

one who hesitates most in (acting in the face of) obscurities,

وآخَذَهُم بِالحُجَجِ ،

who adheres most to arguments,

وأقَلَّهُم تَبَرُّما بِمُراجَعَةِ الخَصمِ ،

who is the least to become annoyed at the petition of the litigants,

وأصبَرَهُم عَلى تَكَشُّفِ الاُمورِ ،

who is the most patient (in waiting) for the facts to become clear

وأصرَمَهُم عِندَ اتِّضاحِ الحُكمِ ،

and who is the firmest when the verdict has become manifest;

مِمَّن لا يَزدَهيهِ إطراءٌ

a man who does not become conceited when praise is lavished upon him

ولا يَستَميلُهُ إغراءٌ ،

and who is not attracted by temptation.

واُولئِكَ قَليلٌ .

But such (men) are few.”

نهج البلاغة : الكتاب 53 .

Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 53.

258. الإمام عليّ عليه السلامـ في عَهدِهِ إلى مالِكٍ الأَشتَرِ ـ:

258. Imam Ali (AS) said, in his instructions to Malik al-Ashtar:

ثُمَّ اختَر لِلحُكمِ بَينَ النّاسِ أفضَلَ رَعِيَّتِكَ في نَفَسِكَ . . .

“Then choose to judge among men, the most excellent of subjects in your sight …

وَافسَح لَهُ فِي البَذلِ ما يُزيلُ عِلَّتَهُ وتَقِلُّ مَعَهُ حاجَتُهُ إلَى النّاسِ .

and grant generously to him that which will eliminate his wants and through which his need from men will decrease.”

نهج البلاغة : الكتاب 53 .

Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 53.

 259. الكافي عن أحمد بن أبي عبد اللّه رفعه :

259. Al-Kafi, narrating from Ahmad ibn Abi `Abdullah who narrates this without its chain of transmission, saying:

قالَ أميرُ المُؤمِنينَ عليه السلام لِشُرَيحٍ :

“The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to Shuraih:

لا تُسارَّ أحَدا في مَجلِسِكَ ،

“Do not whisper to anybody in your judgment session;

وإن غَضِبتَ فَقُم ؛

if you get angry, stand up [and leave],

فَلا تَقضِيَنَّ وأنتَ غَضبانُ .

for you should not judge when you are angry.”

الكافي : ج7 ص413 ح5 .

Al-Kafi, vol. 7, p. 413, h. 5.

260. الإمام عليّ عليه السلامـ في كِتابِهِ إلى مُحَمَّدِ بنِ أبي بَكرٍ ـ:

260. Imam Ali (AS) said, in his letter to Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr:

وإذا أنتَ قَضَيتَ بَينَ النّاسِ فَاخفِض لَهُم جَناحَكَ ،

“When you judge between people, be humble with them

ولَيِّن لَهُم جانِبَكَ ،

and treat them leniently.

وَابسُط لَهُم وَجهَكَ ،

Show a cheerful face to them,

وآسِ بَينَهُم في اللَّحظِ والنَّظَرِ ،

and be equal in your stares and looks at them,

حَتّى لا يَطمَعَ العُظَماءُ في حَيفِكَ لَهُم ،

so that the influential will not expect your injustice in their favour

ولا يَأيَسَ الضُّعَفاءُ مِن عَدلِكَ عَلَيهِم .

and the weak will not despair of your justice towards them.”

تحف العقول : ص177 .

Tuhaf al-`Uqul, p. 177.

261. عوالي اللآلي :

261. `Awali al-La’ali:

إنَّ أميرَ المُؤمِنينَ وَلّى أبَا الأَسوَدِ الدُّؤلِيَّ القَضاءَ ثُمَّ عَزَلَهُ ،

“The Commander of the Faithful appointed Abu al-Aswad al-Du'ali as a judge, then he dismissed him.

فَقالَ لَه: لِمَ عَزَلتَني وما جَنَيتُ وما خُنتُ ؟

He [Abu al-Aswad] asked him: “Why did you dismiss me, whereas I did not commit any crime nor betrayed?”

فَقالَ عليه السلام : إنّي رَأَيتُ كَلامَكَ يَعلو عَلى كَلامِ الخَصمِ .

 ‘Ali (AS) replied: “I noticed that your voice was louder than that of the litigant.”

عوالي اللآلي : ج2 ص343 ح5 .

`Awali al-La’ali, vol. 2, p. 343, h. 5.

262. الإمام عليّ عليه السلامـ في عَهدِهِ إلى مالِكٍ الأَشتَرِ ، بَعدَ أن ذَكَرَ كَيفِيَّةَ اختِيارِ القُضاةِ ـ:

262. Imam Ali (AS) said, in his instructions to Malik al-Ashtar after mentioning how to select judges:

ثُمَّ أكثِر تَعاهُدَ قَضائِهِ .

 “Then investigate frequently his decisions.”

نهج البلاغة : الكتاب 53 .

Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 53.

263. الإمام الصادق عليه السلام :

263. Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said:

لَمّا وَلّى أميرُ المُؤمِنينَ ـ صَلَواتُ اللّهِ عَلَيهِ ـ شُرَيحا القَضاءَ

“When the Commander of the Faithful – blessings of Allah be upon him – appointed Shuraih as judge,

اشتَرَطَ عَلَيهِ أن لا يُنَفِّذَ القَضاءَ حَتّى يَعرِضَهُ عَلَيهِ .

he (AS) put the condition on him that he should not pass any judgment until he reviews it with him [Ali].”

الكافي : ج7 ص407 ح3 .

Al-Kafi, vol. 7, p. 407, h. 3.

264. الإمام عليّ عليه السلام :

264. Imam Ali (AS) said:

أفظَعُ شَيءٍ ظُلمُ القُضاةِ .

 “The vilest act is the injustice of judges.”

غرر الحكم : ح3011 .

Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 3011.

265. عنه عليه السلام :

265. Imam Ali (AS) said:

مَن جارَت أقضِيَتُهُ زالَت قُدرَتُهُ .

 “He whose judgments are unjust, his power will vanish.”

غرر الحكم : ح7943 .

Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 7943.

266. عوالي اللآلي :

266. `Awali al-La’ali:

رُوِيَ عَن عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام أنَّهُ كانَ يَفعَلُ ذلِكَ ] أي القَضاءَ [ في مَسجِدِ الكوفَةِ ، ولَهُ بِهِ دَكَّةٌ مَعروفَةٌ بِدَكَّةِ القَضاءِ .

 “It is narrated that Ali (AS) would act as judge in the Mosque of Kufah, where he had a ‘Platform of Judgment’.”

عوالي اللآلي : ج2 ص344 ح8 .

`Awali al-La’ali, vol. 2, p. 344, h. 8.

267. إرشاد القلوب :

267. Irshad al-Qulub:

رُوِيَ أنَّهُ عليه السلام كانَ إذا يَفرُغُ مِنَ الجِهادِ يَتَفَرَّغُ لِتَعليمِ النّاسِ ،

“It is narrated that whenever he [Ali] (AS) came back from the battlefield, he would dedicate his time to teaching people

وَالقَضاءِ بَينَهُم .

and judging between them.”

إرشاد القلوب : ص218 .

Irshad al-Qulub, p. 218.

268. الإمام الباقر عليه السلام :

268. Imam al-Baqir (AS) said:

إنَّ أميرَ المُؤمِنينَ عليه السلام أمَرَ قَنبَرا أن يَضرِبَ رَجُلاً حَدّا ،

 “The Commander of the faithful (AS) ordered Qanbar to whip a man as a legal punishment,

فَغَلُظَ قَنبَرٌ فَزادَهُ ثَلاثَةَ أسواطٍ ،

but Qanbar made a mistake by whipping the person three extra times,

فَأَقادَهُ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام مِن قَنبَرٍ ثَلاثَةَ أسواطٍ .

so Ali (AS) retaliated him three lashes in return.”

الكافي : ج7 ص260 ح1 .

Al-Kafi, vol. 7, p. 260, h. 1.

269. الكامل في التاريخ عن الشعبي:

269. Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, narrating from al-Shu`bi, who said:

 وَجَدَ عَلِيٌّ دِرعا لَهُ عِندَ نَصرانِيٍّ ،

“'Ali (AS) found his shield with a Christian

فَأَقبَلَ بِهِ إلى شُرَيحٍ وجَلَسَ إلى جانِبِهِ ، وقالَ: لَو كانَ خَصمي مُسلِما لَساوَيتُهُ ،

and he (AS) took him to Shurayh [the judge], sat beside him

وقالَ: هذِهِ دِرعي .

and said: “This is my shield.”

فَقالَ النَّصرانِيُّ: ماهِيَ إلّا دِرعي ، ولَم يَكذِب أميرُ المُؤمِنينَ .

“The Christian said: This is my own shield and the Commander of the Faithful is not a liar!”

فَقالَ شُرَيحٌ لِعَلِيٍّ: أ لَكَ بَيِّنَةٌ ؟

 “Shurayh asked 'Ali (AS): “Do you have any proof?”

قالَ: لا ، وهوَ يَضحَكُ .

Ali (AS) laughingly said: “No.”

فَأَخَذَ النَّصرانِيُّ الدِّرعَ ومَشى يَسيرا ثُمَّ عادَ وقالَ:

“The Christian took the shield, walked a few steps away and then returned and said:

 أشهَدُ أنَّ هذِهِ أحكامُ الأَنبِياءِ ،

“I bear witness that these are the Prophetic judgments.

أميرُ المُؤمِنينَ قَدَّمَني إلى قاضِيهِ ،

The Commander of the Faithful brought me to his judge

وقاضيهِ يَقضي عَلَيهِ !

and he judged against him.”

 ثُمَّ أسلَمَ وَاعتَرَفَ أنَّ الدِّرعَ سَقَطَت مِن عَلِيٍّ عِندَ مَسيرِهِ إلى صِفّينَ ،

Then the Christian converted to Islam and admitted that 'Ali (AS) had unknowingly dropped the shield on his way to Siffin.

فَفَرِحَ عَلِيٌّ بِإِسلامِهِ ووَهَبَ لَهُ الدِّرعَ وفَرَسا ،

'Ali (AS) was pleased that he embraced Islam and granted him the shield and a horse as well.

وشَهِدَ مَعَهُ قِتالَ الخَوارِجِ .

The Christian took part in the battle against the Khawarij with him.”

الكامل في التاريخ : ج2 ص443 .

Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, vol. 2, p. 443.