Chapter Eight: Security 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.

270. الإمام عليّ عليه السلام :

270. Imam Ali (AS) said:

شَرُّ البِلادِ بَلَدٌ لا أمنَ فيهِ ، ولا خِصبَ .

“The worst of countries is a country that has neither security nor fertility.”

غرر الحكم : ح5684 .

Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 5683.

271. عنه عليه السلام :

271. Imam Ali (AS) said:

لابُدَّ لِلنّاسِ مِن أميرٍ بَرٍّ أو فاجِرٍ ؛

“People have no choice but to have a ruler, good or bad,

يَعمَلُ في إمرَتِهِ المُؤمِنُ ،

in whose rule the believer performs [good] acts

ويَستَمتِعُ فيهَا الكافِرُ ،

and the disbeliever enjoys worldly benefits,

ويُبَلِّغُ اللّهُ فيهَا الأَجَلَ ،

until During the rule, Allah brings everything to end.

ويُجمَعُ بِهِ الفَيءُ ،

Through the ruler, tax is collected,

ويُقاتَلُ بِهِ العَدُوُّ ،

the enemy is fought,

وتَأمَنُ بِهِ السُّبُلُ ،

roadways are protected,

ويُؤخَذُ بِهِ لِلضَّعيفِ مِنَ القَوِيِّ ؛

and the right of the weak is taken from the strong,

حَتّى يَستَريحَ بَرٌّ ،

such that the virtuous enjoys peace

ويُستَراحَ مِن فاجِرٍ .

and is given protection from [the oppression of] the wicked.”

نهج البلاغة : الخطبة 40 .

Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 40.

272. الإمام عليّ عليه السلامـ في كِتابِهِ إلى عُمّالِهِ ـ:

272. Imam Ali (AS) said, in his letter to his governors:

بِسمِ اللّهِ الرَّحمنِ الرَّحيمِ .

“In the Name of God, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful.

مِن عَبدِ اللّهِ عَلِيٍّ أميرِ المُؤمِنينَ إلى مَن قَرَأَ كِتابي هذا مِنَ العُمّالِ :

From the servant of God, 'Ali the Commander of the Faithful to whomever of the administrators that reads my letter:

أمّا بَعدُ ، فَإِنَّ رِجالاً لَنا عِندَهُم بَيعَةٌ خَرَجوا هُرّابا

Now, some men who have sworn allegiance to us have escaped.

فَنَظُنُّهُم وَجَّهوا نَحوَ بِلادِ البَصرَةِ ،

We suspect that they have moved towards the cities of the Basra.

فَاسأَل عَنهُم أهلَ بِلادِكَ ،

Ask about them from your townspeople

واجعَل عَلَيهِمُ العُيونَ في كُلِّ ناحِيَةٍ مِن أرضِكَ ،

and assign secret agents throughout your land over them.

ثُمَّ اكتُب إلَيَّ بِما يَنتَهي إلَيكَ عَنهُم ،

Then write to me whatever you find about them.

وَالسَّلامُ .

Wassalam.”

الغارات : ج1 ص337 .

Al-Gharat, vol. 1, p. 337.

273. الفتوحـ في ذِكرِ حَربِ صِفّينَ ـ:

273. Al-Futuh, in mentioning the Battle of Siffin:

قَد كانَ مَعَ مُعاوِيَةَ رَجُلٌ مِن حِميَرٍ يُقالُ لَهُ الحُصَينُ بنُ مالِكٍ

“A man from the Himyar tribe by the name of al-Husain ibn Malik was with Mu`awiyah.

وكانَ يُكاتِبُ عَلِيَّ بنَ أبي طالِبٍ رضى الله عنه ويَدُلُّهُ عَلى عَوراتِ مُعاوِيَةَ .

He would write to Ali ibn Abi Talib and inform him about the secrets and shortcomings of Mu`awiyah.”

الفتوح : ج3 ص78 .

Al-Futuh, vol. 3, p. 78.

274. الإمام عليّ عليه السلام :

274. Imam Ali (AS) said:

مَنِ استَصلَحَ عَدُوَّهُ زادَ في عَدَدِهِ .

 “He who seeks to set right his enemy will increase his own company.”

غرر الحكم : ح8230 .

Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 8230.

275. عنه عليه السلام :

275. Imam Ali (AS) said:

كَمالُ الحَزمِ استِصلاحُ الأَضدادِ ،

 “The perfection of prudence lies in seeking to set right the opponents

ومُداجاةُ الأَعداءِ .

and acting moderately with the enemy.”

غرر الحكم : ح7232 .

Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 7232.

276. الإمام عليّ عليه السلام :

276. Imam Ali (AS) said:

وَجَدتُ المُسالَمَةَ ما لَم يَكُن وَهنٌ فِي الإِسلامِ أنجَعَ مِنَ القِتالِ .

 “I found that making peace is more beneficial than fighting, so long as it does not weaken Islam.”

غرر الحكم : ح10138 .

Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 10138.

277. الإمام عليّ عليه السلام :

277. Imam Ali (AS) said:

لا تَستَصغِرَنَّ عَدُوّا وإن ضَعُفَ .

 “Do not underestimate any enemy, even if he weakens.”

غرر الحكم : ح10216 .

Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 10216.

278. الإمام عليّ عليه السلام :

278. Imam Ali (AS) said:

لا تُوقِع بِالعَدُوِّ قَبلَ القُدرَةِ .

 “Do not attack the enemy before gaining the necessary power.”

غرر الحكم : ح10258 .

Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 10258.

279. عنه عليه السلامـ في الحِكَمِ المَنسوبَةِ إلَيهِ ـ:

279. Imam Ali (AS) said, from the wise sayings attributed to him:

أقتَلُ الأَشياءِ لِعَدُوِّكَ ألّا تُعَرِّفَهُ أنَّكَ اتَّخَذتَهُ عَدُوّا .

 “The most destructive of things to your enemy is that you do not let him know that you have taken him as an enemy.”

شرح نهج البلاغة : ج20 ص283 ح244 .

Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, vol. 20, p. 283, h. 244.

280. مسند زيد عن زيد بن عليّ عن أبيه عن جدّه عن الإمام عليّ عليهم السلامـ

280. Musnad Zaid – narrating from Zaid ibn ‘Ali (AS), from his father, from his grandfather about ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS):

أنَّهُ قالَ لِعُمَرَ فِي امرَأَةٍ حامِلٍ اِعتَرَفَت بِالفُجورِ فَأَمَرَ بِها أن تُرجَمَ ـ:

“He [‘Ali] said to ‘Umar concerning a pregnant woman who had confessed adultery so ‘Umar ordered her to be stoned:

فَلَعَلَّكَ انتَهَرتَها أو أخَفتَها ؟

“Perhaps you have shouted at her or frightened her?”

قالَ : قَد كانَ ذلِكَ ،

“Umar replied: “That is right.”

فَقالَ : أ وَما سَمِعتَ رَسولَ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه و آله يَقولُ :

‘Ali (AS) said: “Have you not heard the saying of the Messenger of God (SA):

لا حَدَّ عَلى مُعتَرِفٍ بَعدَ بَلاءٍ ،

“There should be no legal punishment for the one who has confessed after being tortured.

إنَّهُ مَن قَيَّدتَ أو حَبَستَ أو تَهَدَّدتَ فلا إقرارَ لَهُ .

Indeed, the confession of the person whom you shackle, incarcerate, or threaten is invalid?”          

قالَ : فَخَلّى عُمَرُ سَبيلَها ،

He [the narrator] said: “Umar released the woman,

ثُمَّ قالَ : عَجَزَتِ النِّساءُ أن تَلِدَ مِثلَ عَليِّ بنِ أبي طالِبٍ ،

then he said: “Women are unable to give birth to a son like ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib.

لَولا عَليٌّ لَهَلَكَ عُمَرُ .

If it was not for ‘Ali, ‘Umar would have perished.”

مسند زيد : ص335 .

Musnad Zaid, p. 335.

281. الأموال عن كثير بن نَمِر :

281. Al-Amwal, narrating from Kathir ibn Nimr, who said:

جاءَ رَجُلٌ بِرَجُلٍ مِنَ الخَوارِجِ إلى عَليٍّ ، فَقالَ :

A man brought another man from the Khawarij to Ali and said:

يا أميرَ المُؤمِنينَ ، إنّي وَجَدتُ هذا يَسُبُّكَ ،

“O Commander of the Faithful, I saw this person reviling you.

قالَ : فَسُبَّهُ كَما سَبَّني .

He (AS) said: “So revile him as he reviled me.”

قالَ : ويَتَوَعَّدُكَ ؟

He said: “He has also threatened you?”

فَقالَ : لا أقتُلُ مَن لَم يَقتُلني ،

Ali (AS) said: “I will not kill someone who has not fought against me.”

قالَ عَليٌّ : لَهُم عَلَينا ثَلاثٌ :

Ali then said: “people have three rights against us:

أن لا نَمنَعَهُمُ المَساجِدَ أن يَذكُرُوا اللّهَ فيها ،

not to prevent them from going to the mosques to remember Allah,

وأن لا نَمنَعَهُمُ الفَيءَ ما دامَت أيديهِم مَعَ أيدينا ،

not to deprive them of public assets as long as their hands are in our hands,

وأن لا نُقاتِلَهُم حَتّى يُقاتِلونا .

and that we must not fight them until they fight us.”

الأموال : ص245 ح567 .

Al-Amwal, p. 245, h. 567.

282. الغارات عن سعيدٍ الأَشعَريّ :

282. Al-Gharat, narrating from Sa`id al-Ash`ari, who said:

اِستَخلَفَ عَليٌّ عليه السلام حينَ سارَ إلَى النَّهرَوانِ رَجُلاً مِنَ النَّخَعِ يُقالُ لَهُ : هانِي بنُ هَوذَةَ ، فَكَتَبَ إلى عَليٍّ عليه السلام :

“When Ali left for al-Nahrawan, he appointed a man from the al-Nakha` tribe by the name of Hani ibn Hawdhah; he wrote to Ali (AS):

إنَّ غَنيّا وباهِلَةَ فَتَنوا ،

“Ghani and Bahila [two groups] have created disturbance

فَدَعَوُا اللّهَ عَلَيكَ أن يَظفِرَ بِكَ عَدُوُّكَ ،

and prayed to Allah against you that your enemy gain victory over you.”

قالَ : فَكَتَبَ إلَيهِ عَليٌّ عليه السلام :

Sa`id then said: “So Ali wrote to him saying:

أجلِهِم مِنَ الكوفَةِ ولا تَدَع مِنهُم أحَدا .

 “Expel them from Kufah and let no one of them stay therein.”

الغارات : ج1 ص18 .

Al-Gharat, vol. 1, p. 18.