98. Imām Ali (a.s.) –in his letter to the chiefs [collectors] of land tribute: “Beware of postponing works and repelling (to do) goodness, for there is remorse in them.”1
99. Imām Ali (a.s.): “One who plucks fruits before its ripening is like one who cultivates in an unsuitable land.”2
100. Imām Ali (a.s.): “It is absurd to make haste before the proper time or to delay after opportunity arises.”3
101. Imām Ali (a.s.) –describing the Qur'ān: “Know that it contains knowledge of what is going to occur, stories of the past, a cure for your illnesses and rules to organize your affairs.”4
102. Imām Ali (a.s.) –in his advice to Hasan and Husain (a.s.): “I advise you (both) and all my children and members of my family and everyone whom my writing reaches to fear God and to keep your affairs in order.”5
3/6
Election of Righteous Administrators
103. Imām Ali (a.s.) –in his instructions to Mālik al-Ashtar: “For every person there is a right over the ruler to the extent that set it aright and his life is settled on to the extent that set it aright. But the ruler will not truly accomplish what God has enjoined upon him in this respect except by resolutely striving and recourse to God’s help, by making himself adhere to truth and by being patient in enforcing the right, be it easy for him or burdensome.
Appoint as commander from among your troops the one who in your sight is the most sincere [advising] in the way of God, His Messenger (s.a.w.) and your Imām and who is the purest and the most chaste of heart and the most outstanding in intelligence forbearance, who is slow to anger, accepts pardon, is gentle to the weak and harsh with the strong, and who is not stirred by severity nor held back by incapacity. Then hold fast to men of magnanimity and noble descent and those of righteous families and good precedents, then to men of bravery, courage, generosity and magnanimity, for they are encompassed by nobility and embraced by honor. Then inspect their affairs the same way parents look into the affairs of their child… .
Then look into the affairs of your administrators. Employ them (only after) having tested (them) and appoint them not
with favoritism or arbitrariness, for these two (attributes) bring about different kinds of oppression and treachery. Among them look for people of experience and modesty from righteous families and the foremost in Islam, for they are nobler in moral qualities, more genuine in dignity and less concerned with ambitious desires, and they perceive more penetratingly the consequences of affairs.
Let not your choosing of them be in accordance with your own discernment, confidence and good opinion, for men make themselves known to the discernment of rulers by dissimulating and serving them well, even though beyond this there may be nothing of sincere counsel and loyalty. Rather examine them in that with which they were entrusted by the righteous (rulers) before you. Depend upon him who has left the fairest impression upon the common people and whose countenance is best known for trustworthiness. This will be proof of your sincerity towards Allah and towards him whose affair has been entrusted to you. Appoint to the head of each of your concerns a chief who is neither overpowered when these affairs are great nor disturbed when they are many. Whatever fault of your secretaries you overlook will come to be attached to you.”6
1.. Waq`at Siffin, p. ۱۰۸, Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۷۵, p. ۳۵۵, h. ۷۰, al-Mi`yār wa al-Mawāzin, p. ۱۲۳.
2.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Sermon ۵, Kashf al-Yaqin, p. ۲۱۶, h. ۲۱۸, Nuzhat al-Nāzir, p. ۵۶, h. ۳۹.
3.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Aphorism ۳۶۳, Nuzhat al-Nāzir, p. ۴۸, h. ۱۷, Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۷۱, p. ۳۴۱, h. ۱۴.
4.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Sermon ۱۵۸, al-Rawāshih al-Samāwiya, p. ۲۲, Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۹۲, p. ۲۳, h. ۲۴.
5.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Letter ۴۷, Rawdat al-Wā`izin, p. ۱۵۲, Yanābi` al-Mawadda, vol. ۲, p. ۳۰, h. ۲.
6.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Letter ۵۳, Tuhaf al-`Uqul, p. ۱۳۲ ۱۳۷ ۱۳۹, Da`ā'im al-Islām, vol. ۱, h. ۳۵۷, p. ۳۶۱ ۳۶۵.
