109. Imām Ali (a.s.) –from the aphorisms attributed to him (a.s.): “The person whose retinue are corrupt is like the one whose throat is congested with water [and there is no solution to it], since whatever that is stuck in the throat would be removed [washed down] with water.”1
110. Imām Ali (a.s.): “The blight of affairs is the incapacity of administrators.”2
111. Imām Ali (a.s.): “In your affairs do not rely on the lazy.”3
112. Imām Ali (a.s.): “He whose vizier betrays him, his (power of) management will be spoiled.”4
113. Imām Ali (a.s.): “The lying of the envoys produces corruption, ruins the goals, invalidates the prudence and breaks one’s determination.”5
1.. Sharh Nahj al-Balāghah, vol. ۲۰, p. ۳۰۸, h. ۵۲۶.
2.. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۳۹۵۸, `Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawā`iz, p. ۱۸۱, h. ۳۷۱۱.
3.. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۱۰۲۰۵, `Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawā`iz, p. ۵۱۸, h. ۹۳۸۴.
4.. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۸۰۵۴, `Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawā`iz, p. ۴۳۲, h. ۷۴۳۰.
5.. Ghurar al-Hikam: h. ۷۲۵۹, `Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawā`iz, p. ۳۹۷, h. ۶۷۲۴. It may sometimes come to one’s mind that why did Imām Ali (a.s.), who emphasized on the appointment of truthful administrators and warned against employment of the inefficient and traitors, employ incompetent administrators and governors and appoint such persons as Ziyād ibn Abih, Mundhir ibn Jārud, and Nu`mān ibn `Ajlān etc., who were traitors; and `Abdullah ibn `Abbās and Abu Ayyub and others who were incapable. On the other hand, why did he dismiss a religious and competent person like Qays ibn Sa`d and appoint Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr in his place? The response to the first question is given in the introduction of Section ۱۶ and the answer to the second is in this same section in relation to the life (sira) of Qays ibn Sa`d.
