116. Imām Ali (a.s.) –in his instructions to Mālik al-Ashtar: “Then look into the affairs of your administrators. Employ them (only after) having tested (them). Then investigate their actions. Dispatch truthful and loyal observers (to watch) over them, for your investigation of their affairs in secret will incite them to carry out their trust faithfully and to act kindly towards the subjects. Be mindful of aides. If one of them should extend his hand in a treacherous act, concerning which the intelligence received against him from your observers, concur, and you are satisfied with that as a witness, subject him to corporeal punishment and hold him responsible for the consequences of his actions. Then subject him to humiliation, brand him with treachery and gird him with the shame of accusation.”1
117. Imām Ali (a.s.) –in his instructions to Mālik al-Ashtar (on monitoring the troops): “Then do not fail to choose intelligence from trustworthy agents who are known for their truthfulness by people in order to reveal problems people undergo and they become sure that you are aware of their difficulties.”2
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Rewarding and Punishing
118. Imām Ali (a.s.) –in his instructions to Mālik al-Ashtar: “Never let the good-doer and the evil-doer possess an equal station before you, for that would cause the good-doer to abstain from his good-doing and urge the evil-doer to his evil-doing. Impose upon each of them what he has imposed upon himself.”3
1.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Letter ۵۳, Tuhaf al-`Uqul, p. ۱۳۷, Da`ā'im al-Islām, vol. ۱, p. ۳۶۱.
2.. Tuhaf al-`Uqul, p. ۱۳۳.
3.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Letter ۵۳, Tuhaf al-`Uqul, p. ۱۳۰, Da`ā'im al-Islām, vol. ۱, p. ۳۵۶.
