194. Da`ā'im al-Islām: “He [Ali] (a.s.) used to walk in the market places holding a whip in his hand with which he would punish the defrauders who used short measures and the cheaters in the trading with Muslims.
Asbagh said: “One day I told him: O Commander of the Faithful! You may stay home and I will do it for you.” He replied: “O Asbagh! You are not giving me good advice.”¹

195. Tārikh Damashq – narrating from Abu Sa`id: `Ali (a.s.) used to come to the market and say “O Tradesmen! Be wary of God and avoid taking oath, for taking oath will ruin the deeds and bring the blessings to naught. Indeed, a tradesman is vicious unless he receives right (fully) and pays the right. Wassalām.”²

196. Rabi` al-Abrār: “Ali (a.s.) would pass by the salesmen in the market and say to them: “Do good. Sell goods to the Muslims at cheap prices, because this will increase prosperity.”³

197. Tārikh Dimashq – narrating from Zādān: “When he [Ali] (a.s.) was a ruler, he would walk around alone in the Markets. He would guide the lost ones, help out the poor and when he passed by the salesmen and the shopkeepers, he would open the Qur'ān and recite, “This is the abode of the Hereafter which We shall grant to those who do not desire to dominate in the earth nor to cause corruption.”⁴ He would then say: “This verse is revealed concerning the just and humble leaders and the people who possess power.”⁵

198. Makārim al-Akhlāq – narrating from Washika: “I saw Ali (a.s.) who was wearing a short garment and had pulled his robe up to the middle of his foreleg while holding a whip in his hand and walking around the market saying: ‘Be wary of God and observe the measure fully,’ as if he was a teacher for children.”⁶

194. دعائم الإسلام: إنَّهُ ]عَليّاً علیه السلام [ كانَ يَمشي فِي الأَسواقِ، وبِيَدِهِ دِرَّةٌ يَضرِبُ بِها مَن وَجَدَ مِن مُطَفِّفٍ أو غاشٍّ في تِجارَةِ المُسلِمينَ.
قالَ الأَصبَغُ: قُلتُ لَهُ يَوماً أنَا أكفيكَ هذا يا أميرَ المُؤمِنينَ، وَاجلِس في بَيتِكَ!قالَ: ما نَصَحتَني يا أصبَغُ.¹

195. تاريخ دمشق عن أبي سعيد: كانَ عَلِيٌّ يَأتِي السّوقَ فَيَقولُ: يا أهلَ السّوقِ، اتَّقُوا اللهَ، وإيّاكُم وَالحَلفَ؛ فَإِنَّ الحَلفَ يُنفِقُ السِّلعَةَ، ويَمحَقُ البَرَكَةَ. وإنَّ التّاجِرَ فاجِرٌ، إلّا مَن أخَذَ الحَقَّ، وأعطَى الحَقَّ، وَالسَّلامُ عَلَيكُم.²

196. ربيع الأبرار: كانَ عَلِيٌّ علیه السلام يَمُرُّ فِي السّوقِ عَلَى الباعَةِ، فَيَقولُ لَهُم: أحسِنوا، أرخِصوا بَيعَكُم عَلَى المُسلِمينَ؛ فإِنَّهُ أعظَمُ لِلبَرَكَةِ.³

197. تاريخ دمشق عن زاذان: إنّهُ ]عَليّاً] علیه السلام كانَ يَمشي فِي الأَسواقِ وَحدَهُ وهُوَ والٍ، يُرشِدُ الضّالَّ، ويُعينُ الضَّعيفَ، ويَمُرُّ بِالبَيّاعِ وَالبَقّالِ فَيَفتَحُ عَلَيهِ القُرآنَ. وقَرَأَ:(تِلْكَ الدَّارُ الاَْخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لاَ يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِى الاَْرْضِ وَلاَ فَسَادًا) ،⁴ فَقالَ: نَزَلَت هذِهِ في أهلِ العَدلِ وَالتَّواضُعِ مِنَ الوُلاةِ، وأهلِ القُدرَةِ مِن سائِرِ النّاسِ.⁵

198. مكارم الأخلاق عن وشيكة: رَأَيتُ عَلِيّاً علیه السلام يَتَّزِرُ فَوقَ سُرَّتِهِ، ويَرفَعُ إزارَهُ إلى أنصافِ ساقَيهِ، وبِيَدِهِ دِرَّةٌ يَدورُ فِي السّوقِ، يَقولُ: اِتَّقُوا اللهَ، وأوفُوا الكَيلَ، كَأَنَّهُ مُعَلِّمُ صِبيان.⁶