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Forbidding Fault-finding
339. Imām Ali (a.s.): “Certainly people are subject to faults, so do not uncover what is concealed from you; for God the Glorified will judge about it. Veil imperfection as much as you are able to and God will veil what you would like to be veiled.”1
340. Imām Ali (a.s.) – in his instructions to Mālik al-Ashtar: “Let the furthest of your subjects and the most hateful to you be he who most seeks out the faults of men. For people have faults, which the ruler more than anyone else should conceal. So do not uncover those of them that are hidden from you, for it is only incumbent upon you to remedy what appears before you. God will judge what is hidden from you. So veil imperfections as much as you are able to and God will veil what you would like to be veiled from your subjects.”2
341. Imām Ali (a.s.) – in the aphorisms attributed to him: “The mischievous look for the defects of people and overlook their merits like the flies that go after putrid places.”3
342. Imām Ali (a.s.): “When a debauched woman is asked: “who has committed debauchery to you?” and she answers ‘so-and-so’, then two punishments must be inflicted on her: a punishment for her debauchery and another one for accusing a Muslim man.”4
343. Imām Ali (a.s.): “To pursue others’ weaknesses is of the worst of vices.”5
1.. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۳۵۰۵. Also cf., Da`ā'im al-Islām, vol. ۱, p. ۳۵۵.
2.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Letter ۵۳, Tuhaf al-`Uqul, p. ۱۲۸.
3.. Sharh Nahj al-Balāghah, vol. ۲۰, p. ۲۶۹, h. ۱۱۳.
4.. al-Kāfi, vol. ۷, p. ۲۰۹, h. ۲۰, Tahdhib al-Ahkām, vol. ۱۰, p. ۴۸, h. ۱۷۸, `Uyun Akhbār al-Ridā, vol. ۲, p. ۳۹, h. ۱۱۸.
5.. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۴۵۸۰.
