Chapter Seven: Judicial Policies
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Electing the Best for Judgment
367. Imām Ali (a.s.) – in his instruction to Mālik Ashtar: “Then choose to judge among men, the most excellent of subjects in your sight, i.e., one who is not beleaguered by (complex) affairs, who is not rendered ill-tempered by the litigants, who does not persist in error, who is not distressed by returning to the truth when he recognizes it, whose soul does not descend to any kind of greed, who is not satisfied with an inferior understanding (of a thing) short of the more thorough, one who hesitates most in (acting in the face of) obscurities, who adheres most to arguments, who is the least to become annoyed at the petition of the litigants, who is the most patient (in waiting) for the facts to become clear and who is the firmest when the verdict has become manifest; a man who does not become conceited when praise is lavished upon him and who is not attracted by temptation. But such (men) are few.”1
7/2
Financial Support for the Judges
368. Imām Ali (a.s.) – in his instruction to Mālik Ashtar: “Then choose to judge among men, the most excellent of subjects in your sight … and grant generously to him that which will eliminate his wants and through which his need from men will decrease.”2
1.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Letter ۵۳, Tuhaf al-`Uqul, p. ۱۳۵.
2.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Letter ۵۳, Tuhaf al-`Uqul, p. ۱۳۵ ۱۳۶, Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۳۳, p. ۶۰۵, h. ۷۴۴.
