449. Imām Ali (a.s.) – in his letter to the chiefs [collectors] of land tax: “Even if there had been no fear of punishment for revolt and disobedience, which God has prohibited, the reward in keeping aloof from them would be enough [incentive] to abstain from going after them. Show mercy [on others] so as to be shown mercy; do not torture servants of God and do not charge them to that which is beyond their capacity.”¹

450. Imām Ali (a.s.): “O People! I called you to the Truth but you turned your back on me and I beat you with the lash but you tired me out. Know that after me you will be ruled by rulers who would not be content with this; rather they would torture you with whips and iron. But I do not torture you with whips and iron, for whoever tortures people in this world, God will torture him in the Hereafter.”²

451. Musnad Zaid – narrating from Zaid ibn Ali (a.s.), from his father, from his grandfather about Ali ibn Abi Tālib (a.s.): “In truth, he [Ali] (a.s.) told `Umar concerning a pregnant woman who had admitted to committing adultery and `Umar had ordered her to be stoned: “Perhaps you have shouted at her or frightened her?”
`Umar replied: “That is so.”
Ali (a.s.) said: “Have you not heard the saying of the Messenger of God (s.a.w.): “There should be no legal punishment to the one who has confessed after being tortured. Indeed the confession of the person whom you shackle, incarcerate, or threaten is invalid?”
He [the narrator] said: “`Umar released the woman, then he said: “Women are unable to give birth to a son like Ali ibn Abi Tālib. If it was not for Ali, `Umar would be perished.”³

452. Imām Ali (a.s.) – in his sermon at the beginning of his government: “Surely, God has made unlawful the things which are not unknown and made lawful the things which are without defect. He has given precedence to the esteem of Muslims over others. He has placed the rights of Muslims in the same grade of importance as sincerity [to Him Almighty] and monotheism. Therefore a Muslim is one from whose tongue and hand every (other) Muslim is safe except in the matter of truth. It is not lawful to harm another Muslim unless it is obligatory.”⁴

449. عنه علیه السلام ـ مِن كِتابِهِ إلى اُمَراءِ الخَراجِ ـ: لَو لَم يَكُن فيما نُهِيَ عَنُه مِنَ الظُّلمِ وَالعُدوانِ عِقابٌ يُخافُ، كانَ في ثَوابِهِ ما لا عُذرَ لاِحَدٍ بِتَركِ طَلِبَتِهِ، فَارحَموا تُرحَموا، ولا تُعذِّبوا خَلقَ اللهِ ولاتُكَلِّفوهُم فَوقَ طاقَتِهِم.¹

450. عنه علیه السلام: أيُّهَا النَّاسُ! إنّي دَعَوتُكُم إلَى الحَقِّ فَتَوَلَّيتُم عَنّي، وضَرَبتُكُم بِالدِّرَّةِ فَأَعيَيتُموني. أما إنَّهُ سَيَليكُم بَعدي وُلاةٌ لا يَرضَونَ مِنكُم بِهذا حَتّى يُعَذِّبوكُم بِالسِّياطِ وبِالحَديدِ، فَأَمّا أنا فلا اُعَذِّبُكُم بِهِما؛ إنّهُ مَن عَذَّبَ النّاسَ في الدُّنيا عَذَّبَهُ اللهُ فِي الآخِرَةِ.²

451. مسند زيد عن زيد بن عليّ عن أبيه عن جدّه عن الإمام عليّ علیهم السلام ـ أنَّهُ قالَ لِعُمَرَ فِي امرَأَةٍ حامِلٍ اِعتَرَفَت بِالفُجورِ فَأَمَرَ بِها أن تُرجَمَ ـ: فَلَعَلَّكَ انتَهَرتَها أو أخَفتَها؟ قالَ: قَد كانَ ذلِكَ، فَقالَ: أ وَما سَمِعتَ رَسولَ اللهِ صلی الله علیه وآله يَقولُ: لا حَدَّ عَلى مُعتَرِف بَعدَ بَلاءٍ، إنَّهُ مَن قَيَّدتَ أو حَبَستَ أو تَهَدَّدتَ فلا إقرارَ لَهُ. قالَ: فَخَلّى عُمَرُ سَبيلَها، ثُمَّ قالَ: عَجَزَتِ النِّساءُ أن تَلِدَ مِثلَ عَليِّ بنِ أبي طالِبٍ، لَولا عَليٌّ لَهَلَكَ عُمَرُ.³

452. الإمام عليّ علیه السلام ـ مِن خُطبَةٍ لَهُ في أوائِلِ خِلافَتِهِ ـ: إنَّ اللهَ حَرَّمَ حَراماً غَيرَ مَجهولٍ، وأحَلَّ حَلالاً غَيرَ مَدخولٍ، وفَضَّلَ حُرمَةَ المُسلِمِ عَلَى الحُرَمِ كُلِّها، وَشَدَّ بِالإِخلاصِ والتَّوحيدِ حُقوقَ المُسلِمينَ في مَعاقِدِها، «فَالمُسلِمُ مَن سَلِمَ المُسلِمونَ مِن لِسانِهِ ويَدِهِ» إلّا بِالحَقِّ، ولا يَحِلُّ أذَى المُسلِمِ إلّا بِما يَجِبُ.⁴