10/2
Causes of the Decline of States
10/2 – 1
Tyranny
583. Imām Ali (a.s.): “The worst ruler is he who oppresses his subjects.”1
584. Imām Ali (a.s.): “He who does injustice to his subjects assists his adversaries.”2
585. Imām Ali (a.s.): “Injustice ruins the subjects.”3
586. Imām Ali (a.s.): “Injustice devastates the cities.”4
587. Imām Ali (a.s.): “He who treats his subjects unjustly, God would destroy his sovereignty and expedite his overthrow and destruction.”5
588. Imām Ali (a.s.) – in his instructions to Mālik al-Ashtar: “Make sure that you, the members of your family and those whom you favor from amongst your subjects observe justice as regard to Allah and the people. For indeed if you do not do so, you have wronged. And as for he who wrongs the servants of God, God is his adversary instead of His servants. God renders null and void the argument of whosoever contends with Him. Such a person will be God’s enemy until he desists or repents. Nothing is more conducive to the removal of God’s blessing and the hastening of His vengeance than to continue in wrongdoing, for God listens to the call of the oppressed and He is always on the watch against the wrongdoers.”6
1.. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۵۷۱۷, `Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawā`iz, p. ۲۹۵, h. ۵۲۸۳.
2.. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۷۸۱۵, `Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawā`iz, p. ۴۲۹, h. ۷۲۹۹.
3.. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۸۰۷, `Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawā`iz, p. ۴۲, h. ۹۹۵.
4.. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۱۰۶۸, `Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawā`iz, p. ۴۳, h. ۱۰۴۷.
5.. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۸۷۴۰.
6.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Letter ۵۳, Tuhaf al-`Uqul: ۱۲۷. Also cf., Da`ā'm al-Islām, vol. ۱, p.۳۵۵.
