589. Imām Ali (a.s.) – to Ziyad ibn Abih: “Act on justice and keep aloof from violence and injustice because violence will lead them to forsake their abodes while injustice will prompt them to take up arms.”1
590. Imām Ali (a.s.): “Any king to whom God bestows power and blessing and he employs them in order to oppress people, it is incumbent on God to take them back from him. Do you not see the words of God: “Indeed God does not change a people’s lot, unless they change what is in their souls.”23
591. Imām Ali (a.s.): “In continuous wrongdoings lies destruction of power.” 4
592. Imām Ali (a.s.): “He who wrongs in his rule, his state will decline.”5
593. Imām Ali (a.s.): “Wrongdoing is the worst of policies.”6
594. Imām Ali (a.s.): “He who wrongs in his statecraft, people will wish for his ruining.”7
595. Imām Ali (a.s.): “The oppression of an oppressor would lead to his destruction.”8
596. Imām Ali (a.s.): “He who oppresses will be destroyed by his oppression.”9
597. Imām Ali (a.s.): “Injustice is one of the two destroyers.”10
1.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Aphorism ۴۷۶. Also cf., Rawdat al-Wā‘izin, p. ۵۱۱.
2.. Qur'ān, ۱۳:۱۱.
3.. Irshād al-Qulub, p. ۶۸.
4.. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۶۵۱۲, `Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawā`iz, p. ۳۵۵, h. ۶۰۲۴.
5.. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۸۳۶۵.
6.. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۴۴۰۴, `Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawā`iz, p. ۱۹۳, h. ۳۹۷۰.
7.. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۸۷۴۲, `Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawā`iz, p. ۴۳۹, h. ۷۶۰۶.
8.. al-Mawā`iz al-`Adadiyya, p. ۵۹.
9.. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۷۸۳۶, `Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawā`iz, p. ۴۵۲, h. ۸۱۰۷.
10.. Ghurar al-Hikam, h. ۱۶۵۷.
