612. Imām Ali (a.s.) – in his instructions to Mālik al-Ashtar: “Then surely the ruler has favorites and intimates among whom there is a certain arrogance, transgression and lack of equity in transactions. Remove the causes of these (qualities) by cutting off their roots. Bestow no fiefs upon any of your entourage or relatives, nor let them covet from you the acquisition of an estate which would bring loss to the people bordering it in (terms of) water supply or a common undertaking, the burden of which would be imposed upon them. Its benefit would be for those (who acquired the fiefs) and not for you and its disgrace would be upon you in this world and the next.
Impose the right (al-haqq) upon whomsoever it is due, whether he be related to you or not. Be patient in this and look to your (ultimate) account; however this may affect your relatives and favorites. Look for the ultimate end in that (i.e., imposing the right) which weighs heavily against you, for its outcome will be praiseworthy.”¹

613. Imām Ali (a.s.) – in his instructions to Mālik al-Ashtar: “Beware of arrogating for yourself that in which men are equal; and of negligence in that which is of concern after it has become manifest to the eyes (of men), for these things will be held against you for (the benefit of) others; and (beware of negligence) of the fact that little remains until the coverings of affairs are lifted from you and justice is demanded from you for the wrong.”²

614. Imām Ali (a.s.) – regarding `Uthmān: “I am putting before you his case. He ruled with arrogation and did it badly. You protested against it and committed excess therein. With God lies the real verdict upon the arrogant and the impatient.”³

612. عنه علیه السلام ـ في عَهدِهِ إلى مالِكٍ الأَشتَرِ ـ: ثُمَّ إنَّ لِلوالي خاصَّةً وبِطانَةً فيهِمُ استِئثارٌ وتَطاوُلٌ، وقِلَّةُ إنصاف في مُعامَلَةٍ؛ فَاحسِم مادَّةَ اُولئِكَ بِقَطعِ أسبابِ تِلكَ الأَحوالِ. ولا تُقطِعَنَّ لِأَحَد مِن حاشِيَتِكَ وحامَّتِكَ¹ قَطيعَةً. ولا يَطمَعَنَّ مِنكَ فِي اعتِقادِ عُقدَةٍ² تَضُرُّ بِمَن يَليها مِنَ النّاسِ في شِربٍ، أو عَمَلٍ مُشتَرَكٍ يَحمِلونَ مَؤونَتَهُ عَلى غَيرِهِم، فَيَكونَ مَهنَأُ ذلِكَ لَهُم دونَكَ، وعَيبُهُ عَلَيكَ فِي الدُّنيا وَالآخِرَةِ. وألزِمِ الحَقَّ مَن لَزِمَهُ مِنَ القَريبِ وَالبَعيدِ، وكُن في ذلِكَ صابِراً مُحتَسِباً، واقِعاً ذلِكَ مِن قَرابَتِكَ وخاصَّتِكَ حَيثُ وَقَعَ. وَابتَغِ عاقِبتَهُ بِما يَثقُلُ عَلَيكَ مِنهُ؛ فَإِنَّ مَغَبَّةَ ذلِكَ مَحمودَةٌ.³

613. عنه علیه السلام ـ في عَهدِهِ إلى مالِك الأَشتَرِ ـ: إيّاكَ وَالاِستِئثارَ بِمَا النّاسُ فيهِ اُسوَةٌ، وَالتَّغابي عَمّا تُعنى بِهِ مِمّا قَد وَضَحَ لِلعُيونِ؛ فَإِنَّهُ مَأخوذٌ مِنكَ لِغَيرِكَ. وعَمّا قَليل تَنكَشِفُ عَنكَ أغطِيَةُ الاُمورِ، ويُنتَصَفُ مِنكَ لِلمَظلومِ.⁴

614. عنه علیه السلام ـ في عُثمانَ ـ: أنا جامِعٌ لَكُم أمرَهُ: اِستَأثَرَ فَأَساءَ الأَثَرَةَ،⁵ وجَزَعتُم فَأَسَأتُمُ الجَزَعَ، وللهِ حُكمٌ واقِعٌ فِي المُستَأثِرِ وَالجازِعِ.⁶