270. الإمام عليّ عليه السلام :
270. Imam Ali (AS) said:
شَرُّ البِلادِ بَلَدٌ لا أمنَ فيهِ ، ولا خِصبَ .
“The worst of countries is a country that has neither security nor fertility.”
غرر الحكم : ح5684 .
Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 5683.
271. عنه عليه السلام :
271. Imam Ali (AS) said:
لابُدَّ لِلنّاسِ مِن أميرٍ بَرٍّ أو فاجِرٍ ؛
“People have no choice but to have a ruler, good or bad,
يَعمَلُ في إمرَتِهِ المُؤمِنُ ،
in whose rule the believer performs [good] acts
ويَستَمتِعُ فيهَا الكافِرُ ،
and the disbeliever enjoys worldly benefits,
ويُبَلِّغُ اللّهُ فيهَا الأَجَلَ ،
until During the rule, Allah brings everything to end.
ويُجمَعُ بِهِ الفَيءُ ،
Through the ruler, tax is collected,
ويُقاتَلُ بِهِ العَدُوُّ ،
the enemy is fought,
وتَأمَنُ بِهِ السُّبُلُ ،
roadways are protected,
ويُؤخَذُ بِهِ لِلضَّعيفِ مِنَ القَوِيِّ ؛
and the right of the weak is taken from the strong,
حَتّى يَستَريحَ بَرٌّ ،
such that the virtuous enjoys peace
ويُستَراحَ مِن فاجِرٍ .
and is given protection from [the oppression of] the wicked.”
نهج البلاغة : الخطبة 40 .
Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 40.
272. الإمام عليّ عليه السلامـ في كِتابِهِ إلى عُمّالِهِ ـ:
272. Imam Ali (AS) said, in his letter to his governors:
بِسمِ اللّهِ الرَّحمنِ الرَّحيمِ .
“In the Name of God, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful.
مِن عَبدِ اللّهِ عَلِيٍّ أميرِ المُؤمِنينَ إلى مَن قَرَأَ كِتابي هذا مِنَ العُمّالِ :
From the servant of God, 'Ali the Commander of the Faithful to whomever of the administrators that reads my letter:
أمّا بَعدُ ، فَإِنَّ رِجالاً لَنا عِندَهُم بَيعَةٌ خَرَجوا هُرّابا
Now, some men who have sworn allegiance to us have escaped.
فَنَظُنُّهُم وَجَّهوا نَحوَ بِلادِ البَصرَةِ ،
We suspect that they have moved towards the cities of the Basra.
فَاسأَل عَنهُم أهلَ بِلادِكَ ،
Ask about them from your townspeople
واجعَل عَلَيهِمُ العُيونَ في كُلِّ ناحِيَةٍ مِن أرضِكَ ،
and assign secret agents throughout your land over them.
ثُمَّ اكتُب إلَيَّ بِما يَنتَهي إلَيكَ عَنهُم ،
Then write to me whatever you find about them.
وَالسَّلامُ .
Wassalam.”
الغارات : ج1 ص337 .
Al-Gharat, vol. 1, p. 337.
273. الفتوحـ في ذِكرِ حَربِ صِفّينَ ـ:
273. Al-Futuh, in mentioning the Battle of Siffin:
قَد كانَ مَعَ مُعاوِيَةَ رَجُلٌ مِن حِميَرٍ يُقالُ لَهُ الحُصَينُ بنُ مالِكٍ
“A man from the Himyar tribe by the name of al-Husain ibn Malik was with Mu`awiyah.
وكانَ يُكاتِبُ عَلِيَّ بنَ أبي طالِبٍ رضى الله عنه ويَدُلُّهُ عَلى عَوراتِ مُعاوِيَةَ .
He would write to Ali ibn Abi Talib and inform him about the secrets and shortcomings of Mu`awiyah.”
الفتوح : ج3 ص78 .
Al-Futuh, vol. 3, p. 78.
274. الإمام عليّ عليه السلام :
274. Imam Ali (AS) said:
مَنِ استَصلَحَ عَدُوَّهُ زادَ في عَدَدِهِ .
“He who seeks to set right his enemy will increase his own company.”
غرر الحكم : ح8230 .
Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 8230.
275. عنه عليه السلام :
275. Imam Ali (AS) said:
كَمالُ الحَزمِ استِصلاحُ الأَضدادِ ،
“The perfection of prudence lies in seeking to set right the opponents
ومُداجاةُ الأَعداءِ .
and acting moderately with the enemy.”
غرر الحكم : ح7232 .
Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 7232.
276. الإمام عليّ عليه السلام :
276. Imam Ali (AS) said:
وَجَدتُ المُسالَمَةَ ما لَم يَكُن وَهنٌ فِي الإِسلامِ أنجَعَ مِنَ القِتالِ .
“I found that making peace is more beneficial than fighting, so long as it does not weaken Islam.”
غرر الحكم : ح10138 .
Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 10138.
277. الإمام عليّ عليه السلام :
277. Imam Ali (AS) said:
لا تَستَصغِرَنَّ عَدُوّا وإن ضَعُفَ .
“Do not underestimate any enemy, even if he weakens.”
غرر الحكم : ح10216 .
Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 10216.
278. الإمام عليّ عليه السلام :
278. Imam Ali (AS) said:
لا تُوقِع بِالعَدُوِّ قَبلَ القُدرَةِ .
“Do not attack the enemy before gaining the necessary power.”
غرر الحكم : ح10258 .
Ghurar al-Hikam, h. 10258.
279. عنه عليه السلامـ في الحِكَمِ المَنسوبَةِ إلَيهِ ـ:
279. Imam Ali (AS) said, from the wise sayings attributed to him:
أقتَلُ الأَشياءِ لِعَدُوِّكَ ألّا تُعَرِّفَهُ أنَّكَ اتَّخَذتَهُ عَدُوّا .
“The most destructive of things to your enemy is that you do not let him know that you have taken him as an enemy.”
شرح نهج البلاغة : ج20 ص283 ح244 .
Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, vol. 20, p. 283, h. 244.
280. مسند زيد عن زيد بن عليّ عن أبيه عن جدّه عن الإمام عليّ عليهم السلامـ
280. Musnad Zaid – narrating from Zaid ibn ‘Ali (AS), from his father, from his grandfather about ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS):
أنَّهُ قالَ لِعُمَرَ فِي امرَأَةٍ حامِلٍ اِعتَرَفَت بِالفُجورِ فَأَمَرَ بِها أن تُرجَمَ ـ:
“He [‘Ali] said to ‘Umar concerning a pregnant woman who had confessed adultery so ‘Umar ordered her to be stoned:
فَلَعَلَّكَ انتَهَرتَها أو أخَفتَها ؟
“Perhaps you have shouted at her or frightened her?”
قالَ : قَد كانَ ذلِكَ ،
“Umar replied: “That is right.”
فَقالَ : أ وَما سَمِعتَ رَسولَ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه و آله يَقولُ :
‘Ali (AS) said: “Have you not heard the saying of the Messenger of God (SA):
لا حَدَّ عَلى مُعتَرِفٍ بَعدَ بَلاءٍ ،
“There should be no legal punishment for the one who has confessed after being tortured.
إنَّهُ مَن قَيَّدتَ أو حَبَستَ أو تَهَدَّدتَ فلا إقرارَ لَهُ .
Indeed, the confession of the person whom you shackle, incarcerate, or threaten is invalid?”
قالَ : فَخَلّى عُمَرُ سَبيلَها ،
He [the narrator] said: “Umar released the woman,
ثُمَّ قالَ : عَجَزَتِ النِّساءُ أن تَلِدَ مِثلَ عَليِّ بنِ أبي طالِبٍ ،
then he said: “Women are unable to give birth to a son like ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib.
لَولا عَليٌّ لَهَلَكَ عُمَرُ .
If it was not for ‘Ali, ‘Umar would have perished.”
مسند زيد : ص335 .
Musnad Zaid, p. 335.
281. الأموال عن كثير بن نَمِر :
281. Al-Amwal, narrating from Kathir ibn Nimr, who said:
جاءَ رَجُلٌ بِرَجُلٍ مِنَ الخَوارِجِ إلى عَليٍّ ، فَقالَ :
A man brought another man from the Khawarij to Ali and said:
يا أميرَ المُؤمِنينَ ، إنّي وَجَدتُ هذا يَسُبُّكَ ،
“O Commander of the Faithful, I saw this person reviling you.
قالَ : فَسُبَّهُ كَما سَبَّني .
He (AS) said: “So revile him as he reviled me.”
قالَ : ويَتَوَعَّدُكَ ؟
He said: “He has also threatened you?”
فَقالَ : لا أقتُلُ مَن لَم يَقتُلني ،
Ali (AS) said: “I will not kill someone who has not fought against me.”
قالَ عَليٌّ : لَهُم عَلَينا ثَلاثٌ :
Ali then said: “people have three rights against us:
أن لا نَمنَعَهُمُ المَساجِدَ أن يَذكُرُوا اللّهَ فيها ،
not to prevent them from going to the mosques to remember Allah,
وأن لا نَمنَعَهُمُ الفَيءَ ما دامَت أيديهِم مَعَ أيدينا ،
not to deprive them of public assets as long as their hands are in our hands,
وأن لا نُقاتِلَهُم حَتّى يُقاتِلونا .
and that we must not fight them until they fight us.”
الأموال : ص245 ح567 .
Al-Amwal, p. 245, h. 567.
282. الغارات عن سعيدٍ الأَشعَريّ :
282. Al-Gharat, narrating from Sa`id al-Ash`ari, who said:
اِستَخلَفَ عَليٌّ عليه السلام حينَ سارَ إلَى النَّهرَوانِ رَجُلاً مِنَ النَّخَعِ يُقالُ لَهُ : هانِي بنُ هَوذَةَ ، فَكَتَبَ إلى عَليٍّ عليه السلام :
“When Ali left for al-Nahrawan, he appointed a man from the al-Nakha` tribe by the name of Hani ibn Hawdhah; he wrote to Ali (AS):
إنَّ غَنيّا وباهِلَةَ فَتَنوا ،
“Ghani and Bahila [two groups] have created disturbance
فَدَعَوُا اللّهَ عَلَيكَ أن يَظفِرَ بِكَ عَدُوُّكَ ،
and prayed to Allah against you that your enemy gain victory over you.”
قالَ : فَكَتَبَ إلَيهِ عَليٌّ عليه السلام :
Sa`id then said: “So Ali wrote to him saying:
أجلِهِم مِنَ الكوفَةِ ولا تَدَع مِنهُم أحَدا .
“Expel them from Kufah and let no one of them stay therein.”
الغارات : ج1 ص18 .
Al-Gharat, vol. 1, p. 18.