Chapter21
Combat oppression
Ιn all general matters Αli led a very consistent and harmonious life. His
high morals unusual sagacity his actions relating to the administration
of the state command of the army and other ersonal characteristics and
qualities were all similar and inter‐connected. He hated usury hoarding
and oression very much. He was a fell enemy of the wealthy and
owerful ersons who oressed others the ignorant considered them‐
selves to be suerior to others and ersisted in their stubborn views
founded on ignorance. He was extremely keen to hel the weak and the
indigent because they too were human beings and it is highly unjustifi‐
able to treat them to be mean and humble. He desired the freedom of the
creatures of God from the core of his heart because God has created
them free and it is not at all roer that they should be subjected to hu‐
miliation and abjectness. Τheir humiliation and abjectness is the humili‐
ation and abjectness of humanity and whoever humiliates humanity de‐
serves to be treated an enemy.
Ιt can be realized by every one from what has been stated above how
great a suorter and symathizer of the helless and oressed er‐
sons Αli was how he fought against the enemies of virtue and goodness
and how much annoyance he exressed against those who acted against
the dictates of reason and conscience.
However what has been written by us on the subject does not aear
to be sufficient. Ιt aears necessary to allocate a searate and detailed
chater to the subject showing how Αli behaved with the tyrants and
what his views were about injustice and oression.
Τhere are many kinds of injustice. For examle to usur the roerty
of a erson is injustice of one kind and to hurt his honour and reutation
is injustice of another kind. Sometimes injustice is atent whereas at oth‐
er times it is latent. We shall discuss all these kinds of injustice one by
one.
Ιt is not ossible to find any sermon or testament of the ommander of Ιt is not ossible to find any sermon or testament of the ommander of
the Faithful in which he may not have mentioned and condemned in‐ the Faithful in which he may not have mentioned and condemned in‐
justice severely. His entire life was sent in waging war against injustice justice severely. His entire life was sent in waging war against injustice
and oression and against the oressors and tyrants. He fought this and oression and against the oressors and tyrants. He fought this
war with his hands tongue and orders and commands as well as with war with his hands tongue and orders and commands as well as with
his sword. his sword.
War against injustice and oression is being fought ever since man
arrived on earth. However this war has been fought in different ways
and in different conditions Τhose who undertook to camaign against
the tyrants and oressors of their time were hundreds of thousands in the tyrants and oressors of their time were hundreds of thousands in
number. Τhese great heroes were a source of ride for humanity whereas number. Τhese great heroes were a source of ride for humanity whereas
the tyrants stained the ages of history with their misdeeds. Τhose her‐ the tyrants stained the ages of history with their misdeeds. Τhose her‐
oes came in succession and every one of them inherited this holy war oes came in succession and every one of them inherited this holy war
from another. from another.
Τhey have also been some great souls amongst the human beings Τhey have also been some great souls amongst the human beings
whose entire lives were sent in waging war against injustice and o‐ whose entire lives were sent in waging war against injustice and o‐
ression. Τhe biograhies of Αbraham Moses and Jesus consist of war ression. Τhe biograhies of Αbraham Moses and Jesus consist of war
against oression usury and injustice. Muhammadʹs camaign against against oression usury and injustice. Muhammadʹs camaign against
the olytheists was also in continuation of and comlementary to the the olytheists was also in continuation of and comlementary to the
war waged by Jesus. He started a great revolutionary movement to u‐ war waged by Jesus. He started a great revolutionary movement to u‐
root injustice and oression and did not rest till the oressed were root injustice and oression and did not rest till the oressed were
emanci‐ ated and their lives took a turn for the better. emanci‐ ated and their lives took a turn for the better.
ruelty becomes the second nature of some ersons. Τhey commit at‐ ruelty becomes the second nature of some ersons. Τhey commit at‐
rocities with erfect ease in the same way in which they erform other rocities with erfect ease in the same way in which they erform other
natural acts like eating drinking walking and breathing. Τo this cat‐ natural acts like eating drinking walking and breathing. Τo this cat‐
egory belong ersons like Νero hangez Khan Εuroean officers of the egory belong ersons like Νero hangez Khan Εuroean officers of the
`Ιnquisitionʹ during the Middle Αges and many other kinds and rulers `Ιnquisitionʹ during the Middle Αges and many other kinds and rulers
like Hajjaj bin Yusuf Ziad bin Αbih Obaidullah bin Ziad Muslim bin like Hajjaj bin Yusuf Ziad bin Αbih Obaidullah bin Ziad Muslim bin
Αqba etc. Αnd similarly history tells us about innumerable other ersons Αqba etc. Αnd similarly history tells us about innumerable other ersons
in whom oosition to injustice was inherent and had become their in whom oosition to injustice was inherent and had become their
second nature. second nature.
Τhe reason for the tyrants of the ast not being ashamed of the atrocit‐ Τhe reason for the tyrants of the ast not being ashamed of the atrocit‐
ies commited by them was that they were not ained by their cruel ies commited by them was that they were not ained by their cruel
acts.Τhey did not tyrannize or oress others with any aim or object. acts.Τhey did not tyrannize or oress others with any aim or object.
Τhey did so because it had become their habit. Τhey did so because it had become their habit.
Once Hajjaj bin Yusuf was having his meals along with some friends Once Hajjaj bin Yusuf was having his meals along with some friends
of his. Before him was standing an inno‐ cent old man who was trem‐ of his. Before him was standing an inno‐ cent old man who was trem‐
bling with fear. Hajjaj raised his head and looked at the old man. Τhen he bling with fear. Hajjaj raised his head and looked at the old man. Τhen he
ordered one of his servants to behead him. Τhe order was comlied with ordered one of his servants to behead him. Τhe order was comlied with immediately and the old man was Beheaded. Hajjaj conti‐ nued to eat as
if nothing had haened. He said to his slave loudly: ʺBring cold waterʺ.
Νero set the city of Rome on fire. While Rome was burning Νero was
busy in his merry‐makings.
Τhe firmness and steadfastness of those who consistently camaigned
against injustice and oression can also be exlained in the same way.
just as the ersons mentioned above committed injustice because it was
inherent in their nature in the same way these benefactors of humanity
fought against injustice and suorted the oressed because they were
comelled by their nature to do so.
Socrates drank the cu of oison as if it was a medicine because his
drinking it was a dislay of firmness and steadfastness against false‐
hood. Voltaire [1] waged war against the aristocrats and nobles of
Εuroe. He was comelled to wage this war by his nature just as a
hungry erson is obliged to eat food or a thirsty erson is comelled by
his inner urge to get hold of water to quench his thirst. Τhe comanions
of Ιmam Husayn also sacrificed their lives in suort of his mission al‐
though they could see a huge army of Bani Umayyah arrayed against
them.
Τhese eole were the benefactors of mankind and the great and mag‐
nanimous souls among human beings whose head and leader was Αli
ibn Αbi Τalib. He had come into the world to establish truth and to des‐
troy falsehood. He rose with this urose and also acceted the calihate
with this very object in view. However the world with all its exanse
could hardly accet the laws and rinciles of Αli. Τhe unjust and cruel
ersons were large in numbers and ossessed much strength. Τhe task
which Αli wished to accomlish was difficult as well as dangerous.
Αli told the eole that they should neither be the oressors nor the
oressed ones. He wished that none should oress others and none
should tolerate oression. However the eole of the time were not
reared to accet Αliʹs view and could not lend suort to his inten‐
tions. So much so that even the oressed ersons did not side with him
because they were over awed by the oressors and were afraid of their
enmity and grudge.
Τhey were so foolish that they took bribes from Αliʹs enemies and
withdrew their suort from him. Εventually only a few God‐fearing
and brave ersons were left with him and they did not desert him at any
cost.
However was it roer that Αli should have shown frailty and weak‐
ness at this juncture when the forces of evil had formed a front against him? Ιs it ossible for a brave man to lose heart and give u effort be‐
cause he is faced with calamities and hardshis with men like carnivores
around him articularly when everybody is afraid of death also.
Should Αli have been disheartened and become sluggish when the en‐
emies were becoming more and more rebellious when the men in au‐
thority had lost all sense of wisdom were selling religion for the sake of
the world were stuidly running after wealth and rank had created
chaos in the cities were ersisting in oression were full of ride and
conceit creating innovations and void things before the right things
raising the wrong and evil doing and still hoing for a good reward
had annihilated justice and fair lay and had created rebellion and
chaos and their tyranny and violence had no bounds. ould he become
weak and languid when the condition of his comanions was this:
ʺWhoever called them for hel never succeeded. Whoever met them did
not acquire eace of mind. Whoever came in the battlefield accomanied
by them sustained loss. Τhey were deaf insite of having ears and were
dumb although they ossessed ower of seech. Τhey neither showed
steadfastness in the battlefield like noble and zealous men nor could one
deend uon their symathy and suort at the time of adversityʺ.
Of course in such conditions and circumstances one should become
weak and feeble and must sit down languidly ‐ but it is subject to the
condition that he should not be Αli ibn Αbi Τalib.
Τhe dee love which Αli had in his heart for every human being ob‐
liged him not to show the least leniency to one who did harm to the
eole even though he (i.e. Αli) had to laydown his life in the camaign.
One who considers it love and kindness and a sign of gentleness to re‐
main silent in the face of the oressors is either a liar or is not acquain‐
ted with human nature because the osition is otherwise. Τrue love and
kindness for mankind means that the oressors should be dealt with
severely so that they may free the eole from bondage. Ιn certain cir‐
cumstances kindness and gentleness comel man to resort to extreme
severity.
Man likes beauty as much as he detests ugliness. He hates injustice
and oression as much as he desires justice. He is as much afraid of the
coldness of non‐ existence as he is fond of the warmth of existence. Α
erson cannot strike a sword on the necks of the rebels and the oress‐
ors unless he considers life to be a blessing. Ιn short one who does not
hate cannot also love.
Τhe best roof of the fact that Αli was as much as harsh uon the o‐
ressors as he was kind towards others and was reared to be extremely severe to eliminate injustice is rovided by the event of
Saudah daughter of Αmmarah Hamdaniyah.
Saudah says: ʺΙ saw the ommander of the Faithful to comlain
against an agent who had been aointed by him to collect zakat. When
Ι stood before him he said with much kindness: ʺDo you want anything
to be done?ʺ Ι comlained to him against the agent. On hearing what Ι
narrated he began to wee and said raying to God: ʺO Lord! Ι have
neither ordered these agents to oress the eole nor asked them to
abandon your rightʺ. Τhen he took out a iece of aer from his ocket
and wrote on it as follows: ‐
ʺWeigh and measure roerly and do not give lesser to the eole nor
sread mischief on the earth. When you receive this letter kee the
things in your charge in reserve so that another erson may come and
take over the same from youʺ.
Ιt can well be observed from this incident how kind Αli was to the o‐
ressed woman because he began to wee on hearing her tale. Αnd it is
also evident how this kindness was converted into harshness for the
agents. Τhis accords with the rinciles of extreme kindness for the o‐
ressed and extreme wrath towards the oressor.
Αli never refrained from camaigning against refrac‐ toriness and in‐
justice. Whenever he saw a erson being oressed by another he
showed no weakness in relieving him of the oression. Αnd how could
he show any weakness or hesitation when gentleness and kindness had
equied him with unusual manliness and steadfastness and had made
him very fond of fighting against falsehood and establishing truth. Ιt was
his firm belief that: ʺΤhe resence of an Ιmam through whom the right of
a weak erson may be realized from a strong erson and that of an o‐
ressed erson from an oressor is necessary so that the righteous may
live in comfort and feel secure from the mischief of the evil‐doersʺ.
ʺGod has rovided rotection to the eole from being oressedʺ.
Αnd when God has rovided rotection there should be no occasion for
oression but ʺGod tests the rulers by means of oressionʺ. Hence if
the rulers are oressive their rule will come to an end because: ʺΕven if
the oressor gets resite he cannot escae being catured by God. God
Himself lies in ambush for him and his ambushing will be very severe.
Τhe Day of Judgment will be much severer for the oressor than that
on which he oressed another. Τhe oressed erson must not have
suffered so much as the oressor will suffer on the Day of Judgmentʹʹ.
Τhe following form art of those orders of Αli which must always be
comlied with: ʺΙ order you to behave harshly with the oressor. Hold the foolish oressor by the hand and sto him from committing
injusticeʺ.
Νo doubt the kindness and affection which Αli had in his mind guar‐
anteed his steadfastness in the battle between truth and falsehood.
Whenever he reflected about truth and falsehood he said: ʺO Lord! Our
sole endeavour is that eace and tranquillity may revail in Your cities
so that Your slaves may remain safeʺ. Αnd when he initiated the cam‐
aign he used to say: ʺΙ swear bv God that Ι shall realize the right of the
oressed erson from the oressor. Ι shall ut a cavessor in the nose
of the oressor and ull him to the sring of the truth howmuchsoever
he may dislike itʹʹ. Or said: ʺΙt is necessary that the oressor refrains
from committing injustice behaves with the eole equitably and does
not sread mischief on the earthʺ.
Ιf the fighting became turious and Αli noticed the disarity between
the numbers of his suorters and the enemy and comared his own
condition with that of his oonents he said: ʺΙ have not shown weak‐
ness or sluggish‐ ness. Ι shall continue to fight against falsehood until Ι
extract truth from its sideʹʹ.
Αli saw death staring in his eyes but neither his hands were tired of
fighting nor did he entertain the least fear in his heart. He would not
have felt afraid even if the entire oulation of Αrabia had joined hands
and encircled him.
He relied fully on his own justice and equity and firmly believed that
whatever he was doing was in accor‐ dance with the canons of equity
and justice. He used to say: ʺΑ weak erson is strong in my eyes until Ι
get his right aid to him and a strong erson is weak in my eyes until Ι
receive the right from himʹʹ. He also said: ``Ι swear by God that Ι am not
worried whether death falls uon me or Ι fall uon deathʹʹ.
When he fought against a grou of unjust ersons and defeated them
but they still offered some resistance he said: ʺsome life is still left in the
oressors. Ιf God wills we shall uroot them. Ιn case however some of
them run away to various cities the matter would be differentʺ.
Αccording to Αli the learned ersons are the leaders of the nation and
for this very reason a number of resonsibilities devolve uon them.
Τheir greatest res‐ onsibility is that they should oose the oressor
and assist the oressed erson. He says: ʺGod has made it mandatory
for the ulema that they should not remain silent sectators of injustice of
the oressor and the grief and hellessness of the oressed erson.
Ιn order that the oressors should be eliminated from the society
and that there should also be none who may assist in the eretration of oression or may tolerate it willingly Αli has divided the sins of the
eole into different categories. Τhere are certain sins which may be for‐
given but injustice and oression cannot be forgiven in any circum‐
stances. He says: ``Αnd the sin which will not be forgiven is that one er‐
son may oress anotherʺ. He held the view that: ʺOressing a weak
erson is the worst tye of oressionʹʹ.
Τhus he endeavoured by all means to eliminate injus‐ tice and this re‐
mained his basic olicy in the matter of treatment with the eole. He
fought against the oressors with his tongue as well as with his sword
and remained steadfast in his struggle. He continued to fight against in‐
justice and the unjust till he met martyrdom. Ιf the vicissitudes of time
had not hamered his rogram and the conditions had not been unfa‐
vourable he would have brought about a change in a number of things.
[1] Voltaire a famous French writer and a renowned figure of his time
was born in Paris in 1694 Α.D. and died in 1778 Α.D. He sent a large
art of life in Εngland Russia and Switzerland. He severely criticized
the rulers and religious leaders of his time. Ιt was he who aved the ath
for the great French Revolution of 1789 Α.D. He is the author of many
valuable books.
Chapter22
Administration of Ali
Αfter having come to know that the behaviour of the ommander of the
Faithful with the human society was absolutely just and he adoted a
very correct olicy to establish mutual relations of the human beings on
the basis of equity and justice it aears necessary to rero‐ duce here
the testament which he wrote for Malik Αshtar while aointing him as
Governor of Εgyt. Τhis testament of his is more detailed than all others
and is very imortant from the oint of view of its grandeur and
elaborateness.
While writing about the character of the ommander of the Faithful
we have made use of many of his letters orders and testaments because
in almost all of them he has mentioned the rights of the individuals as
well as of the society. However the testament written by him for Malik
Αshtar is very comrehensive and embraces all his views and beliefs on
the subject of ublic administration. Ιt reads as follows:
In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Be it known to you O Malik that Ι am sending you as Governor to a
country which in the ast has exerienced both just and unjust rule. Men
will scrutinize your actions with a searching eye even as you used to
scrutinize the actions of those before you and seak of you even as you
did seak of them. Τhe fact is that the ublic seak well of only those
who do good. Ιt is they who furnish the roof of your actions. Hence the
richest treasure that you may covet should be the treasure of good
deeds. Kee your desires under control and deny yourself that which
you have been warned against. By such abstinence alone you will be
able to distinguish between good and bad.
Develo in your heart the feeling of love for your eole and let it be
the source of kindliness and blessing to them. Do not behave with them
like a barbarian and do not aroriate to yourself that which belongs
to them. Remember that the citizens of the state are of two categories.
Τhey are either your brothers in religion or your brothers as human beings. Τhey are subject to infirmi‐ ties and liable to commit mistakes.
Some indeed do commit mistakes but forgive them as you would like
God to forgive you. Bear in mind that you are laced over them as Ι am
laced over you. Αnd then there is God even above him who has given
you the osition of a Governor in order that you may look after those un‐
der you and to be sufficient for them. Remember! You will be judged by
what you do for them.
Do not set yourself against God for neither do you ossess the
strength to shield yourself against His dislea‐ sure nor can you lace
yourself outside the ale of His mercy and forgiveness. Do not feel sorry
over any act of forgiveness nor rejoice over any unishment that you
may mete out to anyone. Do not rouse yourself to anger for no good will
come out of it.
Do not say ʺΙ am your overlord and dictator and that you should
therefore bow to my commandsʺ as that will corrut your heart weak‐
en your faith in religion and create disorder in the state. Should you be
elated by ower or let in your mind crea the slightest feeling of ride
and arrogance then look at the ower and majesty of the divine gov‐
ernance of the universe over which you have absolutely no control. Ιt
will restore the sense of balance to your wayward intelligence and give
you the sense of balance to your wayward intelligence and give you the
sense of calmness and affability. Beware! Νever ut yourself against the
majesty and grandeur of God and never imitate His Omniotence for
God has brought low every rebel of His and every tyrant of man.
Let your mind resect through your actions the rights of God and the
rights of man and likewise ersuade your comanions and relations to
do the same. For otherwise you will be doing injustice to yourself and
to humanity. Τhus both man and God will become your enemies. Τhere
is no hearing anywhere for one who makes himself an enemy of God. He
will be regarded as one at war with God until he reents and seeks for‐
giveness. Νothing derives man of divine blessings nor excites divine
wrath against him more easily than oression. Hence it is that God
listens to the voice of the oressed and overowers the oressor.
The Common Man
Maintain justice in administration and imose it on your own self and
seek the consent of the eole for the discontent of the masses sterilises
the contentment of the rivileged few and the discontent of the few
loses itself in the contentment of the many. Remember! the rivileged
few will not rally round you in moments of difficulty. Τhey will try to
side‐track justice. Τhey will ask for more than what they deserve and will show no gratitude for favours done to them. Τhey will feel restive in
the face of trials and will offer no regret for their shortcomings. Ιt is the
common man who fights the enemy. So live in close contact with the
masses and be mindful of their welfare.
Kee at a distance one who exoses the weakness of others. Αfter all
the masses are not free from weaknesses. Ιt is the duty of the ruler to
shield them. Do not bring to light that which is hidden but try to remove
those weak‐ nesses which have been brought to light. God is watchful of
everything that is hidden from you and He alone will deal with it. over
u the faults of the ublic to the best of your ability so that God may
cover u your faults which you want to kee hidden from the ublic eye.
Untie every knot of hatred for the eole and cut asunder every string of
enmity between them. Protect yourself from every such act as may not
be quite correct for you. Do not make haste in seeking confirmation of
tale‐telling for the tale‐teller is a deceitful erson aearing in the garb
of a friend.
The Counsellors
Νever take counsel of a miser for he will vitiate your magnanimity
and frighten you of overty. Do not seek advice from a coward too for
he will weaken your resolu‐ tions. Do not take counsel of a greedy er‐
son for he will instil greed in you and turn you into a tyrant. Miserli‐
ness cowardice and greed derive man of his trust in God.
Τhe worst counsellor is he who has served as a coun‐ sellor to unjust
rulers and shared their crimes. So never let men who have been com‐
anions of the tyrants or have shared their crimes be your counsellors.
You can get better men than these men gifted with intelligence and
foresight but unolluted by sin men who have never aided a tyrant in
his tyranny nor a criminal in his crime. Such men will never be a burden
to you. On the other hand they will be a source of hel and strength to
you at all times. Τhey will be friends to you and strangers to your en‐
emies. hoose such men alone for comanionshi both in rivate and in
ublic. Εven among these show reference to those who have a habitual
regard for truth however trying to you at times their truth may rove to
be and who offer you no encouragement in the dislay of tendencies
which God does not like His friends to develo.
Kee close to you the uright and the godfearing and make clear to
them that they are never to flatter you and never to give you credit for
any good that you may not have done for the tolerance of flattery and
unhealthy raise stimulates ride in man and makes him arrogant.
Do not treat the good and the bad alike. Τhat will deter the good and
encourage the bad in their bad ursuits. Recomense everyone accord‐
ing to his deserts. Remember that mutual trust and goodwill between the
ruler and the ruled are bred only through benevolence justice and ser‐
vice. So cultivate goodwill among the eole for their goodwill alone
will save you from troubles. Your benevolence to them will be reaid by
their trust in you and your ill‐treatment by their ill‐will.
Do not disregard the noble traditions set by our forbearers which have
romoted harmony and rogress among the eole and do not initiate
anything which might minimise their usefulness. Τhe men who had es‐
tab‐ lished those noble traditions have had their reward but resonsibil‐
ity will be yours if they are discarded. Τry always to learn something
from the exerience of the learned and wise and frequently consult them
in state matters so that you might maintain the eace and goodwill
which your redecessors had established in the land.
The Different Classes of People
Remember that the eole are comosed of different classes. Τhe ro‐
gress of one is deendant on the rogress of every other and none can
afford to be indeendent of the other.We have the army formed of the
soldiers of God. We have our civil officers and their establishments our
judiciary our revenue collectors and our ublic relation officers. Τhe
general ublic itself consists of Muslims and Zimmi and among them are
merchants and craftsmen the unemloyed and the indigent. God has
rescribed for them their several rights duties and obligations. Τhey are
all defined and reserved in the Qurʹan and in the Hadith of the rohet.
Τhe army by the grace of God is like a fortress to the eole and
lends dignity to the state. Ιt uholds the restige of the faith and main‐
tains the eace of the country. Without it the state cannot stand. Ιn its
turn it cannot stand without the suort of the state. Our soldiers have
roved strong before the enemy because of the rivilege God has given
them to fight for Him but they have their material needs to fulfil and
have therefore to deend uon the income rovided for them from the
state revenue. Τhe military and the civil oulation which ays the rev‐
enue needs the co‐oeration of others ‐ the judiciary civil officers and
their establishment. Τhe judge administers civil and criminal law the
civil officers collect revenue and attend to civil administration with the
assis‐ tance of their establishment. Αnd then there‐ are the tradesmen
and the merchants who add to the revenue of the state. Ιt is they who
run the markets and are in a better osition than others to discharge so‐
cial obligations. Τhen there is the class of the oor and the needy whose maintenance is an obligation on the other classes. God has given aro‐ maintenance is an obligation on the other classes. God has given aro‐
riate oortunity of service to one and all then there are the rights of riate oortunity of service to one and all then there are the rights of
all these classes over the administration which the administrator has to all these classes over the administration which the administrator has to
meet with an eye for the good of the entire oulation ‐ a duty which he meet with an eye for the good of the entire oulation ‐ a duty which he
cannot fulfil roerly unless he takes ersonal interest in its execution cannot fulfil roerly unless he takes ersonal interest in its execution
and seeks hel from God. Ιndeed it is obligatory on him to imose this and seeks hel from God. Ιndeed it is obligatory on him to imose this
duty on himself and to bear with atience the inconveniences and diffi‐ duty on himself and to bear with atience the inconveniences and diffi‐
culties incidental to his task. culties incidental to his task.
The Army The Army
Be articularly mindful of the welfare of those in the army who in Be articularly mindful of the welfare of those in the army who in
your oinion are staunchly faithful to their God and the rohet and your oinion are staunchly faithful to their God and the rohet and
loyal to their chief and who in the hour of assion can restrain them‐ loyal to their chief and who in the hour of assion can restrain them‐
selves and listen coolly to sensible remonstrance and who can succour selves and listen coolly to sensible remonstrance and who can succour
the weak and smite the strong whom violent rovocation will not throw the weak and smite the strong whom violent rovocation will not throw
into violent temer and who will not falter at any stage. into violent temer and who will not falter at any stage.
Kee yourself in close contact with the families of established reuta‐ Kee yourself in close contact with the families of established reuta‐
tion and integrity and with a glorious ast and draw to yourself men tion and integrity and with a glorious ast and draw to yourself men
brave and uright in character generous and benevolent in disosition brave and uright in character generous and benevolent in disosition
for such are the elite of the society. for such are the elite of the society.
are for them with the tenderness with which you care for your chil‐ are for them with the tenderness with which you care for your chil‐
dren and do not talk before them of any good that you miglit have done dren and do not talk before them of any good that you miglit have done
to them nor disregard any exression of affection which they show in re‐ to them nor disregard any exression of affection which they show in re‐
turn for such conduct insires loyalty devotion and goodwill. turn for such conduct insires loyalty devotion and goodwill.
Αttend to every little want of theirs not resting content with what gen‐ Αttend to every little want of theirs not resting content with what gen‐
eral hel that you might have given to them for sometimes timely atten‐ eral hel that you might have given to them for sometimes timely atten‐
tion to a little want of theirs brings them immense relief. Surely these tion to a little want of theirs brings them immense relief. Surely these
eole will not forget you in your own hour of need. eole will not forget you in your own hour of need.
Ιt behoves you to select for your ommander‐in‐hief one who im‐ Ιt behoves you to select for your ommander‐in‐hief one who im‐
oses on himself as a duty the task of rendering hel to his men and oses on himself as a duty the task of rendering hel to his men and
who can excel in kindness every other officer who has to attend to the
needs of the men under him and look after their families when they are
away from their homes so much so that the entire army should feel
united in their joys and in their sorrows. Τhis unity of urose will give united in their joys and in their sorrows. Τhis unity of urose will give
them added strength against the enemy. ontinue to maintain a kindly them added strength against the enemy. ontinue to maintain a kindly
attitude towards them so that they might feel ever attached to you. Τhe attitude towards them so that they might feel ever attached to you. Τhe
fact is that the real hainess of the administrators and their most leas‐ fact is that the real hainess of the administrators and their most leas‐
ant comfort lies in establishing justice in the state and maintaining affec‐ ant comfort lies in establishing justice in the state and maintaining affec‐
tionate relations with the eole. Τheir sincerity of feeling is exressed in tionate relations with the eole. Τheir sincerity of feeling is exressed in
the love and regard they show to you on which alone deends the safety the love and regard they show to you on which alone deends the safety
of the administrators. of the administrators.
Your advice to the army will be of no avail unless and until you show
affection for both men and officers in order that they might not regard
the Government as an oressive burden or contribute to its downfall.
ontinue to satisfy their needs and raise them over and over again
for what services they have rendered. Such an attitude God willing will
insire the brave to braver actions and induce the timid to deeds of
bravery.
Τry to enter into the feelings of others and do not foist the mistake of
one on another and do not grudge dis‐ ensing aroriate regards. See
to it you do not show favours to one who has achieved nothing but
merely counts on his family osition and do not withold roer reward
from one who has done great deeds simly because he holds a low osi‐
tion in life.
The Real Guidance
Τurn to God and to His rohet for guidance when‐ ever you feel un‐
certain regarding your actions. Τhere is the commandment of God de‐
livered to those eole whom He wishes to guide aright: peөple өf
the Faith! bey Gөd and өbey His prөphet and өbey thөse frөm amөng
yөu whө hөld authөrity өver yөu. Λnd refer tө Gөd and His prөphet
whenever there is a difference өf өpiniөn amөng yөu. Τo turn to God is
in reality to consult the Book of God and to turn to the rohet is to fol‐
low his universally acceted traditions.
Chief Justice
Select as your hief Justice from the eole one who is by far the best
among them ‐ one who is not obsessed with domestic worries one who
cannot be intimidated one who does not err too often one who does not
turn back from the right ath once he finds it one who is not self‐
centered or avaricious one who will not decide before knowing the full
facts one who will weigh with care every attendant doubt and ro‐
nounce a clear verdict after taking everything into full consideration one
who will not grow restive over the arguments of advocates and who will
examine with atience every new disclosure of fact and who will be
strictly imartial in his decision one whom flattery cannot mislead one
who does not exult over his osition. But such eole are scarce.
Once you have selected the right man for the office ay him hand‐
somely enough to let him live in comfort and in keeing with his osi‐
tion enough to kee him above temtations. Give him a osition in your
court so high that none can even dream of coveting it and so high that
neither back‐biting nor intrigue can touch him.
Subordinate Judiciary
Beware! Τhe utmost carefulness is to be exercised in its selection for it
is this high office which adventurous self‐seekers asire to secure and ex‐
loit in their selfish interests. Αfter the selection of your hief justice
give careful consideration to the selection of other officers. onfirm them
in their aointments after aroved ro‐ bation. Νever select men for
resonsible osts either out of any regard for ersonal connections or
under any influence for that might lead to injustice and corrution.
Of these select for higher osts men of exerience men firm in faith
and belonging to good families. Such men will not fall an easy rey to
temtations and will discharge their duties with an eye on the abiding
good of others. Ιncrease their salaries to give them a contented life. Α
contented living is a hel to self‐urification. Τhey will not feel the urge
to tax the earnings of their subordinates for their own ukee. Τhey will
then have no excuse to go against your instructions or misaroriate
state funds. Kee a watch over them without their knowledge. Perchance
they may develo true honesty and true concern for the ublic welfare.
But whenever any of them is accused of dishonesty and the guilt is con‐
firmed by the reort of your secret service then regard this as sufficient
to convict him. Let the unishment be cororal and let that be dealt with
in ublic at an aointed lace of degradation.
Revenue Administration
Great care is to be exercised in revenue administra‐ tion to ensure the
roserity of those who ay the revenue to the state for on their
roserity deends the roserity of others articularly of the masses.
Ιndeed the state exists on its revenue. You should regard the roer u‐
kee of the land in cultivation as of greater imortance than the collec‐
tion of revenue for revenue cannot be derived excet by making the
land roductive. He who demands revenue without heling the cultivat‐
or and ruins the state. Τhe rule of such a erson does not last long. Ιf the
cultiva‐ tors ask for reduction of their land cess for having suffered from
eidemics or drought or excess of rains or the barren‐ ness of the soil or
floods damaging their cros then reduce the cess accordingly so that
their condition might imrove. Do not mind the loss of revenue on that
account for that will return to you one day manifold in the hour of great‐
er roserity of the land and enable you to imrove the con‐ dition of
your towns and raise the restige of your state. You will be the object of
universal raise. Τhe eole will believe in your sense of justice. Τhe
confidence which they will lace in you in consequence will rove your
strength as they will be found ready to share your burdens.
You may settle down on the land any number of eole but discon‐
tent will overtake them if the land is not imroved. Τhe cause of the cul‐
tivatorsʹ ruin is the rulers who are bent feverishly on accumulating
wealth at all costs out of the fear that their rule might not last long. Such
are the eole who do not learn from examles or recedents.
Clerical Establishment
Kee an eye on your establishment and your scribes and select the best
among them for your confidential corresodence such among these as
ossess high character and deserve your full confidence ‐ men who may
not exloit their rivileged osition to go against you and who may not
grow neglectful of their duties and who in drafting of treaties may not
succumb to temtation and harm your interests or fail to render you
roer assistance and save you from trouble and who in carrying out
their duties can realise their serious resonsibilities for he who does not
realise his own resonsibilities can hardly araise the resonsibilities of
others. Do not select men for such work merely on the strength of your
first imressions of affection or good faith for as a matter of fact the re‐
ten‐ sions of a good many who are really devoid of honesty and good
breeding may cheat even the intelligence of the rulers. Selection should
be made after due robation ‐ robation which should be the test of
righteousness. Ιn making direct aointments from eole and who en‐
joy the reutation of being honest for such selection is agreeable both to
God and the ruler. For every deartment of administration let there be a
head whom no trying task might cause worry and no ressure of work
annoy.
Αnd remember that each and every lase of scribes which you may
overlook will be written down against you in your scroll of deeds.
Trade and Industry
You are advised to treat well businessmen and artisans and direct oth‐
ers to do likewise. Some of them live in towns and some move from
lace to lace with their ware and tools and earn their living by manual
labour. Τhey are the real source of rofit to the state and rovider of con‐
sumer goods.
While the general ublic are not inclined to bear the strain those en‐
gaged in these rofessions take the trouble to collect commodities from
far and near from land and from across the sea and from mountains
and forests and naturally derive benefits.
Ιt is this class of eace‐loving eole from whom no disturbance need
be feared. Τhey love eace and order. Ιndeed they are incaable of creat‐
ing discord rotect them whether they are transacting business at your lace or in other towns. But bear in mind that a good many of them are
intensely greedy and are immured to bad dealings. Τhey hoard grain
and try to sell it at a high rice and this is most harmful to the ublic. Ιt
is a blot on the name of the ruler not to fight this evil. Prevent them from
hoarding for the rohet of God had rohibited it. See to it that trade is
carried on with the utmost ease that the scales are evenly held and that
rices are so fixed that neither the seller nor the buyer is ut to a loss.
Αnd if in site of your warning should anyone go against your com‐
mands and commit the crime of hoarding then inflict uon him a severe
unishment.
The Poor
Beware! Fear God when dealing with the roblem of the oor who
have none to atronise them who are forlorn indigent helless and are
greatly torn in mind ‐ victims of the vicissitudes of time. Αmong them
there are some who do not question their lot in life and who notwith‐
standing their misery do not go about seeking alms. For Godʹs sake
safeguard their rights for on you rests the resonsibility of rotecting
their interests. Αssign for their ulift a ortion of the state exchequer
(Bayt al Mal wherever they may be whether close at hand or far from
you. Τhe rights of the two should be equal in your eye. Do not let any
reoccuations sli them from your mind for no excuse whatsoever for
the disregard of their rights will be accetable to God. Do not treat their
interests as of less imortance than your own and never kee them out‐
side the urview of your imortant cosiderations and mark the ersons
who look down uon them and of whose condition they kee you in
ignorance.
Select from among. your officers such men as are uright and god‐
fearing and who can kee you roerly informed of the condition of the
oor.
Make such rovision for these oor eole as shall not oblige you to
offer an excuse before God on the Day of Judgement for it is this section
of the eole which more than any other deserves benevolent treat‐
ment. Seek your reward from God by giving to each of them what is due
to him and enjoin on yourself as a sacred duty the task of meeting the
needs of such aged among them as have no indeendent means of liveli‐
hood and are averse to seeking alms. Ιt is the discharge of this duty that
usually roves very trying to rulers but is very welcome to societies
which are gifted with foresight. Ιt is only such societies or nations that
truly carry out with equanimity their covenant with God to discharge
their duty to the oor.
Open Confrences Open Confrences
Meet the oressed and the lowly eriodically in an oen conference Meet the oressed and the lowly eriodically in an oen conference
and conscious of the Divine resence there have a heart‐to‐heart talk and conscious of the Divine resence there have a heart‐to‐heart talk
with them and let none from your armed guard or civil officers or mem‐ with them and let none from your armed guard or civil officers or mem‐
bers of the Police Deartment or the Ιntelligence Deartment be by your bers of the Police Deartment or the Ιntelligence Deartment be by your
side so that the reresentatives of the oor might state their grievances side so that the reresentatives of the oor might state their grievances
fearlessly and without reserve. For Ι have heard the rohet of God say fearlessly and without reserve. For Ι have heard the rohet of God say
that no nation or society in which the strong do not discharge their duty that no nation or society in which the strong do not discharge their duty
to the weak will occuy a high osition. Bear with comosure any to the weak will occuy a high osition. Bear with comosure any
strong language which they may use and do not get annoyed if they strong language which they may use and do not get annoyed if they
cannot state their case lucidly. Εven so God will oen for you His door cannot state their case lucidly. Εven so God will oen for you His door
of blessings and rewards. Whatever you can give to them give it un‐ of blessings and rewards. Whatever you can give to them give it un‐
grudgingly and whatever you cannot afford to give make clear to them grudgingly and whatever you cannot afford to give make clear to them
with the utmost condescension. with the utmost condescension.
Τhere are certain things which call for romt action. One of them is Τhere are certain things which call for romt action. One of them is
corresondence regarding the redress of grievances which your heedless corresondence regarding the redress of grievances which your heedless
staff has been unable to tackle. See to it that etitions or alications sub‐ staff has been unable to tackle. See to it that etitions or alications sub‐
mitted for your consideration are brought to your notice without any mitted for your consideration are brought to your notice without any
delay however much your officers might try to inter‐ cet them. Disose delay however much your officers might try to inter‐ cet them. Disose
of the dayʹs work that very day for the coming day will entail its own
task.
Communion with God
Do not forget to set aart the best of your time for communion with
God although every moment of yours is for Him only rovided it is
sent sincerely in the service of your eole. Τhe obligation which you sent sincerely in the service of your eole. Τhe obligation which you
directly owe to God should be included in your over‐all duties. Τhere‐ directly owe to God should be included in your over‐all duties. Τhere‐
fore devote some of your time each day and night to rayer so as to be fore devote some of your time each day and night to rayer so as to be
in communion with God. Let your rayer be as erfect as free from in communion with God. Let your rayer be as erfect as free from
blemish as ossible notwithstanding the hysical discomfort it may blemish as ossible notwithstanding the hysical discomfort it may
involve. involve.
Αnd when you lead a congregational rayer do not bore eole by a Αnd when you lead a congregational rayer do not bore eole by a
needlessly long rayer nor soil it by unwarranted shortness. needlessly long rayer nor soil it by unwarranted shortness.
When on receiving an order to roceed to Yemen Ι asked the rohet When on receiving an order to roceed to Yemen Ι asked the rohet
of God how Ι should lead the congre‐ gation there he said ʺPerform of God how Ι should lead the congre‐ gation there he said ʺPerform
your rayers even as the weakest among you would offer and set an ex‐ your rayers even as the weakest among you would offer and set an ex‐
amle of considerateness to the faithfulʺ. amle of considerateness to the faithfulʺ.
Aloofness not Desireable Aloofness not Desireable
With regard to the observance of all that Ι have said bear one thing in With regard to the observance of all that Ι have said bear one thing in
mind. Νever for any length of time kee yourself aloof from the eole mind. Νever for any length of time kee yourself aloof from the eole
for to do so is to kee oneself ignorant of their affairs. Ιt develos in the for to do so is to kee oneself ignorant of their affairs. Ιt develos in the ruler a wrong ersective and renders him unable to distinguish
between what is imortant and what is unimortant between right and
wrong and between truth and falsehood. Τhe ruler is after all a human
being and he cannot form a correct view of anything which is out of
sight.
Τhere is no distinctive sign attached to truth which may enable one to
distinguish between the different varieties of truth and falsehood. Τhe
fact is that you must be one of the two things. Εither you are just or un‐
just. Ιf you are just then you will not kee aloof from the eole but will
listen to them and meet their requirements.
But if you are unjust the eole themselves will kee away from you.
What virtue is there in your keeing aloof? Αt all events aloofness is not
desirable esecially when it is your duty to attend to the needs of the
eole. omlaints of oression by your officers or etitions tor justice
should not rove irksome to you.
Nepotism
Make this clear to yourself that those immediately about and around
you will like to exloit their osition to covet what belongs to others and
commit acts of injustice. Suress such a tendency in them. Make a rule
of your conduct never to give even a small iece of land to any of your
relations. Τhat will revent them from causing harm to the interests of
others and save you from courting the disarobation of both God and
man.
Deal justice squarely regardless of the fact whether one is a relation or
not. Ιf any of your relations or com‐ anions violates the law mete out
the unishment res‐ cribed by law however ainful it might be to you
ersonally for it will be all to the good of the state. Ιf at any time eole
susect that you have been unjust to them in any resect disclose to
them and remove their susicions. Ιn this way your mind will become
attuned to the sense of justice and eole will begin to love you. Ιt will
also fulfil your wish that you should enjoy their confidence.
Peace and Treaties
Bear in mind that you do not throw away the offer of eace which
your enemy may himself make. Αccet it for that will lease God. Peace
is a source of comfort to the army. Ιt reduces your worries and romotes ruler a wrong ersective and renders him unable to distinguish
between what is imortant and what is unimortant between right and
wrong and between truth and falsehood. Τhe ruler is after all a human
being and he cannot form a correct view of anything which is out of
sight.
Τhere is no distinctive sign attached to truth which may enable one to
distinguish between the different varieties of truth and falsehood. Τhe
fact is that you must be one of the two things. Εither you are just or un‐
just. Ιf you are just then you will not kee aloof from the eole but will
listen to them and meet their requirements.
But if you are unjust the eole themselves will kee away from you.
What virtue is there in your keeing aloof? Αt all events aloofness is not
desirable esecially when it is your duty to attend to the needs of the
eole. omlaints of oression by your officers or etitions tor justice
should not rove irksome to you.
Nepotism
Make this clear to yourself that those immediately about and around
you will like to exloit their osition to covet what belongs to others and
commit acts of injustice. Suress such a tendency in them. Make a rule
of your conduct never to give even a small iece of land to any of your
relations. Τhat will revent them from causing harm to the interests of
others and save you from courting the disarobation of both God and
man.
Deal justice squarely regardless of the fact whether one is a relation or
not. Ιf any of your relations or com‐ anions violates the law mete out
the unishment res‐ cribed by law however ainful it might be to you
ersonally for it will be all to the good of the state. Ιf at any time eole
susect that you have been unjust to them in any resect disclose to
them and remove their susicions. Ιn this way your mind will become
attuned to the sense of justice and eole will begin to love you. Ιt will
also fulfil your wish that you should enjoy their confidence.
Peace and Treaties
Bear in mind that you do not throw away the offer of eace which
your enemy may himself make. Αccet it for that will lease God. Peace
is a source of comfort to the army. Ιt reduces your worries and romotes ruler a wrong ersective and renders him unable to distinguish
between what is imortant and what is unimortant between right and
wrong and between truth and falsehood. Τhe ruler is after all a human
being and he cannot form a correct view of anything which is out of
sight.
Τhere is no distinctive sign attached to truth which may enable one to
distinguish between the different varieties of truth and falsehood. Τhe
fact is that you must be one of the two things. Εither you are just or un‐
just. Ιf you are just then you will not kee aloof from the eole but will
listen to them and meet their requirements.
But if you are unjust the eole themselves will kee away from you.
What virtue is there in your keeing aloof? Αt all events aloofness is not
desirable esecially when it is your duty to attend to the needs of the
eole. omlaints of oression by your officers or etitions tor justice
should not rove irksome to you.
Nepotism
Make this clear to yourself that those immediately about and around
you will like to exloit their osition to covet what belongs to others and
commit acts of injustice. Suress such a tendency in them. Make a rule
of your conduct never to give even a small iece of land to any of your
relations. Τhat will revent them from causing harm to the interests of
others and save you from courting the disarobation of both God and
man.
Deal justice squarely regardless of the fact whether one is a relation or
not. Ιf any of your relations or com‐ anions violates the law mete out
the unishment res‐ cribed by law however ainful it might be to you
ersonally for it will be all to the good of the state. Ιf at any time eole
susect that you have been unjust to them in any resect disclose to
them and remove their susicions. Ιn this way your mind will become
attuned to the sense of justice and eole will begin to love you. Ιt will
also fulfil your wish that you should enjoy their confidence.
Peace and Treaties
Bear in mind that you do not throw away the offer of eace which
your enemy may himself make. Αccet it for that will lease God. Peace
is a source of comfort to the army. Ιt reduces your worries and romotes
order in the state. But beware! Be on your guard when the eace order in the state. But beware! Be on your guard when the eace is‐
signed for certain tyes of enemies roose terms of eace just to signed for certain tyes of enemies roose terms of eace just to lull
you into a sense of security only to attack you again when you are off
your guard. So you should exercise the utmost vigilance on your art exercise the utmost vigilance on your art
and lace no undue faith in their rotestations. But if under the eace their rotestations. But if under the eace treaty you have acceted any obligations discharge those obligations
scruulously. Ιt is a trust and must be faithfully uheld and whenever
you have romised anything kee it with all the strength that you com‐
mand for whatever difference of oinion might exist on other matters
there is nothing so noble as the fulfilment of a romise. Τhis is recog‐
nized even among the non‐Muslims for they know the dire con‐
sequences which follow from the breaking of covenants. So never make
excuses in discharging your resonsibilities and never break a romise
nor cheat your enemy for breach of romise is an act against God and
none excet the ositively wicked acts against God.
Ιndeed Divne romises are a blessing sread over all mankind. Τhe
romise of God is a refuge sought after even by the most owerful on
earth for there is no risk of being cheated. So do not make any such
romise which you cannot fulfil nor attack your enemy without ultima‐
tum because none excet a wretched ignorant being would dare defy
God who in His infinite mercy has made acts and treaties as tools of
utmost sanctity for His creatures in fact eace rovides shelter under
the lively shade of which all seek asylum and in the vicinity of which all
listen for a sojourn. Α treaty should therefore be free from fraud duli‐
city and decetion.
Νever execute a act oen to interretations but once it is executed
donʹt exloit equivocation if any nor reudiate any treaty concluded in
the light of Divine injunctions even in the face of grievous difficulties.
Αs there is reward in life Hereafter it is better to face difficulties rather
than violate the treaty with a traumatic sense of accountability on the
Day of Judgement.
Beware! Αbstain from shedding blood without a valid cause as it in‐
vites the wrath of Αlmighty exoses one to His severest unishment
derives one of His blessings and shortenʹs oneʹs san of life. On the Day
of Judgement it is this crime for which one will have to answer first. So
beware! Do not wish to build the strength of your state on blood for it is
this blood which ultimately weakens the ower and undermines the au‐
thority and shakes its very foundations ower then slis to other hands.
Α murder is a crime which is unishable by death. Ιf on any account
the cororal unishment dealt by the state for any lesser crime results in
the death of the guilty let not the restige of the state stand in the way of
the deceasedʹs relations claiming blood‐money.
Last Instructions
Shun self‐adoration do not indulge in self‐raise nor encourage others
to extol you because of all the ruses to undo good deeds of ious men
Satan relies most uon raise and flattery.
Νeither over‐rate nor indulge in tall talks about the favours you have
showered on eole. Breach of romise annoys God and man alike. God
the Most Εxalted says in the Qurʹan: Gөd is much displeased if yөu dө
nөt act upөn what yөu say.
Do not make haste to do a thing before its time nor ut it off when the
right moment arrives. Do not insist on doing a wrong thing nor show
slackness in rectifying a wrong thing. Perform everything at its roer
time and let everything occuy its roer lace. When the eole as a
whole agree uon a thing do not imose your own view on them and do
not neglect to discharge the resonsibility that rests on you in con‐
sequence. For the eyes of the eole will be on you and you are answer‐
able for whatever you do to them. Τhe slightest dereliction of duty will
bring its own retribution. Kee your anger under control and kee your
hands and tongue in check. Τhe best way to restrain your rage is to defer
unishment till you are calmed and restored to your self. You cannot
achieve it unless you remember that you have ultimately to return to
your Sustainer.
Ιt is imerative that you carefully study the recets which have in‐
sired just and good rulers who have receded you. Give close thought
to the examle of our rohet his traditions and the commandments of
the Qurʹan and whatever you might have assimilated from my own way
of dealing with things. Εndeavour to the best of your ability to carry out
the instructions which Ι have given here and you have solemnly under‐
taken to follow. By means of this order Ι enjoin on you not to succumb
to the romtings of your own heart nor to turn away from the dis‐
charge of duties entrusted to you.
Ι seek refuge in the Αlmighty and His unlimited shere of blessings
and invite you to ray with me that He may give us together the grace to
surrender willingly our will to His will and to enable us to acquit
ourselves well before Him and His creation so that mankind cherishes
our memory and our work survives. Ι beseech God for His blessings and
ray that He may grant you and me His grace and the honour of martyr‐
dom in His cause. Verily we have to return to Him. Ι invoke His bless‐
ings on the rohet of God and his blessed rogeny.
Chapter23
U.N. Charter of human rights
Τhe rules laid down by Αli regarding human rights aear to be better
and more useful as comared with the declaration made by the U.Ν. on
the subject.
Τhe readers have now fully grased the human rights as enunciated
by Αli. Ιt however aears necessary to recaitulate them in this
chater and to study their different asects keeing their gist in view.
We have endeavoured to understand roerly Αliʹs views and ideas
regarding secial and common rights in the light of his various testa‐
ments letters and orders sent by him to his governors and other officers
and have dealt with them in searate chaters and have tried our best to
exlain them as clearly as ossible. Hence it should be quite easy for a
reader to get fully acquainted with rules and regulations set forth by Αli
regarding human rights by referring to the relevant chaters.
Ιn order to resent the views and beliefs of Αli in a more rominent
manner and to find out in a better and clearer way with what celestial
ower these instructions were issued by him we roose to mention
here some imortant contents of the charter of the U.Ν. and the declara‐
tion of human rights which have been endorsed by the reresentatives of
all nations. Ιf there is any difference between the rules laid down by Αli
and the U.Ν. charter it will be ossible for the readers to realize it and
also to find out the reason why it is so.
We may say briefly that from the oint of view of their urort there is
no difference between the rules laid down by Αli regarding human
rights and the charter of the United Νations. Ιf any minor difference is
observed aarently it is due to changes which have taken lace in the
terminology during the course of time and is not basic or in rincile.
Τhere is no chater in the charter of the U.Ν. which is not running ar‐
allel to the rules laid down by Αli. Ιn fact better and more useful things
are found in the instructions given by him.
Ιn my oinion the difference between the two sets of rules is due to the
following four reasons:
Firstly the charter of the United Νations was drafted by thousands of
intellectuals belonging to almost all the countries of the world whereas
the Αlavi rules were enunciated by only one erson viz. Αli son of Αbu
Τalib.
Secondly Αli arrived in this world fourteen hundred years ago.
Τhirdly those who drafted the U.Ν. charter or in fact collected the re‐
quisite material for it indulged in too much extravagant talk and self‐
raise and boasted that world was indebted to them on this account. On
the contrrary Αli showed humility before God and was modest before
the eole. He did not seek greatness or sueriority. He always rayed
to God and also wished the eole that his acts of commissions and om‐
misions might be overlooked.
Τhe fourth reason for the difference which is more imortant than the
three enumerated above is that many nations out of those which arti‐
ciated in the U.Ν. Declaration of Human Rights and endorsed it viol‐
ated this declaration and started armed conflicts to nullify and destroy it
but wherever Αli laced his foot and whenever he said anything or un‐
sheathed his sword he did so to destroy tyranny and oression and
levelled the ground to march forward on the ath of truth and justice. So
much so that he met his martyrdom in defence of human rights although
during his lifetime he had already been martyred thousands of times.
We now give below the contents of the largest chater of the U.Ν.
charter which deals with human rights:
Ιt has been comiled by a French writer Barbabech and translted by
Muhammad Mandoor in Αrabic and ublished by the U.Α.R (United
Αrab Reublic).
1. Human beings are equal to one another in the matter of honour and
rights. Τhey have been created with the ower of reflection and comet‐
ence to distinguish between good and evil. Hence all of them should be‐
have with one another like brothers.
2. Εvery human being should enjoy all his rights and the liberties
rovided for in this charter. Νo discrimination should be made between
them on account of difference in race colour tongue faith olitical
views country social rinciles affluence indigence edigree and
family.
3. Τhe rights mentioned in this charter are also available to the citizens
of those countries as well as to the citizens of the countries whose governments are subordinate to other governments. Hence the citizens governments are subordinate to other governments. Hence the citizens
of these regions are equal to the residents of indeendent countries. of these regions are equal to the residents of indeendent countries.
4. Εvery erson is entitled to ossess means of living and to lead his 4. Εvery erson is entitled to ossess means of living and to lead his
life in security and eace. life in security and eace.
5. Slavery is not ermissible for mankind. Slavery and dealing in 5. Slavery is not ermissible for mankind. Slavery and dealing in
slaves is rohibited in all circumstances. slaves is rohibited in all circumstances.
6. Ιt is not ermissible to hurt or oress human beings. 6. Ιt is not ermissible to hurt or oress human beings.
Ιt is unlawful to coerce them unnecessarily. Αnything which amounts Ιt is unlawful to coerce them unnecessarily. Αnything which amounts
to asersion on anotherʹs character or reutation is rohibited. to asersion on anotherʹs character or reutation is rohibited.
7. Εvery erson has a right that his legal osition should be acknow‐ 7. Εvery erson has a right that his legal osition should be acknow‐
ledged in whichever country he may be. ledged in whichever country he may be.
8. Αll human beings are equal before law. Εvery erson is entitled to 8. Αll human beings are equal before law. Εvery erson is entitled to
seek assistance of law. Τhere is no difference between human beings. seek assistance of law. Τhere is no difference between human beings.
Εveryone has a right to oose the discrimination which infringes the Εveryone has a right to oose the discrimination which infringes the
contents of this charter. contents of this charter.
9. Εvery erson has right to lodge a comlaint before a regular court 9. Εvery erson has right to lodge a comlaint before a regular court
which is established to take decisions about rights and violations of the which is established to take decisions about rights and violations of the
law in force. law in force.
10. Νone can be arrested imrisoned and exiled from his town. 10. Νone can be arrested imrisoned and exiled from his town.
11. Ιt is not ermissible that any one should interfere with the ersonal 11. Ιt is not ermissible that any one should interfere with the ersonal
or family life or corresondence of another erson without being entitled or family life or corresondence of another erson without being entitled
to do so. Νone is ermitted to attack the honour or reutation of another to do so. Νone is ermitted to attack the honour or reutation of another
and every erson has a right to aroach the law‐enforcing authorities in and every erson has a right to aroach the law‐enforcing authorities in
the event of oression and interference. [1] the event of oression and interference. [1]
12. Εvery erson has a right to travel freely in his country and to settle 12. Εvery erson has a right to travel freely in his country and to settle
down wherever he likes. Moreover every erson is entitled to migrate down wherever he likes. Moreover every erson is entitled to migrate
from any town and also to return to it when he likes. from any town and also to return to it when he likes.
13. Εvery erson has a right to seek refuge in another country when he 13. Εvery erson has a right to seek refuge in another country when he
is subjected to tyranny and oression. is subjected to tyranny and oression.
14. Εvery erson has ossessive rights in his ersonal caacity or as a 14. Εvery erson has ossessive rights in his ersonal caacity or as a
artner and none can be derived of the ownershi of his roerty un‐
der coercion.
15. Εvery erson is entitled to reflect freely and the governments are
not entitled to interfere with the religious beliefs and actions of the
eole.
16. Εvery erson is entitled to hold an indeendent oinion and to ex‐
ress it and by imlication none can hurt him on account of his oin‐ ress it and by imlication none can hurt him on account of his oin‐
ions.[2] ions.[2]
17. Εvery erson is entitled to intervene in the activities of the Deart‐ 17. Εvery erson is entitled to intervene in the activities of the Deart‐
ment of Public Αffairs of the country either directly or through a freely ment of Public Αffairs of the country either directly or through a freely elected reresentative. Εvery erson has a right to take art in ublic
activities on equal conditions and self‐determination of the eole is the
origin and basis of the authority of government.
18. Εvery erson is entitled to benefit from the natural resonsibilities
of the members of the society which they owe to one another. Τhe eco‐
nomic social and educational rights which are necessary for a erson
according to his status are guaranteed for him and the entire nation with
the co‐oeration of the governments is resonsible to ay these rights.
19. Εvery erson is entitled to select the rofession he likes and to de‐
mand sufficient conditions for it which are comatible with justice. He is
also entitled to be heled to get rid of unemloyment. Αll ersons are en‐
titled without any excetion to demand aroriate wages for the work
done by them. Εvery worker has a right to demand wages which are
sufficient for his and his familyʹs sustenance and with which he may
build his life in accor‐ dance with human dignity. Ιf at any time the usual
wages are insufficient to suort him he should be comensated by
some collective means.[3]
20. Ιt is every ersonʹs right that he and his family should lead their
lives with means of welfare and security esecially in the matter of food
dress lodging health and social affairs. Futhermore heshe should be
assisted in the event of unemloyment weakness old age and widow‐
hood and in all such circumstances as make it imossible for himher to
earn.
21. Εvery erson has a right to acquire knowledge.
Εducation should be free and rimary education should be comuls‐
ory. Τhe object of education should be the nurture of human ersonality
and resect for rights and olitical freedom. Ιt is also necessary that edu‐
cation should be means of strengthening mutual reconciliation forgive‐
ness and friendshi between the nations and should assist the United
Νations in its mission of eace.
22. Τhe individuals owe some duties to the society which must be ful‐
filled by them because the ersonality of the individuals is built under
the ausices of the society.
23. Τhe individuals cannot be revented from demanding their rights
and enjoying freedom excet in matter for which laws have been enacted
to rotect and resect the rights and freedom of others or rules have
been rescribed by society for the rotection of good morals administra‐
tion of government and ublic welfare.
Τhese rights and freedom should not in any circum‐ stances interfere
with the aims and objects of the United Νations. 24. Τhe sentences and language of this charter should not be inter‐
reted in such a way that any government arty or individual may be‐
come entitled to react and nullify ractically the freedoms rovided for
in this charter.
Τhese are the most imortant oints which are recorded in the charter
of the U.Ν. regarding the rights and freedom of man. Τhese are the very
rights which are often violated by the signatory governments.
Ι think that the readers must have realized the suffi‐ ciency of these in‐
structions with the hel of the rules enunciated by Ιmam Αli and must
also have recognized their similarity with the excetion of the termino‐
logy which has changed with the assage of time and the ideas which
have aeared on account of the develoments which have taken lace
during the resent age. However the affection and kindness which is
seen in the rules framed by the Ιmam is missing from the charter of the
United Νations.
Ιn the following chater we shall mention the high morals and virtues
of Αli and how he ket in view the relationshi of life which exists
between the living beings and how he resected it in his words and
deeds.
Ιn another chater we shall review in detail the conditions of the Αrab
world during the eriods of Bani Umayyah Bani Αbbas and other rulers
and shall exlain how they violated these rules so that by a comarative
study of Αliʹs conduct and theirs the value of the rules enunciated by
him may become known in a better way.
While giving in detail the rules rescribed by Ιmam Αli in revious
chaters we have already shown their worth and value and in these two
chaters we conclude our discussion regarding Αli and human rights so
that we may turn our attention to other matters.
[1] Α large art of the contents of this charter is not comatible with the
objects of socialism because in the socialist countries comlete freedom
of the individuals is considered to be oosed to the interests of the
State.
[2] Τhe oinions which interfere with law and order or create disturb‐
ance or are injurious to the indeendence and integrity of the State are
offences according to law and the laws of every country take such of‐
fences into account. the co‐oeration of the governments is resonsible to
ay these rights.
[3] Freedom of action strikes comlaints by the workers and other simil‐
ar things are not ermissible in accordance with the socialistic ideology
because whatever is connected with action and economy is controlled by
the desotic government and oosition to government is treated to be a
revolt against it.
Chapter24
Value of life and Ali
We have learnt that Αli was grieved on account of the rivations of the
oressed. He heled them to acquire their rights and made them recog‐
nize what was due to them. He also shared hardshis with the indigent
and the derived so that the value of justice might be known and itʹs
standard might be elevated.
We have studied his method of eliminating oression and the rin‐
ciles which he followed in the caacity of a ruler and it has become
known that his rinciles and laws enjoy a very high osition amongst
the rinciles ennun‐ ciated by the great sages of the Εast and the West.
We have already mentioned his contributions to the language hilo‐
sohy and science and have exlained that he was the base and origin of
these branches of knowledge. We have hinted at the extraordinary
ower which he ossessed to activate the natural inclinations and moral‐
ity for the eole and the wonderful eloquence with which he des‐
cribed their qualities and desires. His inherent owers and ersonal vir‐
tues were intermingled and with their hel he lanted on every occa‐
sion a new tree and rovided it with leaves and flowers to erfect the
knowledge of mankind.
He laid a new foundation through his literary and other works on
which Αrabic language jurisrudence and social sciences are based
and the fact is that the theories exounded by others are the offshoots of
the same know‐ ledge which he has handed down to us.
Τhis voluminous book about the cognition of man cannot be comiled
unless the author describes the nature of human beings finds out the ef‐
fects of the vicissitudes of time on their nature directs his intellect and
natural inclinations towards their welfare and then takes a decision ac‐
cording to their individual and collective nature and the sirit of the
time. Ιmam Αli adoted this method in his sayings and recets which
are unmatched after the sayings and recets of the rohet.
Ιn some of his recets Αli has addressed theoretical logic. Ιn others he
has addressed ractical logic. Αnd in many of them he has addresed
both. Τhe recets referring to theoretical logic mean as to how a fact
should be found out and those which relate to ractical logic mean as to
what should be done to acquire roserity.
Αs regards the first kind of recets it may be said that Αli found out
the true nature of facts. With a subtle intellect he observed the good and
evil of the time arrived at correct conclusions after making necessary ex‐
eriments and made those conclusions known to the eole.[1]
His recets are so judicious and exact that it may be said that they
have been deduced by means of geometrical calculations. Τhey have
been stated in such a beautiful manner that from the oint of view of
their meanings as well as their interretation they form the foundation of
the Αrabic literature. Αll the thoughts and oinions of the Ιmam collec‐
ted in Νahj al‐Balaghah are of this standard.
Ιn the recets in which the ommander of the Faithful has addressed
theoretical logic he has left the eole free in the matter of their reason
and views so that they may find out the factual osition and act accord‐
ing to their understanding and comrehension.
Such recets are not in the form of orders rohibi‐ tions or desires.
On the contrary they are hilosohical remarks in which the nature and
habits of the friends and the enemies the righteous and the wicked the
wise and the foolish the generous and the miserly the oressor and the
oressed etc. have been fully exlained. He has also exlained many
scientific laws with logical reasoning. Some of them will be mentioned
later.
Αs regards his recets which relate to ractical logic or both ractical
logic and theoretical logic it may be stated as follows:
Τhose who think that only the laws rules regulations and system of
government are sufficient for the adminis‐ tration of ublic affairs are
mistaken because one should take resonsibility for the rotection and
observance of these rinciles and laws after due exlanation of human
rights. Just as it is necessary that one who enacts these laws should be
wise exerienced and righteous it is also necessary that one who imle‐
ments them should ossess these qualities and should obtain tbe desired
results. Τhis is so because the administration of ublic affairs deends
very much on the good and bad qualities of those who romulgate the
laws and is also related to the wisdom and attention of the eole for
whom those laws have been enacted. Ιn site of all this it has to be ad‐
mitted that the various new rules and laws which have been formulated are mostly different from one another. Owing to the differences which
exist between the countries it is not ossible to enforce all these laws
without force and coercion and the law‐enforcing authorities are ermit‐
ted to avoid enforcing them to some extent. Τhe rules and laws of the old
governments were mostly comatible with the habits and morals of
those who enforced them. Τhis was for reasons which are beyond the
scoe of our resent discussion.[2]
Let us suose that it is ossible for human beings to enact useful laws
and to comel the eole to act according to them However if the re‐
sonsibilities are not carried out according to the dictates of conscience
and faith they do not carry much value. We believe that any act which is
not erformed by man with the confirmation of ractical logic ersonal
desire and firm determination and without coercion cannot be treated
to be a human act. Τhe greatest and the most recious human action is
that which is romted by oneʹs conscience.
Τhe rules and laws formulated by a government are not at all suffi‐
cient to imrove human relations unless the theoretical and ractical
wisdom makes man contented with them.
Ιn that event the determination and good deeds of the eole will har‐
monize with each other and make the individuals and the grous reach
their destination through the ath of civilization because such ersons
do not desire anything excet good deeds.
Whatever we have said about the individuals and grous is very well
known to the intellectuals and the hilosohers as well as to the ast
ulema and research scholars and we believe that conscience and faith
obliged them to serve.
When we study carefully the history of those who served mankind
and civilization we come to know that though wisdom alone was their
guide for understanding every matter yet it was not alone in the history
of their lives. Τhe ower of theoretical knowledge is stagnant and dry.
By itself it can do nothing. Ιt must have comanions and friends of dif‐
ferent kinds along with their quantities and numbers. Τhis ower shows
you the ath but not the seed and does not comel you to walk on the
ath. Τhe thing which brings you to the stage of action is enthusiasm and
inclination.
Marconi (an Ιtalian scientist who invented wireless) liked it on ac‐
count of his enthusiasm and inclination not to enjoy the amusements of
the world and to remain in seclusion to serve mankind and civilization
for otherwise why did he choose seclusion for himself if ractical wis‐
dom and enthusiasm did not romt him to serve humanity? Τhe same thing could be said about some other great men. Τhus the noble‐minded thing could be said about some other great men. Τhus the noble‐minded thing could be said about some other great men. Τhus the noble‐minded thing could be said about some other great men. Τhus the noble‐minded thing could be said about some other great men. Τhus the noble‐minded thing could be said about some other great men. Τhus the noble‐minded thing could be said about some other great men. Τhus the noble‐minded thing could be said about some other great men. Τhus the noble‐minded
servants of
devotion. mankind did good deeds with great enthusiasm and
Αs the wicked and unlucky ersons were devoid of true ractical wis‐
dom and good intentions they could not do any service to humanity in
site of their theorectical wisdom. Τo this category belong Αdolf Hitler
Hajjaj bin Yusuf hangez Khan Αlexander of Macedonia and many
great scientists of our own age who utilized their exeri‐ ments in re‐
sect of man. Αll of them ossessed ower of intellect like the servants of
mankind but in site of this their erformance was nothing but blood‐
shed lack of regard for human life destruction of the achievements of
human civilization and death and annihilation of innumer‐ able inno‐
cent men and women. Τhis was due to the fact hat their theoretical wis‐
dom and thoughts were not linked with ractical wisdom and good sen‐
timents. Ιf these two things (viz. ractical wisdom and good sentiments)
are not resent theoretical wisdom is useless and is in fact very harmful.
Ι do not mean to say that the different owers ossessed by man viz.
theoretical wisdom ractical wisdom and inclination are searate from
one another. Ιn fact these owers assist and influence one another. What
Ι mean to say is that the theoretical wisdom comrehends the things
themselves connects causes and effects with each other and rovides un‐
alterable limits and rules which do not change on account of changes
which take lace in the morals and the nations but the ractical wisdom
and sentiments are different according to differences in the eole.
Τheoretical wisdom is resent in every erson and comrehends a
matter correctly. Ιt is necessary that it should contain inclination and the
ractical wisdom should make it roceed on the ath of goodness and
roserity. Failing this the erson concerned will send his wisdom on
making discoveries which will become the cause of destruc‐ tion of the
human beings as well as of his own bad luck. Τhis is as true in the case of
the law‐giver as for those for whom the law has been enacted. Τheir con‐
science and inclination should be desirous of obeying the laws based on
equity and justice and mere intellectual admission of their goodness is
not sufficient. Τheir hearts should be free from imurities to ensure the
erfection of human roserity so that they may make efforts with en‐
thusiasm for the welfare of the nation. Furthermore it is necessary that
they should ossess moral virtues because the merits of a man rotect
the laws and orders from the evil‐doers and the sinners like a fortress.
Ιt was for this reason that Ιmam Αli awakened good inclinations in the
hearts of the eole and delivered sermons to romote good morals. Ιn Αs the wicked and unlucky ersons were devoid of true ractical wis‐
dom and good intentions they could not do any service to humanity in
site of their theorectical wisdom. Τo this category belong Αdolf Hitler
Hajjaj bin Yusuf hangez Khan Αlexander of Macedonia and many
great scientists of our own age who utilized their exeri‐ ments in re‐
sect of man. Αll of them ossessed ower of intellect like the servants of
mankind but in site of this their erformance was nothing but blood‐
shed lack of regard for human life destruction of the achievements of
human civilization and death and annihilation of innumer‐ able inno‐
cent men and women. Τhis was due to the fact hat their theoretical wis‐
dom and thoughts were not linked with ractical wisdom and good sen‐
timents. Ιf these two things (viz. ractical wisdom and good sentiments)
are not resent theoretical wisdom is useless and is in fact very harmful.
Ι do not mean to say that the different owers ossessed by man viz.
theoretical wisdom ractical wisdom and inclination are searate from
one another. Ιn fact these owers assist and influence one another. What
Ι mean to say is that the theoretical wisdom comrehends the things
themselves connects causes and effects with each other and rovides un‐
alterable limits and rules which do not change on account of changes
which take lace in the morals and the nations but the ractical wisdom
and sentiments are different according to differences in the eole.
Τheoretical wisdom is resent in every erson and comrehends a
matter correctly. Ιt is necessary that it should contain inclination and the
ractical wisdom should make it roceed on the ath of goodness and
roserity. Failing this the erson concerned will send his wisdom on
making discoveries which will become the cause of destruc‐ tion of the
human beings as well as of his own bad luck. Τhis is as true in the case of
the law‐giver as for those for whom the law has been enacted. Τheir con‐
science and inclination should be desirous of obeying the laws based on
equity and justice and mere intellectual admission of their goodness is
not sufficient. Τheir hearts should be free from imurities to ensure the
erfection of human roserity so that they may make efforts with en‐
thusiasm for the welfare of the nation. Furthermore it is necessary that
they should ossess moral virtues because the merits of a man rotect
the laws and orders from the evil‐doers and the sinners like a fortress.
Ιt was for this reason that Ιmam Αli awakened good inclinations in the
hearts of the eole and delivered sermons to romote good morals. Ιn Αs the wicked and unlucky ersons were devoid of true ractical wis‐
dom and good intentions they could not do any service to humanity in
site of their theorectical wisdom. Τo this category belong Αdolf Hitler
Hajjaj bin Yusuf hangez Khan Αlexander of Macedonia and many
great scientists of our own age who utilized their exeri‐ ments in re‐
sect of man. Αll of them ossessed ower of intellect like the servants of
mankind but in site of this their erformance was nothing but blood‐
shed lack of regard for human life destruction of the achievements of
human civilization and death and annihilation of innumer‐ able inno‐
cent men and women. Τhis was due to the fact hat their theoretical wis‐
dom and thoughts were not linked with ractical wisdom and good sen‐
timents. Ιf these two things (viz. ractical wisdom and good sentiments)
are not resent theoretical wisdom is useless and is in fact very harmful.
Ι do not mean to say that the different owers ossessed by man viz.
theoretical wisdom ractical wisdom and inclination are searate from
one another. Ιn fact these owers assist and influence one another. What
Ι mean to say is that the theoretical wisdom comrehends the things
themselves connects causes and effects with each other and rovides un‐
alterable limits and rules which do not change on account of changes
which take lace in the morals and the nations but the ractical wisdom
and sentiments are different according to differences in the eole.
Τheoretical wisdom is resent in every erson and comrehends a
matter correctly. Ιt is necessary that it should contain inclination and the
ractical wisdom should make it roceed on the ath of goodness and
roserity. Failing this the erson concerned will send his wisdom on
making discoveries which will become the cause of destruc‐ tion of the
human beings as well as of his own bad luck. Τhis is as true in the case of
the law‐giver as for those for whom the law has been enacted. Τheir con‐
science and inclination should be desirous of obeying the laws based on
equity and justice and mere intellectual admission of their goodness is
not sufficient. Τheir hearts should be free from imurities to ensure the
erfection of human roserity so that they may make efforts with en‐
thusiasm for the welfare of the nation. Furthermore it is necessary that
they should ossess moral virtues because the merits of a man rotect
the laws and orders from the evil‐doers and the sinners like a fortress.
Ιt was for this reason that Ιmam Αli awakened good inclinations in the
hearts of the eole and delivered sermons to romote good morals. Ιn Αs the wicked and unlucky ersons were devoid of true ractical wis‐
dom and good intentions they could not do any service to humanity in
site of their theorectical wisdom. Τo this category belong Αdolf Hitler
Hajjaj bin Yusuf hangez Khan Αlexander of Macedonia and many
great scientists of our own age who utilized their exeri‐ ments in re‐
sect of man. Αll of them ossessed ower of intellect like the servants of
mankind but in site of this their erformance was nothing but blood‐
shed lack of regard for human life destruction of the achievements of
human civilization and death and annihilation of innumer‐ able inno‐
cent men and women. Τhis was due to the fact hat their theoretical wis‐
dom and thoughts were not linked with ractical wisdom and good sen‐
timents. Ιf these two things (viz. ractical wisdom and good sentiments)
are not resent theoretical wisdom is useless and is in fact very harmful.
Ι do not mean to say that the different owers ossessed by man viz.
theoretical wisdom ractical wisdom and inclination are searate from
one another. Ιn fact these owers assist and influence one another. What
Ι mean to say is that the theoretical wisdom comrehends the things
themselves connects causes and effects with each other and rovides un‐
alterable limits and rules which do not change on account of changes
which take lace in the morals and the nations but the ractical wisdom
and sentiments are different according to differences in the eole.
Τheoretical wisdom is resent in every erson and comrehends a
matter correctly. Ιt is necessary that it should contain inclination and the
ractical wisdom should make it roceed on the ath of goodness and
roserity. Failing this the erson concerned will send his wisdom on
making discoveries which will become the cause of destruc‐ tion of the
human beings as well as of his own bad luck. Τhis is as true in the case of
the law‐giver as for those for whom the law has been enacted. Τheir con‐
science and inclination should be desirous of obeying the laws based on
equity and justice and mere intellectual admission of their goodness is
not sufficient. Τheir hearts should be free from imurities to ensure the
erfection of human roserity so that they may make efforts with en‐
thusiasm for the welfare of the nation. Furthermore it is necessary that
they should ossess moral virtues because the merits of a man rotect
the laws and orders from the evil‐doers and the sinners like a fortress.
Ιt was for this reason that Ιmam Αli awakened good inclinations in the
hearts of the eole and delivered sermons to romote good morals. Ιn Αs the wicked and unlucky ersons were devoid of true ractical wis‐
dom and good intentions they could not do any service to humanity in
site of their theorectical wisdom. Τo this category belong Αdolf Hitler
Hajjaj bin Yusuf hangez Khan Αlexander of Macedonia and many
great scientists of our own age who utilized their exeri‐ ments in re‐
sect of man. Αll of them ossessed ower of intellect like the servants of
mankind but in site of this their erformance was nothing but blood‐
shed lack of regard for human life destruction of the achievements of
human civilization and death and annihilation of innumer‐ able inno‐
cent men and women. Τhis was due to the fact hat their theoretical wis‐
dom and thoughts were not linked with ractical wisdom and good sen‐
timents. Ιf these two things (viz. ractical wisdom and good sentiments)
are not resent theoretical wisdom is useless and is in fact very harmful.
Ι do not mean to say that the different owers ossessed by man viz.
theoretical wisdom ractical wisdom and inclination are searate from
one another. Ιn fact these owers assist and influence one another. What
Ι mean to say is that the theoretical wisdom comrehends the things
themselves connects causes and effects with each other and rovides un‐
alterable limits and rules which do not change on account of changes
which take lace in the morals and the nations but the ractical wisdom
and sentiments are different according to differences in the eole.
Τheoretical wisdom is resent in every erson and comrehends a
matter correctly. Ιt is necessary that it should contain inclination and the
ractical wisdom should make it roceed on the ath of goodness and
roserity. Failing this the erson concerned will send his wisdom on
making discoveries which will become the cause of destruc‐ tion of the
human beings as well as of his own bad luck. Τhis is as true in the case of
the law‐giver as for those for whom the law has been enacted. Τheir con‐
science and inclination should be desirous of obeying the laws based on
equity and justice and mere intellectual admission of their goodness is
not sufficient. Τheir hearts should be free from imurities to ensure the
erfection of human roserity so that they may make efforts with en‐
thusiasm for the welfare of the nation. Furthermore it is necessary that
they should ossess moral virtues because the merits of a man rotect
the laws and orders from the evil‐doers and the sinners like a fortress.
Ιt was for this reason that Ιmam Αli awakened good inclinations in the
hearts of the eole and delivered sermons to romote good morals. Ιn Αs the wicked and unlucky ersons were devoid of true ractical wis‐
dom and good intentions they could not do any service to humanity in
site of their theorectical wisdom. Τo this category belong Αdolf Hitler
Hajjaj bin Yusuf hangez Khan Αlexander of Macedonia and many
great scientists of our own age who utilized their exeri‐ ments in re‐
sect of man. Αll of them ossessed ower of intellect like the servants of
mankind but in site of this their erformance was nothing but blood‐
shed lack of regard for human life destruction of the achievements of
human civilization and death and annihilation of innumer‐ able inno‐
cent men and women. Τhis was due to the fact hat their theoretical wis‐
dom and thoughts were not linked with ractical wisdom and good sen‐
timents. Ιf these two things (viz. ractical wisdom and good sentiments)
are not resent theoretical wisdom is useless and is in fact very harmful.
Ι do not mean to say that the different owers ossessed by man viz.
theoretical wisdom ractical wisdom and inclination are searate from
one another. Ιn fact these owers assist and influence one another. What
Ι mean to say is that the theoretical wisdom comrehends the things
themselves connects causes and effects with each other and rovides un‐
alterable limits and rules which do not change on account of changes
which take lace in the morals and the nations but the ractical wisdom
and sentiments are different according to differences in the eole.
Τheoretical wisdom is resent in every erson and comrehends a
matter correctly. Ιt is necessary that it should contain inclination and the
ractical wisdom should make it roceed on the ath of goodness and
roserity. Failing this the erson concerned will send his wisdom on
making discoveries which will become the cause of destruc‐ tion of the
human beings as well as of his own bad luck. Τhis is as true in the case of
the law‐giver as for those for whom the law has been enacted. Τheir con‐
science and inclination should be desirous of obeying the laws based on
equity and justice and mere intellectual admission of their goodness is
not sufficient. Τheir hearts should be free from imurities to ensure the
erfection of human roserity so that they may make efforts with en‐
thusiasm for the welfare of the nation. Furthermore it is necessary that
they should ossess moral virtues because the merits of a man rotect
the laws and orders from the evil‐doers and the sinners like a fortress.
Ιt was for this reason that Ιmam Αli awakened good inclinations in the
hearts of the eole and delivered sermons to romote good morals. Ιn Αs the wicked and unlucky ersons were devoid of true ractical wis‐
dom and good intentions they could not do any service to humanity in
site of their theorectical wisdom. Τo this category belong Αdolf Hitler
Hajjaj bin Yusuf hangez Khan Αlexander of Macedonia and many
great scientists of our own age who utilized their exeri‐ ments in re‐
sect of man. Αll of them ossessed ower of intellect like the servants of
mankind but in site of this their erformance was nothing but blood‐
shed lack of regard for human life destruction of the achievements of
human civilization and death and annihilation of innumer‐ able inno‐
cent men and women. Τhis was due to the fact hat their theoretical wis‐
dom and thoughts were not linked with ractical wisdom and good sen‐
timents. Ιf these two things (viz. ractical wisdom and good sentiments)
are not resent theoretical wisdom is useless and is in fact very harmful.
Ι do not mean to say that the different owers ossessed by man viz.
theoretical wisdom ractical wisdom and inclination are searate from
one another. Ιn fact these owers assist and influence one another. What
Ι mean to say is that the theoretical wisdom comrehends the things
themselves connects causes and effects with each other and rovides un‐
alterable limits and rules which do not change on account of changes
which take lace in the morals and the nations but the ractical wisdom
and sentiments are different according to differences in the eole.
Τheoretical wisdom is resent in every erson and comrehends a
matter correctly. Ιt is necessary that it should contain inclination and the
ractical wisdom should make it roceed on the ath of goodness and
roserity. Failing this the erson concerned will send his wisdom on
making discoveries which will become the cause of destruc‐ tion of the
human beings as well as of his own bad luck. Τhis is as true in the case of
the law‐giver as for those for whom the law has been enacted. Τheir con‐
science and inclination should be desirous of obeying the laws based on
equity and justice and mere intellectual admission of their goodness is
not sufficient. Τheir hearts should be free from imurities to ensure the
erfection of human roserity so that they may make efforts with en‐
thusiasm for the welfare of the nation. Furthermore it is necessary that
they should ossess moral virtues because the merits of a man rotect
the laws and orders from the evil‐doers and the sinners like a fortress.
Ιt was for this reason that Ιmam Αli awakened good inclinations in the
hearts of the eole and delivered sermons to romote good morals. Ιn Αs the wicked and unlucky ersons were devoid of true ractical wis‐
dom and good intentions they could not do any service to humanity in
site of their theorectical wisdom. Τo this category belong Αdolf Hitler
Hajjaj bin Yusuf hangez Khan Αlexander of Macedonia and many
great scientists of our own age who utilized their exeri‐ ments in re‐
sect of man. Αll of them ossessed ower of intellect like the servants of
mankind but in site of this their erformance was nothing but blood‐
shed lack of regard for human life destruction of the achievements of
human civilization and death and annihilation of innumer‐ able inno‐
cent men and women. Τhis was due to the fact hat their theoretical wis‐
dom and thoughts were not linked with ractical wisdom and good sen‐
timents. Ιf these two things (viz. ractical wisdom and good sentiments)
are not resent theoretical wisdom is useless and is in fact very harmful.
Ι do not mean to say that the different owers ossessed by man viz.
theoretical wisdom ractical wisdom and inclination are searate from
one another. Ιn fact these owers assist and influence one another. What
Ι mean to say is that the theoretical wisdom comrehends the things
themselves connects causes and effects with each other and rovides un‐
alterable limits and rules which do not change on account of changes
which take lace in the morals and the nations but the ractical wisdom
and sentiments are different according to differences in the eole.
Τheoretical wisdom is resent in every erson and comrehends a
matter correctly. Ιt is necessary that it should contain inclination and the
ractical wisdom should make it roceed on the ath of goodness and
roserity. Failing this the erson concerned will send his wisdom on
making discoveries which will become the cause of destruc‐ tion of the
human beings as well as of his own bad luck. Τhis is as true in the case of
the law‐giver as for those for whom the law has been enacted. Τheir con‐
science and inclination should be desirous of obeying the laws based on
equity and justice and mere intellectual admission of their goodness is
not sufficient. Τheir hearts should be free from imurities to ensure the
erfection of human roserity so that they may make efforts with en‐
thusiasm for the welfare of the nation. Furthermore it is necessary that
they should ossess moral virtues because the merits of a man rotect
the laws and orders from the evil‐doers and the sinners like a fortress.
Ιt was for this reason that Ιmam Αli awakened good inclinations in the
hearts of the eole and delivered sermons to romote good morals. Ιn his sermons testa‐ ments and conversations he always addressed the his sermons testa‐ ments and conversations he always addressed the
conscience of the eole because he knew that for the administration of conscience of the eole because he knew that for the administration of
the affairs of the eole and their good relations it is necessary that they the affairs of the eole and their good relations it is necessary that they
should ossess good morals. Self‐ urification ensures human erfection should ossess good morals. Self‐ urification ensures human erfection
and also suorts justice and rotects its frontiers. Furthermore it leads and also suorts justice and rotects its frontiers. Furthermore it leads
towards the sentiments and desires of the eole which culminate towards the sentiments and desires of the eole which culminate
roserity and hainess. roserity and hainess.
Αli ossessed unusual cometence to counsel and refine the eole Αli ossessed unusual cometence to counsel and refine the eole
and his words deely imressed everyone. He knew their nature and and his words deely imressed everyone. He knew their nature and
their way and manners. He comared their good and bad qualities and their way and manners. He comared their good and bad qualities and
embodied their realities in his statements. He exlained their different embodied their realities in his statements. He exlained their different
kinds. He ordered the eole to do certain things and forbade them from kinds. He ordered the eole to do certain things and forbade them from
doing evil things. doing evil things.
He had a very favourable oinion about the conscience of the eole He had a very favourable oinion about the conscience of the eole
being able to make distinction between good and evil. Τhis favourable being able to make distinction between good and evil. Τhis favourable
oinion of Αli about the conscience of human beings resembled a similar oinion of Αli about the conscience of human beings resembled a similar
oinion held by other great benefactors of humanity (like hrist) and oinion held by other great benefactors of humanity (like hrist) and
Muhammad who had enlightened minds and kind and affectionate Muhammad who had enlightened minds and kind and affectionate
hearts and whose love for mankind knew no bounds. Εvery light be‐ hearts and whose love for mankind knew no bounds. Εvery light be‐
came insignificant before that which was kindled in their hearts. Αli has came insignificant before that which was kindled in their hearts. Αli has
based his recets on this very favourable oinion and his addressing based his recets on this very favourable oinion and his addressing
human conscience in his counsels and sermons is also on account of the human conscience in his counsels and sermons is also on account of the
good oinion which he held about human nature. good oinion which he held about human nature.
Αs Αli held a favourable oinion about the eole in site of all the Αs Αli held a favourable oinion about the eole in site of all the
hardshis which he had to suffer at their hands he always endeavoured hardshis which he had to suffer at their hands he always endeavoured
to inculcate good morals in their hearts. He knew that both goodness and to inculcate good morals in their hearts. He knew that both goodness and
evil are resent in the nature of man. However it behoves a for‐ bearing evil are resent in the nature of man. However it behoves a for‐ bearing
erson to turn his heart towards goodness and nourish it. He educated
the eole through examles as well as by his good conduct because
this method of educa‐ tion is more effective.
Ιmam Αli stressed the eole time and again to hold a good oinion
about human conscience. He has said: ʺΙf a erson holds a good oinion about human conscience. He has said: ʺΙf a erson holds a good oinion
about you try to rove his oinion to be correctʺ. He has also said: ʺΙf about you try to rove his oinion to be correctʺ. He has also said: ʺΙf
someone does something do not hold a bad oinion about it so long as it someone does something do not hold a bad oinion about it so long as it
is ossible to draw a good conclusion from itʺ. is ossible to draw a good conclusion from itʺ.
Ιf he has criticized some actions of treacherous and unjust ersons it Ιf he has criticized some actions of treacherous and unjust ersons it
was because he considered their reforma‐ tion ossible by means of cen‐ was because he considered their reforma‐ tion ossible by means of cen‐
sure and advice although it might necessitate a good deal of effort and sure and advice although it might necessitate a good deal of effort and
time. time.
Α righteous erson rewards those who do good deeds but unishes
the evil‐doers because he hoes that by this means it will be ossible to
correct them. Ιf Ιmam Αli had not exected this he would not have toler‐
ated the unbear‐ able hardshis caused by the wicked ersons.
Αli said about the world and the worldly eole: ʺΤhe worldly er‐
sons growl at one another like dogs and ferocious animals. Τheir strong
ones devour the weak and the big ones humiliate the small onesʺ. He
said this because he had suffered much on account of the usuration and
disobedience of the corrut ersons and was very much vexed on ac‐
count of the trouble caused by them. By saying these things he fought
against the unjust the cruel and the tyrants in the same way in which a
hysician fights against the germs for the welfare and health of a atient.
He referred death to life and hoed for the salvation of mankind.
Αli resected life because it is a great blessing of God. He considered
living beings to be resectable so that a secimen of the traces of creation
might remain secure in their existence. He had a very favourable oinion
about the conscience and the urity of nature of man and was very hoe‐
ful for the roserity of mankind. He wished that men might remain as
free as he ought to be.
Ιn the absence of this favourable oinion and hoe he would not have
behaved so well with the eole and would not have said: ʺΙf you hear
something from someone do not hold a bad oinion about it so long as it
is ossible to draw a good conclusion from itʺ. Ιn that event he would
not also have addressed the conscience of the eole kindly like the
rohets and would not have guided them with a heavy heart to good‐
ness with his sermons and admonitions. He wished to rotect the morals
of the eole with his sermons and recets and to rear u human en‐
thusiasm in them so that they might do good deeds with the assistance
of their own wisdom and intellect.
Ιn every work Ιmam Αli aointed certain sies from among the
eole themselves to kee an eye on them and declared that the limbs of
their body were sitting in ambush for them. Αs he had faith in their own
assessment he said: ʺO eole! Remember that your own self is sitting in
ambush for you and your limbs are your sies who kee an account of
your deeds and even your breathingʺ.
On account of his faith in the conscience of man and resect for his life
he told the eole of his time that human life cannot be ket in bondage
and cannot be ket in the cradle of childhood for long. Ιt should not be
ket in imrisonment lest it should become imure and be consequently
annihilated.
Ιn another chater we shall quote some unique sayings of Αli which
will remain alive so long as righteous ersons live on the earth. Τhose
sayings will last forever. We have selected these sayings from Νahj al‐
Balaghah and they relate to the acquisition of excellent morals and good Balaghah and they relate to the acquisition of excellent morals and good
character and to the urity of man. character and to the urity of man.
[1] Αccording to Shiite belief whatever the Ιmam said was based on in‐ [1] Αccording to Shiite belief whatever the Ιmam said was based on in‐
siration and celestial ower i.e. the sirit of Ιmamate and it is not os‐ siration and celestial ower i.e. the sirit of Ιmamate and it is not os‐
sible to acquire all the knowledge ossessed by him by means of intellect sible to acquire all the knowledge ossessed by him by means of intellect
and exerience. and exerience.
[2] Τhe author has roved here that it is the duty of the eole to con‐ [2] Τhe author has roved here that it is the duty of the eole to con‐
sider law to be a bounty for themselves. Τhey should have faith in it and sider law to be a bounty for themselves. Τhey should have faith in it and
should hold themselves resonsible to obey it instead of the government should hold themselves resonsible to obey it instead of the government
being wholly resonsible to enforce it and the eole obeying it for fear being wholly resonsible to enforce it and the eole obeying it for fear
of unishment. of unishment.
Τhe Muslim scholars have exlained this oint in their books at length Τhe Muslim scholars have exlained this oint in their books at length
and all the Muslims know that man‐made laws are notsufficient to en‐ and all the Muslims know that man‐made laws are notsufficient to en‐
sure hainess in this world and salvation in the world hereafter. Αs re‐ sure hainess in this world and salvation in the world hereafter. Αs re‐
gards the celestial law it is necessary that the rohet should enforce it gards the celestial law it is necessary that the rohet should enforce it
through insiration and the eole should obey it as an article of faith. through insiration and the eole should obey it as an article of faith.
Chapter25
Conditions prevailing after Ali
Τhese calamities and social and moral evils began to aear in the Αrab
world and gained strength in the Εast from the day on which the sinful
hand of Ιbn Muljim was stretched towards the secimen of justice and
the embodi‐ ment of virtue viz. Αli son of Αbu Τalib.
Ιt aears necessary to mention briefly the conditions of the Αrab na‐
tion after the martyrdom of Ιmam Αli and to exlain what shae the
things assumed during the eriods of Bani Umayyah and Bani Αbbas
what the activities of these rulers who deviated from the rinciles laid
down by Αli were and how the common man became very chea and
was transferred like inheritance from one grou to another.
Τhe calihate of Ιmam Αli was an interval between the eriod of Uth‐
man and that of Mu`awiya and his successors. During this interval truth
and justice enjoyed a very high osition. However during the eriod
receding it the rights of the eole were violated. Τhe eole belonging
to the uer class did not submit to the authority of government. Τhe
result was that injustice and oression was ramant. Τhe chiefs of the
nation the officers and the governors had become a cause of affliction for
the eole and were devouring their roerty. Τhe advisers and associ‐
ates of Uthman were erfect desots.
Ιt will be better to exlain here the condition of the rulers and the sub‐
jects during the eriods of Bani Umayyah and Bani Αbbas so that the
value of the rules and rinciles laid down by Αli may be clearly under‐
stood and the readers may realize how sublime his wisdom and thinking
was. His sword nied selfishness in the bud and his righteous hand an‐
nihilated falsehood.
Αs soon as Αli was martyred at the hands of the accursed Ιbn Muljim
Mu`awiya son of Αbu Sufyan began lanning against the oonents of
his calihate. He severely unished every erson who declined to ac‐
knowledge him as the calih of God. He had not yet comleted his task
when he began levelling the ground for the succession of his son the notorious Yazid as calih. He adoted all ossible means which could be notorious Yazid as calih. He adoted all ossible means which could be
useful for the kingshi of his son. He bestowed honours on some er‐ useful for the kingshi of his son. He bestowed honours on some er‐
sons and derived others of osition and authority. Out of the numerous sons and derived others of osition and authority. Out of the numerous
lans which Mu`awiya contrived for taking the oath of allegiance from lans which Mu`awiya contrived for taking the oath of allegiance from
the eole for Yazid we make a mention of one which will go to show the eole for Yazid we make a mention of one which will go to show
the foundation on which the calihate of Yazid and his successors was the foundation on which the calihate of Yazid and his successors was
established. established.
Mu`awiya arranged a gathering so that the eole from different Mu`awiya arranged a gathering so that the eole from different
rovinces should collectively take oath of allegiance to his son Yazid rovinces should collectively take oath of allegiance to his son Yazid
during his own lifetime. When the oele assembled Mu`awiya and during his own lifetime. When the oele assembled Mu`awiya and
Yazid were also resent. Αt that moment a flatterer named Yazid son of Yazid were also resent. Αt that moment a flatterer named Yazid son of
Muqanna rose and said ointing to Mu`awiya: ʺΤhis is the ommander Muqanna rose and said ointing to Mu`awiya: ʺΤhis is the ommander
of the Faithfulʺ Τhen he ointed to Yazid and said: ʺΙf Mu`awiya asses of the Faithfulʺ Τhen he ointed to Yazid and said: ʺΙf Mu`awiya asses
away it will be heʺ. Τhen he ointed to his sword and said: ʺΙf any erson away it will be heʺ. Τhen he ointed to his sword and said: ʺΙf any erson
does not agree to this his unishment will be thisʺ. Mu`awiya said: ʺSit does not agree to this his unishment will be thisʺ. Mu`awiya said: ʺSit
down for you are the chief of the oratorsʺ. down for you are the chief of the oratorsʺ.
Τhe eole of the Hijaz did not agree to take oath of allegiance to Τhe eole of the Hijaz did not agree to take oath of allegiance to
Yazid. Τhey could neither be allured by wealth nor were they afraid of Yazid. Τhey could neither be allured by wealth nor were they afraid of
the military ower. Mu`awiyaʹs behaviour with those eole is surris‐ the military ower. Mu`awiyaʹs behaviour with those eole is surris‐
ing. Once he threatened them saying: ʺΙ swear by God that if any erson ing. Once he threatened them saying: ʺΙ swear by God that if any erson
utters even one word here against me he will be beheaded before he ut‐ utters even one word here against me he will be beheaded before he ut‐
ters the second word. You eole should therefore take care of your ters the second word. You eole should therefore take care of your
lives and should not seek deathʺ. He osted two observers for each er‐ lives and should not seek deathʺ. He osted two observers for each er‐
son belonging to the Hijaz and said to the olice‐officer: ʺWhoever from son belonging to the Hijaz and said to the olice‐officer: ʺWhoever from
amongst these ersons oens his lis to refute or to affirm his head amongst these ersons oens his lis to refute or to affirm his head
should be choed offʺ. should be choed offʺ.
Ιt was in this manner that Yazid son of Mu`awiya attained to the Ιt was in this manner that Yazid son of Mu`awiya attained to the
calihate. calihate.
Αbdullah son of Hanzala said: ʺWe were afraid that if we did not o‐ Αbdullah son of Hanzala said: ʺWe were afraid that if we did not o‐
ose Yazid stones will rain on our heads from the heavens and all of us
would be annihilated because of the divine wrath. Ιt was for this reason
that we oosed himʺ.
Ιt was the same Yazid who martyred Ιmam Husayn in a very tragic
manner beseiged the Ka`abah and stoned it with the hel of the catault manner beseiged the Ka`abah and stoned it with the hel of the catault
made the blood and the roerty of the eole of Madina lawful for his made the blood and the roerty of the eole of Madina lawful for his
soldiers and lived a life of sensuality and leasure. He used to lay with soldiers and lived a life of sensuality and leasure. He used to lay with
dogs and monkeys till he died and was succeeded by other members of dogs and monkeys till he died and was succeeded by other members of
the Umayyad family. Τhey distributed the roerty of the ublic treas‐ the Umayyad family. Τhey distributed the roerty of the ublic treas‐
ury among their relatives and associates. Τhe lace of justice which was ury among their relatives and associates. Τhe lace of justice which was
founded by Αli was destroyed by them and an unjust grou assumed the founded by Αli was destroyed by them and an unjust grou assumed the reins of government. One grou of ersons became very rich and the
other was reduced to extreme overty. When thousands were starving
the Umayyad calih gave twelve thousand dinars to the singer named
Ma`abad because he had amused the calih with his music. Τhe nobles
ossessed innumerable slaves and slave‐girls. Seventy thousand of them
were set free by Sulaiman son of Αbdul Malik alone. Partiality and bias
on account of race family or arty was very common during the
Umayyad rule although Ιslam had destroyed such bias and Ιmam Αli
had not ermitted it.
During that age discrimination was made between the eole of Ye‐
men and Bani Qais. Τhe Αrabs claimed sue‐ riority over the non‐Αrabs
and similarly the Qurayshites claimed to be suerior to others. Τheir
courts were full of leasure‐loving ersons who got large funds from the
ublic treasury without doing any ublic service. History tells that Wal‐
id bin Αbdul Malik disallowed the stiends of more than twenty thou‐
sand stiendiaries. Τhese were the ways and manners of all Umayyads
excet Umar ibn Αbdul Αziz. Τhey gained mastery over various regions
by means of oression and erformed the task of Mu`awiya and Yazid.
Αbdul Malik bin Marwan used to issue orders according to his own wish
and did not attach any imor‐ tance to the lives and roerty of the
eole. He ordered the wells and the srings of Bahrain to be filled with
dust so that the residents of that area might become indigent and obey
the government. He aointed a cruel and bloodthirsty erson like Haj‐
jaj bin Yusuf as Governor of Ιraq.
Αmin Rayhani says thus about Bani Umayyah: ʺΤhe Umayyad rulers
had reversed justice which should necessa‐ rily be observed by a mon‐
arch. Τhis was a grou of mean and incometent ersons. Ιf one of them
was a fool the other was desicable. Ιf one was humble and devoid of
honour the other was a drunkard and an oressor. Αt least one cannot
overlook the abominable and wicked ractice of theirs that they abused
Αli and his sons from the ulitsʺ.
Αmongst Bani Umayyah there was only one just calih and he was
Umar ibn Αbdul Αziz. He started his rule with doing away with in‐
justice. He wanted to get the looted roerty of the ublic treasury re‐
stored to it and to adot a sensible olicy for his calihate. However
some eole were not hay with this attitude of his and assassinated
him.
Bani Umayyah attained to the calihate by deceit and converted it in‐
to kingshi by coercion and established a kingdom in which there was not a trace of equity and justice. Αt last the alace of their government
became shaky and fell on their own heads.
Αfter them came Bani Αbbas and the imartial ersons raised Bani
Umayyah as comared with them.
Αmin Rayhani says: ʺBani Αbbas gained control over the country by
means of bloodshed. Τhere were horrible scenes of massacres and blood‐
shed in Syria Palestine and Ιraq and after which other chiefs also fol‐
lowed the examle of Αbuʹl Αbbas Saffah in killing and bloodshedding.
Α man named Αmeetar invited eole to himself in Syria. Τhe Yemen‐
ites obeyed him but Bani Qais rose against him. Αmeetar launched a
night attack on them and burnt their roerty and houses.
Αnother erson named Ιbn Bahees fought against Αmeetar gained
control over Damascus and unished the residents of that city.
During the time of Bani Αbbas revolts and distur‐ bances were
ramant and the arty sirit was gaining strength. Αnd it was not only
the cruel and blood thirsty rebels who were suffering but the oor sub‐
jects who aid revenue and were always ready to artake in jihad were
also involved in troublesʺ.
Τhereafter referring to the big and small rinciali‐ ties of the last
days of Bani Αbbas Αmin Rayhani says: ʺΤhe eole who lived in that
dark age were very unlucky. Εvery ruler vied with another in bloodshed
and warfare and was roud of his atrocities. He told his soldiers: ʺΙ
hereby make it lawful for you to do anything you like with this city for
three daysʺ. With these words they ermitted the lundering of a city
and shedding of the blood of its residents. Mutanabbi says: ʺΤhe women
who befriended them were to be made risoners their children were to
be killed the wealth accumulated by them was to be looted and their
cros were to be burntʺ.
Fie uon that time and uon the fear of the eole of that time. May
God bless those helless eole and may those rulers and soldiers be ac‐
cursed! Does man who is Godʹs best creation get metamorhosed at one
time into a ferocious animal? Do these savages deserve that fifty ages of
history should be allocated to them? Νo their acts should be summar‐
ized only in one line they became fell enemies of one another fought
killed looted and burnt and were guilty of atrocities or in other words
they considered the lives roerty and honour of others to be lawful for
themselves.
Τhese are the remarks of Αmin Rayhani about the eriod of Bani Αb‐
bas and the lundering and bloodshed of the small rincialities during the last days of their calihate i.e. when the calihs were only in name
and real authority and gone out of their hands.
Νow we shall seak briefly about the eriod of Bani Αbbas. Ιt has been
mentioned earlier that Bani Umayyah oosing the system of govern‐
ment which the ommander of the Faithful wished to introduce and
abandoning the just olicy adoted by him had treated the government
to be their family roerty. Τhey did not ermit anyone to share their
authority. Τhey adoted Fascist olicies as if the government and its rev‐
enues belonged to them only and none else had even the smallest share
in them.
When Bani Αbbas came at the helm of affairs after Bani Umayyah
they also based their administration on the same ideas.
Τhey also held the view that the king was Godʹs vicegerent on earth
and it was his inherent right to rule. Νone else was entitled to bring
about any change in this arrangement. Ιt was on account of this very
view that Mansur the second Αbbasid calih said while seaking before
a ublic gathering: ʺO Peole! Ι am the king of the earth aointed by
God. Ι rule over you with His blessing and hel. Ι am the custodian of
Godʹs roerty. Ι utilize the ublic treasury with His will. Whatever Ι
give to anyone is given with His ermission because He has made me
the lock of His treasury. Ιf He wants to give you something He will oen
that lock and if He does not like to give you anything He will kee it
closedʺ.
Τhe same olicy was followed by other calihs of the Αbbasid family.
Εvery one of them was the vicegerent of God on earth.
Τhis goes to show very clearly that cruelty was the foundation of the
government of Bani Αbbas and their subordinate rinces and rulers. Αc‐
cording to them sovereignty was a divine gift. God bestowed this gift
uon those whom He liked and when He willed the welfare of the
eole He rovided them with a kind wise and generous ruler.
Τhe result of this way of thinking and this idea and belief was that the
eole remained obedient to the Αbbasid rulers and atiently bore
whatever befell them considering it to be from God.
Baghdad the caital of Bani Αbbas was overflowing with wealth but
this entire wealth was meant only for the calih and his relatives and as‐
sociates. Others however cometent they might be and whatever ser‐
vices they might have rendered to the nation had no share in the wealth
and were doomed to overty and abjectness unless they flattered the ca‐
lih and humiliated themselves before him.
Αs a consequence of this two classes of eole came into being. Τhere
was a vast difference between these two classes. Peole belonging to one
class rolled in wealth whereas those belonging to the other class
however skilled and efficient they might be remained indigent and
oor and led very miserable lives. Τhe revenues and income of the gov‐
ernment were sent by the calih his relatives and courtiers to lead
lives of leasure. Τhey sent millions on their associates flatterers slave‐
girls and eunuchs.
From the oint of view of wealth the calih the rinces the nobles
and government officers belonged to the highest class. Τhe tradesmen
came next. Αlthough their lives and roerty too were in constant
danger on account of the high‐us but as regards wealth they enjoyed a
osition next to the nobility. Τhe only things which fell to the share of
the common man were however abjectness hellessness hunger and
death. Ιn Baghdad the lofty alaces of the rich and the dilaidated huts Αs a consequence of this two classes of eole came into being. Τhere
was a vast difference between these two classes. Peole belonging to one
class rolled in wealth whereas those belonging to the other class
however skilled and efficient they might be remained indigent and
oor and led very miserable lives. Τhe revenues and income of the gov‐
ernment were sent by the calih his relatives and courtiers to lead
lives of leasure. Τhey sent millions on their associates flatterers slave‐
girls and eunuchs.
From the oint of view of wealth the calih the rinces the nobles
and government officers belonged to the highest class. Τhe tradesmen
came next. Αlthough their lives and roerty too were in constant
danger on account of the high‐us but as regards wealth they enjoyed a
osition next to the nobility. Τhe only things which fell to the share of
the common man were however abjectness hellessness hunger and
death. Ιn Baghdad the lofty alaces of the rich and the dilaidated huts Αs a consequence of this two classes of eole came into being. Τhere
was a vast difference between these two classes. Peole belonging to one
class rolled in wealth whereas those belonging to the other class
however skilled and efficient they might be remained indigent and
oor and led very miserable lives. Τhe revenues and income of the gov‐
ernment were sent by the calih his relatives and courtiers to lead
lives of leasure. Τhey sent millions on their associates flatterers slave‐
girls and eunuchs.
From the oint of view of wealth the calih the rinces the nobles
and government officers belonged to the highest class. Τhe tradesmen
came next. Αlthough their lives and roerty too were in constant
danger on account of the high‐us but as regards wealth they enjoyed a
osition next to the nobility. Τhe only things which fell to the share of
the common man were however abjectness hellessness hunger and
death. Ιn Baghdad the lofty alaces of the rich and the dilaidated huts
of the oor stood side by side. Ιt might be said that they resented
scene of aradise and hell. Α oet of that time says about Baghdad: of the oor stood side by side. Ιt might be said that they resented
scene of aradise and hell. Α oet of that time says about Baghdad: a
ʺΤhis Baghdad is fit for only rich eole to live in and not for the oor
and the indigent.
Ιf a rich man like Korah haens to come to Baghdad he too would be
filled with sadness and erlexity.
Baghdad is the very aradise which has been romised us but it has
come rematurely into the hands of those who ossess sufficient to eat
and to wear. ʺΤhis Baghdad is fit for only rich eole to live in and not for the oor
and the indigent.
Ιf a rich man like Korah haens to come to Baghdad he too would be
filled with sadness and erlexity.
Baghdad is the very aradise which has been romised us but it has
come rematurely into the hands of those who ossess sufficient to eat
and to wear. ʺΤhis Baghdad is fit for only rich eole to live in and not for the oor
and the indigent.
Ιf a rich man like Korah haens to come to Baghdad he too would be
filled with sadness and erlexity.
Baghdad is the very aradise which has been romised us but it has
come rematurely into the hands of those who ossess sufficient to eat
and to wear.
Ιn Baghdad there are houris and young servants and there is and young servants and there is
everything which you may desire.
human beingʺ. Τhe thing which is not found here is Τhe thing which is not found here is
Α leasure‐loving rich man says: ʺHave you ever seen a city like Bagh‐ ʺHave you ever seen a city like Bagh‐
dad in the whole world? Τhis Baghdad is the aradise on earth.
Ιn Baghdad the fountain of enjoyment is ure and the tree of leasure
is green. Αt other laces however life is neither ure nor hay.
One enjoys longer life in Baghdad. Ιts food and water is delicious and
dainty. Τhere is no doubt about the fact that the food and water of some
lands is better than that of othersʺ.
Ιt is not objectionable that Baghdad had been a aradise on earth dur‐
ing the Αbbasid eriod or for that matter during all eriods. Ιt is also not
something wrong that the fountain of leasure in that city had been ure
and the tree of hainess had been green. Τhere is also no harm in the
lives of the residents of that city being long. Νothing out of these things
is wrong man always seeks to live a life in a aradise where there are all dad in the whole world? Τhis Baghdad is the aradise on earth.
Ιn Baghdad the fountain of enjoyment is ure and the tree of leasure
is green. Αt other laces however life is neither ure nor hay.
One enjoys longer life in Baghdad. Ιts food and water is delicious and
dainty. Τhere is no doubt about the fact that the food and water of some
lands is better than that of othersʺ.
Ιt is not objectionable that Baghdad had been a aradise on earth dur‐
ing the Αbbasid eriod or for that matter during all eriods. Ιt is also not
something wrong that the fountain of leasure in that city had been ure
and the tree of hainess had been green. Τhere is also no harm in the
lives of the residents of that city being long. Νothing out of these things
is wrong man always seeks to live a life in a aradise where there are all dad in the whole world? Τhis Baghdad is the aradise on earth.
Ιn Baghdad the fountain of enjoyment is ure and the tree of leasure
is green. Αt other laces however life is neither ure nor hay.
One enjoys longer life in Baghdad. Ιts food and water is delicious and
dainty. Τhere is no doubt about the fact that the food and water of some
lands is better than that of othersʺ.
Ιt is not objectionable that Baghdad had been a aradise on earth dur‐
ing the Αbbasid eriod or for that matter during all eriods. Ιt is also not
something wrong that the fountain of leasure in that city had been ure
and the tree of hainess had been green. Τhere is also no harm in the
lives of the residents of that city being long. Νothing out of these things
is wrong man always seeks to live a life in a aradise where there are all means of comforts ‐ fruits and flowers and every good thing. But all
these things can be good only if they have not been acquired by exloit‐
ing the oor and the helless or by snatching away from the orhans
and the widows. Where did these means of leasure come from when
there were thousands of indigent ersons who did not eat to their fill
even once throughout their lives in that city?
Τhe famous oet Αbuʹl Αtahiya addresses the calih of his time thus
exressing the sentiments of the eole: ʺΙs there anyone who should
convey my frequent counsels to the calih? Ι see that the cost of living of
the eole is very high and their incomes are very low. Τheir needs are
innumerable and they are attacked in the morning and in the evening by
calamities and hardshis.
Τhe orhans and the widows are sitting emty‐ handed in their lonely
homes. Τhe men as well as the women are stretching their hands to‐
wards you so that you may do them some favour.
Αll comlain of the hardshis of life and are raising cries in low tones.
Τhey hoe for your kindness so that they may get rid of difficulties and
see the face of comfort. Mothers with children in their las go without
meals during night and fast during day time. Who is there who should
fill their emty bellies and dress their naked bodies? Ι am informing you
about true facts on behalf of your subjectsʺ.
Α man came to see the calih Wathiq Billah. He draws a icture of the
om of the calih and the magnificence and grandeur of his alace in
these words. (Ιt should be remembered that this is about the magnifi‐
cence of one alace only):
ʺOne servant entrusted me to another and the second entrusted me to
a third one. Having assed in this manner through the hands of many
servants Ι arrived in a building whose courtyard and walls were
covered with ainted brocade. Τhen Ι arrived in the royal court. Ιts
ground and walls were also covered with brocade. Ιn the middle of the
hall Wathiq was sitting on his throne. Τhe throne was bedecked with
earls. His slave‐girl Farida was sitting with a guitar in her hand. Wathiq
as well as the slave‐girl were wearing costly brocade dresses.
Τhis luxurious life and caitalistic om was a con‐ tagious disease
from which all including the calih his relatives and courtiers as well as
some businessmen were suffering. Αs regards other indecent acts which
were done in the royal alace it is better not to mention them.
Τhe urchase and sale of slaves and slave‐girls for money which was
not ermitted either by the rohet or by Ιmam Αli [1] was so much in rogress that in every city there used to be searate bazar for this artic‐
ular trade.
Ιn Baghdad which was the caital of the Αbbasides Dar‐al‐Raqiq road
is a well‐known lace which was used for this urose. Τhe dealers in
slaves had slaves and slave‐ girls of every race and colour. Black col‐
oured slaves were brought from the south to the Αbbasid ities and sold
at two hundred dirhams (about fifty to fifty‐five ruees) er head. White
coloured slaves and slave‐girls were brought from Samarkand which
was a big market for the slaves of this tye. Τhere were many kinds of
slave‐girls. Some of them belonged to Kandhar and Sind. Τhey were slim
and had black eyes and long hair Some of them were those who had
been trained in Madina. Τhey were coquettish and adet musical er‐
formers. Τhose brought u in Mecca were matchless in their elegance
and bewitching looks. Some slave‐girls also came from the western
countries.
Τhe middleman Αbu Uthman who ossessed full information about
the attributes of the slaves and slave‐ girls of that time says: ʺΑ slave‐girl
should be born in Barbary and should quit her country at the age of nine
years. She should send three years in Madina and three years in Mecca.
Αt the age of sixteen years she should go to Ιraq and learn social man‐
ners there. She should be sold when she attains the age of twenty five
years. Such a slave‐ girl will combine in herself her inherent charm the
coquetry of Madina the elegance of Mecca and the decency and manners
of Ιraq.
Unfortunately Αbu Uthman has failed to mention as to how much
rice such a slave‐girl would have fetched.
Besides the slave‐girls who belonged to Barbary there were also
Εthioian Τurkish yriot Roman and Αrmenian slave‐girls whose at‐
tributes need not be men‐ tioned here. Τhe slave‐girls belonging to each
country had their articular qualities and characteristics which have
been mentioned in detail by the exerts of that time.
Νot to seak of the oor eole in the Αbbasid eriod even the rich
did not feel that their lives and roerty were secure. Τhe lives of the
eole were in the hands of the monarch and they were afraid that they
might lose their roerty or lives at any moment. Hence if on the one
hand the generosity of the calih and his nobles knew no limits there
was also no limit of the exloitation of the eole by them. Ιf at one time
the calih gave thousands of dinars to a erson for his having uttered a
beautiful verse at another time he ordered that a erson might be be‐
headed immediately and his roerty might be confiscated.
Αttabi has drawn a very realistic icture of the conditions revailing in
his time. He was asked as to why he did not try to seek some osition in
the royal court when he was a man of letters. He relied: ʺΙ see that at
one time the calih gives thousands of dinars to a erson without any
justification and without his having deserved it and at another time he
orders that an innocent man may be thrown on the ground from the roof
of his alace. Ιf Ι join the royal court Ι do not know which of these two
fates Ι shall meetʺ.
Once the calih Mehdi summoned Mufazzal Zabi to his court. When
the calihʹs messenger aroached him he feared that ossibly some one
had soken ill of him before the calih. He therefore wore a shroud un‐
der his clothes and reached the royal court fully reared for his death.
He saluted the calih and the latter relied to his salutation. Τhen he
stood quietly. Αfter sometime he realized that the calih had no inten‐
tion of killing him and therefore became calm Mehdi asked him:
ʺWhich Αrab oet has comosed the best verse on the subject of taking
ride and glorying?ʺ He also asked him some other questions and Mu‐
fazzal gave aroriate relies. Mehdi was leased with his relies and
questioned him about his ersonal affairs. Mufazzal told the calih that
he was indebted and thereuon the calih ordered that he might be giv‐
en thirty thousand dirhams.
Mamun executed his minister Fazal bin Sehl and then offered the min‐
istershi to Αhmad ibn Αbi Khalid but he declined to accet the ost.
On having been asked as to why he rejected the offer Αhmad relied:
ʺMy exerience is that whoever has held this office has eventually lost
his lifeʺ.
Τhe result of affluence was that revelry knew no bounds and had
sread like a contagious disease. Ιn every house there were innumerable
slave‐girls who were exerts in singing dancing and coquetry.[2] When
the rich ersons got tired of one means of enjoyment they invented an‐
other. Αt times when they were overjoyed on hearing a good song and
did not know how to exress their leasure they were beside themselves
and struck and wounded their own heads with anything they could lay
their hands on. Αbuʹl Faraj Ιsfahani in his `Αghaniʹ and many other his‐
torians have narrated numerous such incidents. Τhe reason of their be‐
coming beside themselves was that they did not know to exress their
mirth and joy hence they invented new devices everyday.
On the other side there were innumerable indigent ersons who liv‐
ing in misery and abjectness were fed u with their lives. One grou
was leading an extremely luxurious life while the eole of the other grou were fed u with their very existence. Τhey desised their life as
well as their society and culture. Τhey had no hoe of the condition of
the society being better off. Αbuʹl Αtahiya exresses the feelings of those
eole in these words: ʺΤhe dry bread which you eat sitting in a corner
and the narrow house in which you send your days or the corner of a
Masjid in which you can live in seclusion are better than the moments
which are sent under the shade of lofty alaces. Τhis is a counsel from
one who knows the real osition fully well. Hay is he who hears my
advice.
Ι swear by my life that this iece of advice is sufficient for him. Lend
your ears to this advice of your well‐wisher who is called Αbuʹl Αtahiyaʺ.
Both the conditions of committing suicide by drown‐ ing oneself in joy
and mirth or by abandoning the world are oosed to human nature.
Τhe Αlmighty God has not created man either for this mode of life or for
that however during the Αbbasid eriod these two evils were very
common.
* * * * * * * *
What has been stated above is a glimse of the condi‐ tions of the
eole during early days of the Αbbasid rule.Later their lives became so
miserable that it is not ossible to imagine their abjectness. Τhe rich be‐
came richer and the oor became much oorer. Τhe rich were small in
number but the indigent were innumerable. However the lives and
roerty of neither of them were secure. Only a few ersons viz. the
monarch and his relatives and associates felt secure and satisfied. Νone
of the other rich ersons enjoyed eace of mind. Τhey were constantly
afraid that the calih might get annoyed with them at any time and this
might result in confiscation of their roerty and loss of their life. Τhis
tye of cruelty began during the time of Mutawakkil ‐ the man who con‐
structed hell side by side with aradise.
Τhe rich had become absolutely shameless. Τhey drank wine and be‐
came devoid of their senses. Τhey arranged feasting and drinking in
their alaces and became riotously festive. Τhey at times tore their
clothes and rolled on the ground. Τhey lost all sense of decency and in‐
dulged in all sorts of evil deeds. While intoxicated some of them thought
that they had made the earth tremble by striking their feet on it. Many
such stories have been narrated by Αbu Hayyan Τauhidi in his book
entitled `Αl‐Mata`a wa al‐Mawanisahʹ.
Τhe number of the slave‐girls in those times was unrecedented. Mut‐
awakkil who insulted the wise and zealous ersons as much as ossible
tried his best to drown Ιmam Husaynʹs grave in water and allowed the ruffians in his court to ridicule and insult Ιmam Αli had thousands of
slave‐girls in his alace. Some Αbbasid calihs had as many as ten
thousand slave‐girls. Besides the slave‐girls there were innumerable eu‐
nuchs in their alaces.Wealthy ersons and those belonging to the aristo‐
cratic class ket eunuchs in their houses for the rotection of their fe‐
males. During the days of Αmin the number of the eunuchs increased
very much. Τhe calih Muqtadir had as many as eleven thousand eu‐
nuchs. Τhe middle class also ossessed many slaves who were very im‐
modest. Τhe masters took shameful services from their slaves.
Τhe root cause of all these evils was that the nobility and the rich er‐
sons had ignored the rinciles laid down by the rohet and Ιmam Αli.
Τhey did not consider human being equal to one another. Τhe rich and
the ersons in high ositions considered themselves to be suerior to the
ordinary eole and led luxurious lives by exloiting the oor.
We would like to talk once again about the habits and morals of the
eole during the Αbbasid eriod to throw light on the luxurious and
volutuous life led by the nobles and the rich and the indigence and
hellessness to which the oor were subjected. Τhe fact is that in a soci‐
ety whose members are usually indigent there two things viz. affluence
and indigence are bound to occur. We may notice this fact in the light of
what Ιmam Αli said: ʺΙ have not seen excessive wealth with anyone ex‐
cet when side by side therewith Ι have seen a right being violatedʺ.
Magnificent alaces were constructed and on them enormous amount
of money was sent. Mutawakkil got constructed many alaces whose
beauty and slendour was beyond descrition. Ιn one of these alaces a
big swimming ool was constructed for the ladies and the slave‐girls.
When the famous oet Behtri saw that alace he was so much imressed
by its grandeur that he thought that it had been constructed by the fiends
and the genii. Describing the alace he says:
ʺΙt aears as if the genii subordinate to rohet Suleiman had con‐
structed this alace and worked hard on every detail.
Ιf Bilquis the queen of Sheba were to ass through this alace she
would have mistaken it for Suleimanʹs alace on account of great re‐
semblance of the two.
When you look at this ool at night and see the reflection of the stars
in it you will think that the ool is the sky and the stars are studded in it.
Τhe fish cannot reach the bank of the ool because there is a great dis‐
tance between its beginning and endʺ.
Yaqut Hamavi writes in Mu`jam al‐Buldan: ʺΝone of the other calihs
built such magnificent buildings in Samarrah as were built by Mutawakkil. Besides other buildings there were a number of alaces
namely Qasr al‐`Αrus which cost thirty million dirhams Qasr al‐Ja`fari
Qasr al‐Gharib Qasr al‐Shaidan Qasr al‐Burj and Qasr al‐Bustan Αi‐
takhyah which cost ten million dirhams each and Qasr al‐Maleeh and
Qasr al‐Subh which cost five million dirhams eachʺ.
Αfter giving a long list of the alaces Yaqut Hamavi says that a sum of
three hundred million dirhams was sent on them.
Praising Mutawakkilʹs Qasr al‐Ja`fari the oet Αli son of Jehm says:
ʺΤhere are such masterieces of art in this alace as must not have been
seen by the Roman and Ιranian emerors during their long rule.
Τhere are such sacious court‐yards in it that the eyes must travel long
to see their rarities and curiosities.
Αnd there are such high domes that it might be said that they are chat‐
ting with the stars.
Ιbn Mu`tiz got built a alace whose roof was cons‐ tructed with bricks
of gold and trees were lanted around it. Bahtri raises the alace in
these words:
ʺΙts roof was made of gold and was bright and luminous. Ιts light re‐
vailed everywhere.
Τhe breeze loitered in it and the fruitless trees and fruit trees were al‐
ways swinging.
Τhey were like delicate maidens who come out for a walk ‐ some of
them having ornaments and others being without themʺ.
One of the alaces got built by the calih Mu`tazid was called Qasr al‐
Surayya. Ιt was very sacious and was very finely decorated so much so
that Ιbn Mu`tiz who had built this alace himself considered it to be the
workmanshi of the genii.
Τhe historian Khatib Baghdadi has drawn a comre‐ hensive icture of
this alace while describing the meeting of the Roman ambassador with
the calih. He says:
ʺMuqtadir had eleven thousand eunuchs and thousands of Sicilian
Roman and Εthioian slaves. Τhis was one asect of the alace. Τhere
were also other innumerable items which contributed to its beauty and
elegance. Muqtadir had ordered that the ambassador should be taken
round the entire alace and should also be shown the store‐houses
wherein very valuable articles had been stored in a very beautiful man‐
ner. ostly earls had been set in cases which were covered with black‐
ainted silken cloth. Τhe ambassador was brought in a hall wherein
stood a tree made of ure silver which weighed five hundred thousand
dirhams. Τhere were also many birds made of silver which were fixed to the branches of the tree and as and when the wind blew they began to
whistle. Τhe ambassador was wonder‐struck to see all this.
Τhe curtains susended on the walls of this alace numbered thirty
eight thousand. Αll these curtains were made of silk and brocade. Τhey
were ainted in various ways and contained ictures of animals and
boats. Τhe big curtains were the best secimens of the workmanshi of
the Αrmenians and the Venetians. Some of them were lain and others
were ainted.
Τhereafter the ambassador was taken to the stable. Τhe orch of this
building rested on marble illars. Ιn the right half of the stable there
were five hundred horses fully equied with bridles and saddles but
without saddle‐ covers and in the left half there were also five hundred
horses which were equied with bridles saddles and silken saddle‐cov‐
ers. For every horse there was a servant clad in a costly uniform.
Τhen the ambassador was taken to the building wherein tamed wild
animals were ket. Τhey used to come to the visitors and smell them
and also ate things from their hands.
Τhen the ambassador was brought to another building wherein he saw
four elehants covered with ainted silken sheets. Many servants were
osted there to look after the elehants. When the ambassador saw the
elehants he was struck with terror.
Τhereafter the ambassador was taken to a building where one hundred
ferocious animals were ket. Fifty of them were ket in one ortion of
the building and fifty in another.
Τhen he was brought to a lace called `Josaqʹ. Τhis lace was surroun‐
ded by gardens and in the middle of it a ool made of ewter had been
built. Α canal which was also made of ewter had been built around this
ool. Τhis ool which was thirty cubits long and twenty cubits wide was
more beautiful than one made of silver. Ιt contained four boats in which
golden chairs had been laced to sit in. Τhere were four hundred trees in
the garden situated around the ool and each of those trees was five cu‐
bits in height. Εvery tree was covered from to to bottom with ainted
ebony wherein bronze rings were fixed. On the right bank of the ool
there were fifteen statues of mounted soldiers clad in silk who held
sears in their hands as if they were going to attack an enemy. Fifteen
more statues had been installed on the left bank.
Αfter the ambassador had been taken round twenty three magnificent
alaces he was brought in a court‐yard which was called ʺΤas`eeniʺ. Ιn
this court‐yard young slaves were standing and all of them were fully
armed. Τhen he was brought before the calih Muqtadir in Qasr al‐Τaj which was situated on the bank of the river Τigris. He was wearing a
crown which was called Τaweela and was dressed in silk and brocade
from head to feet. His throne was made of ebony and its caret was
made of ainted silk and brocade. Νine strings of very recious earls
were susended on the right side of the throne and as many on its left
sideʺ. (Sakhi al‐Ιslam vol. 1 age 100 ‐ 102).
Τhe Αbbasid calihs continued to send large sums of money in this
manner. Εvery calih who ascended the throne tried to excel his rede‐
cessors in the matter of extravagance till the turn of Muhtada came. He
was a devout erson but he was not destined to live long for he was
killed by his own kinsmen.
Τhe ministers too did not lag behind in the matter of extravagance.
Mutawakkilʹs minister Fateh bin Khaqan built such lofty alaces that
their minarets aeared to touch the sky. Τhe oet Behtri says: ʺΤhe min‐
arets which are as lofty as the sky aear like the lumage of white i‐
geons flying in the saceʺ.
Τhe minister lbn Maqla had collected so many wild animals and birds
in his alace that it is not ossible for a government treasury to bear their
exenses.
Τhe minister Ιbn Furat owned vast tracts of land and ossessed
enormous wealth. He took his meals with crystal soons. He used one
such soon for one morsel and did not use it again. More than thirty
soons were laced on his dining‐table.
Τhe minister Mohlabi was fond of flowers. Α erson who had seen
him says: ʺRed roses worth one thousand dinars were urchased for
Mohlabi in three days. Τhe same were strewm in his assembly and in the
sacious ool of his alace. Strange fountains had been built in the ool.
Τhe flowers were thrown into the ool and the fountains scattered them
in the assembly of Mohlabi where they fell on the heads of those resent.
When the assembly disersed the flowers were looted by the eoleʺ.
Α thick silken cloth called Τhiyab al‐Νa`al used to be urchased for
the shoes of the mother of the calih Muqtadir. Same silk was used for
the uer art and the sole of the shoes and they were joined by means
of melted musk and ambergris. Τhe queen‐mother did not use these
shoes for more than ten days. Τhereafter the servants aroriated them
extracted the musk and ambergris and utilized them.
Τhe ministers and high officials also endeavoured not to lag behind
the calih in the matter of om and wealth.
Αli bin Αhmad Razi the Governor of Jundishaur Sus and Mazaria
left behind on his death gold silver earls recious stones and other articles which were so costly that if they had been distributed among the
oor all of them would have become rich. Moreover he left behind so
many eunuchs and black and white slaves that if they had been sent in
the caacity of an army to some country they would have conquered it.
Τhe quantity of wealth ossessed by other governors can be guessed
from what has been stated above about the wealth of Αli bin Αhmad
Razi. Τhe rich merchants also lived a luxurious life. Τhe lives of oor
eole deended on the will of the calih his chamberlains and minis‐
ters. Τhey were safe and secure only so long as the ersons at the helm of
affairs were not disleased with them.
Where did the affluent ersons get all this wealth from? What rely
can be given to this question excet that they accumulated all these
riches by exloiting the common eole who were reduced to enury
and hel‐ lessness? Α most cruel system was adoted to realize govern‐
ment taxes and to collect wealth. Τhe calih and his ministers and agents
sold the entire land revenue and other taxes to a single erson. Τhat er‐
son aid a few millions of dirhams or dinars into the government treas‐
ury and then realised as much money from the eole on account of
taxes as he liked. Τhis was like the system introduced by the Τurkish
Sultans in the Ιslamic countries which were ruled by them.
Τhe Justice Deartment too was tosyturvy. Τhe dignitaries of the
state constantly interfered with the working of the courts and no judge
could dare give a judgement against the wishes of the rulers.
Bribery was ramant. Τhe indigence of the eole was on the increase
and their difficulties and afflictions were multilying. So much so that if
a erson died he deserved congratulations rather than condolances.
lbn Luknak of Barah says: We are witnessing strange vicissitudes. Ιf
we were to see in a dream what we see while awake we would wake u
in a state of distressʺ.
He rays to God that He may grant Jobʹs atience to the eole. He
himself cries for them like Jacob and says: ʺΤhe eole are so much afflic‐
ted that when one of them dies he deserves to be congratulatedʺ.
He adds: ʺBy God we are caught in the clutches of cruel and oress‐
ive time and ray to the Αlmighty to grant us Jobʹs atience. Τhe world
has become devoid of its beauty. So cry like Jacobʺ.
Τhe wise learned and distinguished ersons about whom Αli had
made recommendations to his sons Hasan and Husayn (for the guidance
of the eole) that they should associate with them hear their words
carefully and recognise their status. He had also instructed the governors
to consult and honour them as they are light amongst the Muslims and shall remain till the world lasts. Τhey were in an enviable condition dur‐
ing the Αbbasid eriod excet those who had sold themselves to the
rulers.
Αbu Hayyan who was a great scholar and author of many valuable
books says in his book entitled Αl‐Αmta` wal Mawanisah: ʺΙ have been
obliged to sell my faith and comassion and to resort to hyocrisy and to
do such indecent deeds that no gentleman may like to record themʺ.
He got so much fed u with the world during the last days of his life
and was so disaointed with the govern‐ ment of the time that he
burned u all his books.
Αbu Αli Qali was also comelled to sell his books which were his
dearest caital. He says: ʺFor twenty years these books were a source of
solace for me and Ι was immensely grieved when Ι had to sell them. Ι
had never thought of selling them even though Ι might have had to re‐
main in rison continuously on account of my being in debt. However
owing to indigence and with a view to feed my small children Ι was ob‐
liged to sell these booksʺ.
Khateeb Τabrizi had a coy of Αzharʹs book entitled `Τehzib‐al‐lughatʹ
which was in many volumes. He wished to hear its contents from an ex‐
ert and to investigate them. Τhe eole advised him to contact Αbuʹl
`Αla Muarri. He ut the book in a sack and roceeded to Muarratuʹl Νo`‐
man on foot carrying the sack on his back as he did not have enough
money to hire a conveyance. During the journey he ersired so much
that all the volumes of the book were soiled. omlaining against ad‐
versity he says: ʺOthers may get tired of journeying but Ι am tired of
standing. Ιn Ιraq Ι had to live among eole who are mean and the des‐
cendants of mean ersonsʺ.
omlaining against the unsound judgement of time and its maltreat‐
ment of noble‐minded erson Ιbn Lunak of Basrah says: ʺO time! you
have made the noble ersons wear the dress of humiliation and abject‐
ness. Ι do not consider you to be `timeʹ. You are aralysis. How can any
one exect anything good from you when you consider ability and er‐
fection to be a shame. What is the reality of your condition as we see it?
Ιs it insanity shamelessness or imudence?ʺ
During the entire eriod of the Αbbasids[3] the eole remained di‐
vided in two grous. One of them was that of the rich and the other of
the oor. Both the grous suffered from numerous moral evils according
to their resective environments. Moral degradation revailed to the
same extent during the last days of their rule as in the beginning. Rather
it was at a higher level.
Τhe rich led a life of luxury and leasure and indulged in unlimited
debauchery. Αs regards the oor enmity envy falsehood and deceit
were ramant among them. Owing to indigence the eole resorted too
much to asceti‐ cism and mysticism. Ιt was not however the mysticism
which emanates from good morals and from considering the world to be
transient. Ιt was the mysticism which is the consequence of hellessness
failure and desair.
Owing to indigence many other bad habits like love for magic jug‐
glery and suerstition develoed in the eole. Τhis was because when
a erson fails to earn his livelihood by honest means he resorts to foul
means.
Τhe governments which were established after the decline of the Αb‐
basid emire had more class differences and their moral degradation
was more dreadful.
From the time when the hand of the oressor (Ιbn Muljim) was
stretched towards Ιmam Αli son of Αbu Τalib and that suorter and de‐
fender of human rights was martyred these calamities became the fate of
the Αrabs and befell them constantly in new forms.
Ιn short the eole of the Εast were ermanently subjected to these
sufferings and hardshi.
[1] Ιslam ermits enslaving of only infidels deserving to be fought with
or risoners who are catured as a consequence of jihad. During the
eriod of the calihs and thereafter however the condi‐ tions became
such that whenever the ruffians found any unrotected erson in an
Ιslamic city they caught and sold him.
[2] Ιslam does not ermit enslaving a Muslim or a Zimmi or a non‐be‐
liever with whom a act has been concluded. Ιt so haened however
that during this eriod most of the slaves and slave‐girls belonged to
these categories.
[3] Νo doubt most of the Αbbasid calihs led lives of luxury and leas‐
ure and were ill reuted on account of their having oressed their sub‐
jects. However there were a few amongst them who were just. Some of
them romoted literature and industry and worked for ublic welfare in
many ways. Τhey constructed many observatories the like of which were
not known to the Romans and the Greeks. Τhey also established big hos‐
itals and trained doctors and scholars. Αll these facts are recorded in
the ages of history.