Here I address some examples of the Commander of the Faithful’s (P.B.U.H.) actions–which are reflected in his eminence’s statements; and indeed, there are thousands of other examples in his life. People came and insisted upon pledging allegiance to the Imam (P.B.U.H.) but he did not accept. The insistence of the people increased. Everyone–the elders, the youth, and the heads of the society as well as the Companions of the Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.)–said, “Nay, only ‘Alī b. Abī Ṭālib (P.B.U.H.) should be (the Caliph) and nobody can be other than him”. They came and took the Imam (P.B.U.H.) insistently [for pledging allegiance]. The Imam (P.B.U.H.) said, “Let’s go to the mosque”. Then the Imam (P.B.U.H.) ascended the pulpit and delivered a sermon in which he explained his views as: “The assets which have been captured unlawfully by the gentlefolk and gentlemen, wherever I find them, I will return them to the state treasury”. Some had managed during those years to seize the money belonging to the state treasury on their behalf. The Imam (P.B.U.H.) said “I will return all these, ‘even if I find that by such money women have been married’, or ‘slave-maids have been purchased’ ,, ‘I will take it back’ , to the state treasury. The people and the nobles should know that this will be my way.”
After a few days, the oppositions began. Of course, the poor and the oppressed class of the community wished such a way of governance but the powerful and those who were the real addressees of these words were obviously dissatisfied. They gathered, held a meeting and said, “What is ‘Alī intending to do?”. Walīd b. ‘Uqba–the same one who was the governor of Kūfa at the time of ‘Uthmān–stood up on their behalf and went to the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) and said to him, “O’ ‘Alī! There is a condition for our allegiance to you; ‘we pledge allegiance to you today if you leave for us what we had obtained of the property in the days of ‘Uthmān’”. Which means our condition is to leave us the property that we have obtained and what we have gained before your Caliphate. After that came Walīd b. ‘Uqba, Ṭalḥa and Zubayr. Of course, the story of Ṭalḥa and Zubayr is different from Walīd b. ‘Uqba. Indeed, Walīd b. ‘Uqba was one of the newly converted Muslims; his family were against Islam and this revolution and had fought with Islam; after the conquer of Islam–at the end of the era of the Prophet of Islam (P.B.U.H. & H.H.)–like other Umayyads, he converted to Islam as well. But Ṭalḥa and Zubayr had converted to Islam long before and were among the close companions of the Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.). Ṭalḥa and Zubayr–were among the then great elders of Islam and the survivors of the companions of the Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.)–also came to the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) and reproached the Imam (P.B.U.H.) as, “Indeed, you have made our right in the distribution [of the state treasury] as the others”. That is you have treated us as equal with others in distributing assets of the state treasury. “And you have established equality between us and those who were not like us.”, That is you have put us on the same footing with those who were not like us. What is this? Why don’t you recognize certain privileges? “Allah the Exalted has bestowed upon those who are not like us through our swords and spears.”, That is these bounties were obtained by their swords; it was them who raised the Islam; it was them who have made efforts and endeavors; and now, they expected the Imam (P.B.U.H.) did not equal them with those who were new to Islam, those who were the non-Arabs and those who were from the conquered countries.
I have not seen the answer of the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) to Walīd b. ‘Uqba–it is not recorded in the history–but he responded to others. The Imam (P.B.U.H.) ascended the pulpit and responded them. On the issue of equality in the distribution of the state treasury, he said, “For this rule is not ruled as the first initiator” that is I am not who founded this method and approach. “I have found that I and the Messenger of Allah–May Allah bless him and his household–have ruled so.” That is you and I witnessed the Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.) treated in this way. I have not introduced a new way of my own but rather I am following the same way of the Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.). I want to revive the same values and ideological and practical foundations of society in this period. ‘Alī (P.B.U.H.) enshrined them in the then society and paid the price as well. The price of enshrining those values in the society was the outbreak of three battles. The Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) withstood. It is obvious that he could see for himself the right of Caliphate. However, this did not happen after the demise of the Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.).
He did nothing over twenty-five years for the thing that he recognized as his own right. He even calmed those who wanted to remonstrate [with those who usurped the Caliphate]. “Your girth is loose and you have put it on the wrong way…now leave this story of devastation.”, The Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) has such words. Regarding the issue [of Caliphate], the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) showed no reaction for twenty-five years. However, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) stood for an issue which seem less important–the issue of social justice, the revival of the prophetic principles and re-construction of the solid edifice of the Islam laid by the Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.)–and faced three battles: the Battle of the Camel (the Battle of Jamal), the Battle of Ṣiffīn and the Battle of Nahrawān. You see how much this issue was important in the Commander of the Faithful’s (P.B.U.H.) eyes. This is the greatest achievement of the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.). In this regard, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) has another saying. Let’s get a little bit more familiar with the ‘Alawite knowledge. The Imam (P.B.U.H.) says, “Fulfilling someone’s right should not prevent you from serving him right [for doing something wrong]”, This means if a person is a believer, has striven in the cause of Allah or made a great effort and has served in the front line and done a great job, it is incumbent upon you to respect his right. And if this very person encroaches on and violates someone’s right, that incumbent right should not stop the managers and officials from bringing his encroachment to justice. So, distinguish these issues. If someone is a good person and endured a great deal for Islam and the country, his right is acceptable and reserved yet we are thankful for. But if he commits an offence, the observance of that right should not lead us to turn a blind eye to the violation committed by him. This is the logic of the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.).
There was a poet named Najāshī, one of the poets and admirers of the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.), the one who had composed the best poems in the Battle of Ṣiffīn and incited people against Mu‘āwīya, the one who was a fan and an advocate of the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.), the one who was very well-known in terms of his loyalty, [acceptance of the] Wilāya and precedents, drank wine during a day in Ramadan. When the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) learned about it, he said, “The punishment for wine drinking is clear. Bring him to give lashes.” The Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) gave him lashes in public. Eighty whips. His family and his tribe came to the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) and said, “O’ Commander of the Faithful, you have disgraced us. This man was among your companions and your friends–in the words of today’s politics–he was on your side. The Imam (P.B.U.H.) said, “I did not do anything. A Muslim commits an offence and [as a result] one of the Allah’s punishments was imposed on him and I just carried out that punishment.” After being whipped by ‘Alī (P.B.U.H.), Najāshī said, “As long as that is the case, I will join Mu‘āwīyya and compose my poems for him.” He left the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) and joined the campaign of Mu‘āwīyya. But, the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) did not say, “Najāshī has left us and this is a great unfortunate loss. We should try to keep him here.” Nay, he left the Imam (P.B.U.H.) and went away. Of course, it was better for him to stay. This is the logic and the approach of the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.). The Imam (P.B.U.H.) addressed the companions of Najāshī as, “Is he not more than a man of Muslims who violated a sanctity of Allah’s sanctities and thus we established punishment against him which was his atonement?”, That is we gave him lashes and his sin was expiated.
A punishment became obligatory for a man from the tribe of Banī Asad–who was also one of the relatives of the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.). Some of the devotees of Imam ‘Alī (P.B.U.H.) who were the tribesmen of that person, thought it would be good to go to the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) and somehow tackle the problem. At first, they went to Imam Ḥasan Mujtabā (P.B.U.H.) in order to make him a mediator between them and his father. Imam Ḥasan (P.B.U.H.) said, “There is no need to mediate. Go to my father. My father, the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.), knows you.” Therefore, they went to the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) and said, “This is our problem and we beg for your help.” The Imam (P.B.U.H.) answered, “I have no objection. Whatsoever I can, I will do for you.” They rejoiced and went out. On the way, they encountered Imam Ḥasan (P.B.U.H.) and the Imam (P.B.U.H.) asked them, “What did you do?” They said, “Thanks Allah, the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) assured us.” The Imam (P.B.U.H.) asked, “What did the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) told you?” They said, “The Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) told us he would do whatsoever he could.” Imam Ḥasan Mujtabā (P.B.U.H.) smiled and said, “So just go and do whatever you have to in case he [the man] is punished!” And after the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) administered punishment against the man, they came and said, “O’ Commander of the Faithful! Why was the punishment imposed upon this guy?” The Imam (P.B.U.H.) said, “Punishment is not which I have ordered to, it is a Divine order; I said I would do whatsoever I could but punishment is not in my hands.” The Imam (P.B.U.H.) did so regardless of this fact that they were of friends and devotees of the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.). Such was the life of the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.). There are many accounts of his food, clothes, livelihood and children. The narrator says, “Once, I went and saw Imam Ḥasan (P.B.U.H.) and Imam Ḥusayn (P.B.U.H.) were sitting and eating food. Their meal was bread, vinegar and some vegetables. I said to them, ‘Sir, you are emirs; you are of the state family – the children of the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.). There are many supplies in the market and “many in Raḥba”–that is near Kūfa–such a plenty of goods is sold and people are buying yet the meal of you sirs is like this?’ They turned to me and said, ‘Do not be ignorant of the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.).’” That is you are unaware of the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.); Go and see his life! The Imam (P.B.U.H.) was so even with his family.
You all have heard the story of Zaynab the great; her borrowing from Abū Rāfi‘. And you have heard the story of ‘Aqīl, who came to the Imam (P.B.U.H.) and asked for something: “A ṣā‘ (about three kilograms) of wheat”. He wanted more amount of wheat. The Imam (P.B.U.H.) then picked up an overheated iron and brought it close to ‘Aqīl. Of course, he did not hit him; rather the Imam (P.B.U.H.) warned him and did not grant his request. ‘Abdullah b. Ja‘far–his nephew and his son in law; the husband of Zaynab–came to the Imam (P.B.U.H.) and said, “O’ the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.)! I am broke and have to sell the means of my life. Help me with something please.” The Imam (P.B.U.H.) did not agree and said, “Unless you tell your uncle to steal and help you with the people’s property.” The Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) defined a ruling standard for a developed, great, civilized, and rich society as his era on the basis of what was at the time of the Prophet (P.B.U.H. & H.H.). Everything had been evolved. By this manner, the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) sought to prove that those principles could be revived even in such circumstances. This is the great work of the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.). The principle of moral, justice, the Islamic Jihād, the training of people as well as the principle of an efficient, competent and faithful administration–the life of the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) is replete with events and incidents you have heard throughout the years in the form of stories, narrations and sayings of the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.)–are all signs of this fact; in one word, the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) wanted to prove to the world that the application of Islamic principles is possible in any circumstance. This is the reality. The Islamic principles are not a style of the Commander of the Faithful’s (P.B.U.H.) clothing that if he wore an apron or shirt, today we should wear the same clothes. The Islamic principles are justice, monotheism, being in fairness to people and observing their rights, paying attention to the weak, standing against the anti-Islamic and anti-religion front, insisting on the pillars of righteousness and Islam and defending the truth. These concepts can be implemented in all eras.
Of course, today when we say this, we are talking about the summit. Who could even imagine being like the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.)? Nay, no one can be like the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.). When Imam Sajjād (P.B.U.H.), who was the grandson of the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) and one of the Infallibles (P.B.U.T.), was told that he did so much worship, the Imam (P.B.U.H.) answered, “What is (the standing of) our worship compared to ‘Alī’s?” that is the devout Imam (P.B.U.H.) means he was not equivalent with ‘Alī’ (P.B.U.H.). There is also a long distance between the Imam (P.B.U.H.) and the finest devotees and ascetics of our time. The Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) showed the pattern, summit and the direction of movement and selected a standard for; no matter where we could reach. The Islamic system is the system of justice and fairness as well as serving people, observing human rights and countering the injustice perpetrated by the strong against the weak. These are the important problems of mankind throughout history. The humanity has been always plagued with these problems and still suffers from this burden. Due to this bullying and tyranny, the nations are damaged and their lives become hard. Islam, the logic of the Commander of the Faithful (P.B.U.H.) and the logic of the ‘Alawite government confront these things whether within the community when the strong seek to oppress the weak, or at the global and international level.