Hazrat Ali (A.S.) Lived like the Poorest
The food that Hazrat Ali ate and the dress he wore were such as even the poorest could afford. It was not because he was poor but it was his desire to lead the life of the poorest person and spend all that could thus be spared for the poor. Below are given a few incidents at the time when he was the Caliph.
1. Imam Ahmad Ibne Hanbal in his 'Musnand' as quoted by Sowaeda-Ibne-Ghafla: "One day I went to see Ali in the Government House (Darul Imrah). It was the time of breakfast and before him there was a cup of milk and some barley bread. The bread was dry, stale and hard, and did not contain any butter or oil. It could not be easily broken into pieces, and Ali had to exert himself to break and soften it. I turned towards his slave Fizza and said, 'O Fizza, have you no pity on your master, that you allow him to eat this sort of bread? 'She replied, 'He has given us strict instructions that nothing is to be added to his bread and even chaff and husk are not to be separated from the flour. We ourselves eat much better food than this though we are his slaves.' Hearing this, I told Ali, 'O Lord, have pity oil yourself, look at your age, your responsibilities, your hard work.' He replied, 'O Sowaeda, you have no idea what the Holy Prophet used to eat. He hardly ate anything for three consecutive days."
2. AlIama Kamal-ud-din Mohamed-lbne-Talha-e-Shafeyee in his book 'Matalib-ul-Soul' quotes Abdullah Ibne Zurare as saying, "I went to see Hazrat Ali on a day of eid. He asked me to join him in his breakfast, to which I readily agreed. I was surprised at the poor kind of food that was served to us and said, 'O Lord, you are a Caliph and a King. I was expecting that game would be served to us.' Ali replied, 'O Ibne-Zurare, you have heard of mighty kings who have led lives of luxury. I prefer to be near to God and lead the life of a poor and humble person - a humble laborer.'
3. Milani in his book 'Seerath' and Imam Ahmad in his 'Musnad' quotes the famous 'Tabayee' Ibne Abee Rafay, that he went to Ali on the day of Eid and while he was sitting there a bag was brought before him. He thought that the bag might contain jewels. Ali opened the bag, it contained dry pieces of bread, which he softened with water. Ibne Abee Rafay asked him the reason for sealing such a bag which evens a beggar would not care to steal. Ali smiled and said, 'I keep it scaled because my children try to substitute softer bread containing oil and butter.' Ibne Abee Rafay then asked Hazrat Ali, 'Has God prohibited you from eating better kind of food? 'No' Ali replied, 'but I want to eat the kind of food which the poorest of this realm can afford to eat at least once a day. I shall only improve upon it after I have made them more comfortable. I want to live, feel and suffer like them.'
Imam Ahmad in his book 'Al-Munaquib' and Ibne Asir in his history, quotes Haroon Ibne Anzaa as saying that he accompanied his father Anzaa, to the 'Khorenique' castle to meet Hazrat Ali. It was a very cold day is winter had set in, and he found Ali in a very thin Cotton garment, and the cold was making him shiver. Anzaa asked him, "O Commander of the Faithful! God has reserved a share for you and for your family from the Baitul Mal (Government Treasury), why do you not make use of it? "He replied, "O Anzaa! I do not want anything from the treasury and this is the dress which I have brought with me from Medina."
Views of Allama Ibne Abil Hadid al-Mutazali about Imam Ali (A.S.)
Allama Ibne abil Hadid al-Mutazali, the commentator of Nahjul Balagha, says: “Hazrat Ali had a personality in which opposite characteristics had so gathered that it was difficult to believe that a human mind could manifest such a combination. He was the bravest man that history could cite, such brave persons are always hardhearted, cruel, and eager for blood-shed, but Ali was a kind hearted sympathetic and warm hearted person, qualities quite contradictory to the other phase of his character and more suited to pious and God fearing persons.”
“He was a very pious and God fearing man and often such religious persons avoid society and do not care to mix with men of sin and men of wrath on the other hand warriors, kings and dictators are usually arrogant and haughty; they consider it below their dignity to mix with the poor, lowly and humble people. But Ali was different. He was a friend to all. As a matter of fact he had a tender spot in his heart for the poor and humble, and for orphans and cripples. To them he always was a kind friend, a sympathetic guide and a fellow sufferer; he was meek with them but haughty and arrogant towards famous warriors and generals, so many of whom he had killed in hand-to-hand combats. He was always kind but strict with wayward persons, sympathetically teaching them the ways of God. He always smiled and passed happy and witty rejoinders, it was difficult to overcome him in debates or repartees; his rejoinders and retorts always bore a distinct mark of culture, education and knowledge.”
“He was a scion of a very illustrious, rich and noble clan, as well as the son-in-law and a great favorite of the Holy Prophet (A.S.); at the same time he was the greatest warrior and marshal of his time; yet, in spite of his riches, he ate, dressed and lived like a poor person; to him wealth was for the use of other needy persons, not for himself and his family. Change of times and change of circumstances did not bring any change in his bearing, mien or character. Even when he was acclaimed as the Caliph, he was the same Au as they had found him to be during the previous regimes.”
“Once in the society of Abdullah, son of Imam Malik-ibne-Hunbal, a discussion took place about Ali and his Caliphate; Abdullah brought the discussion to an end saying that the Caliphate did not bring any honor or glory to Ali, but it was itself honored and glorified by Ali and it received the status actually due to it.”
“The world cannot quote an example other than that of Ali of a first class warrior and a marshal who is also a philosopher, a moralist and a great teacher of religious principles and theology. A study of his life shows that his sword was the only help that Islam received during its early days of struggle in its wars of self-defence. For Islam he was the first and the last line of defence; who was there to stand by him in the battles of Badar, Ohad, Khandaq, Khyber and Hunain? This is one aspect of his life. While the other facet of his character is reflected in his sermons, orders, letters and sayings. What high values of morality they teach, what ethics’ they preach, what intricate problems of Unitarianism they elucidate, how rich they are in philosophy; how they imbibe the spirit of righteousness and teach rulers to become kind, good, benevolent and God-fearing rulers, and subjects to be faithful, sincere and law abiding, how they persuade men to be warriors who can fight only for God, truth and justice, and not mercenaries murdering and plundering for wealth and riches; and how they instruct teachers to teach nothing injurious and harmful to mankind. These are but undisputable proofs of his great-ness and spiritual superiority. Has history ever produced a more splendid personality incorporating such variegated characteristics of mind and heart?”
A Glance at the Views and Policy of Imam Ali (A.S.) on the Human Rights
By: Mehri Haqqani Some forty years ago arguments ended successfully in Paris and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was approved by the U.N. General Assembly. Human rights indicated full consideration of man for others and for what happened around him in the world.
Sa’di, the great poet of Iran poetized centuries ago a verse that has served as motto for the UNO. But the credit has been for the short-lived and justice-oriented rule of Imam Ali
about 14 centuries ago that had placed first and foremost great emphasis on the indisputable rights of humans.
Among Muslim thinkers, the issue of human rights has formed different ideologies including traditional approach and religious modernist approach. Secretary to the Islamic Committee of Human Rights, Mohammad Ziaiefar said of Imam Ali’s approach to the issue of human rights: “In the world of today there are indications as to the observance of human rights. We have to see first how far the words and actions of Imam Ali complied with these indication 14 centuries ago and then draw conclusions for our society of today.” Some indications of human rights are discussed at international level from both theoretical and practical aspects. First, the issue of human rights is to be observed the world over. It is not for a special society, an ethnic group and historical and social conditions. It is for all humans worldwide under all political and social conditions and system of government.
Human rights are inseparable and cannot be disintegrated into different parts, one part executed by statesmen and another part disregarded. Economic, political or cultural rights are all parts of a whole body to be observed multilaterally. If a society enjoys economic development at the expense of political and cultural freedoms being trampled on, human rights are not observed. Governments are required to have a macro plan for an all-out observance of human rights. If a government accepted the principle that human rights should be observed at a global level, but had no macro planning, it has failed to have this principle implemented. With micro planning there should be theoretical and practical frameworks to provide for an all-out performance of government in long term that cannot be violated.
Imam Ali
believed that humans had their own rights and values irrespective of their religious beliefs and no one could deny the humanity of humans, even atheists. Imam Ali in his letter to Malik Ashtar said that people were either his religious brothers or his equals in creation. He attached the same importance to both of them. Imam Ali believed that humans, as such, whether of the same religion or of different religions, even atheists had their own rights.
The secretary to the Islamic Committee of Human Rights, Ziaiefar, said that Imam Ali had expressed his views on various occasion as to the way of government before and after he became the Islamic caliph. In his famous letter to Malik Ashtar, the then governor of Egypt, the Imam warned him that in power he should not take humans as lacerated flesh on their dead bodies. People were his fellow creatures. Imam Ali maintained that humans as such deserved to be protected and treated equally. This was the belief that human rights were for all humans alike. The difference in Imam Ali’s approach to human rights with the modernist approach is that he believed human rights came from God and no one was ever to deny to humans their divine rights. This is a salient point and stipulation in the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The approach of Muslim thinkers is either traditional or modernist. Religious modernism does not believe that there is no specific system of government, but believes that political orientation differs. The Qur’an does not suggest a specific system and in the history of Islam Muslims have experienced different systems of government like emirate, empire, monarchy, constitutional and republic. These different systems of government, however, are not political and social approaches. Political orientation exists, but has no system. Religion is concerned about the magnanimity of humans, social justice and existence of families. Some religious leaders formed governments, but how the affairs of government were executed, they could not be imitated, since social issues were constantly changing.
Even the late Ayatollah Motahhari believed the instruments for the present system of capitalism were somehow a new phenomenon. The issue of human rights as a fundamental is a new concept, but at the same time it can be traced back to the past. The issue of human rights is associated with or dissociated from the past. It is dissociated because in the past man was a minor object of attention whereas now he is a fundamental object of attention and consideration. In the past some ideologies respected man and set of values and rights for him. Freedom of opinions has been a salient object of note in human rights. In the days of Imam Ali, his opponents rose and interrupted him. He said: “Do criticize me overly and covertly.” He believed criticism redressed the wrongs of the government. Justice was a noteworthy concept in the rule of Imam Ali. What is meant by justice, Ziaiefar says, is total observance of human rights. Justice was a pivotal concern of Imam Ali. In his macro planning he placed great emphasis on administration of justice with his deep insight. He gave all-out strict instructions as to maintaining justice in executive, judicial, military and management domains of power. He advised rulers to control their realties lest they should misappropriate the public fund.
Translated by: A. Quds Sharifi
The Character of Imam Ali (A.S.)
In the personality and character of Ali Bin Abi Tâlib (A.S.), we find a combination of all the good aspects of human personalities.
This is because we are reminded of his personality whenever and wherever we find ourselves face to face with any hero or genius. In his character, we find a mixture of all such noble emotions and sentiments as may create in us feelings of compassion and admiration. This is because he himself was a martyr and the father of a line of martyrs. His biography as well as the biographies of his sons and descendants present to us a series of struggle and strife as well as of defeats and frustrations. They show to a distant observer, sometimes old men, revered by time and old age and then by the swords which never have compassion for any one; and on other occasions, young men in the prime of their youth, being deprived of their lives, not only lives but sometimes before even of food and drink too, walking towards their death, bathed in their blood, hungry and thirsty.
In the character of Ali Bin Abi Tâlib (A.S.), we find a mixture of such ideas and images as may lead the poetical imagination of man either to soar high in the skies or dive below into the deepest cavern of thought. He was a brave man who helped human sensibility reach the core of reality and heights of imagination, and, in whose praise and glorification, both the eyewitnesses as well as the lovers of the romance have participated.
His character meets the world of thought on one hand and borders at the world of imagination and pathos on the other. This is because of his being a man of opinions in the fields of Islamic philosophy, mysticism and ethics, which surpass all other ideas in these fields.
As we find his personality as confluence of thought, imagination, and pathos, so do we find a mixture of literary or artistic taste, because he was a stylist himself and had a special manner both in the field of literature as well as rhetoric, which is followed by many. A part of this taste which has reached is praised, not too exaggeratedly, by the people who have a taste for literature, although there is a distance of hundreds of years between him and them. He was a man of letter full of wisdom, an orator of great skill and a writer of such a maturity which is found only in the masterpieces of Arabic poetry and prose.
But Human conscience has many aspects other than those of pathos, imagination, thought, good taste and beautiful expression. One of these aspects, which has never disappeared in any era, is that of differences in various natures and intellects, or in other words, it is aspect of opposition, which results always from any opinion, or question of right and country.
It is possible that intelligence, reason and taste may degenerate or Imagination and pathos may cease to function, but what never gets disrupted and degenerated is the opposition between different minds, controversies and differences of opinions and prejudices and biases.
And here lies the most strange and unique trait of the Imam's character and personality, which he himself has very precisely expressed when he said, "People will love me to such an extent that they will land into the Hell, while others will hate and despise me to such an extent that they too will go to the Hell," or when he said,"Two types of men will meet their destruction in their relations with me one who loves me exaggeratedly for that which is not in me, and the one who hates me so much that he concocts accusations against me."
The Imam(A.S.) has told the truth about the exaggeration in which his friends and enemies involve themselves. Some of his devotees, out of sheer love and devotion for him, have deified him while some of those who hated him reached to such an extent as led them to declare that he was an heretic. There are, on one hand, the Ghulât who worship him, and despite his orders not to do so. He asks them to repent, but they do not obey him and persist in their heresy. And on the other hand, there are the Khârjites who declare him to be an apostate and an heretic, and demand from him that he expresses his repentance for violating God's orders. They curse him right upon the pulpits, as did the Umayyids, who opposed them in their beliefs and doctrines but supported them in respect of cursing Ali(A.S.).
Such a vast field of controversy is the personality of Ali (A.S.) as may not be found in the lives of other heroes who have been subjected to love as well as hatred ; some say that he is God, while others pronounce him to be an apostate and an heretic thrown out of the limits of God's mercy.
Another aspect of human conscience found in the personality of Ali(A.S.) in different ways is that of complaint and revolt or that of a zeal for reconstruction and reform.
Ali's name has become a standard round which every one whose rights have usurped, gathers; it has become a slogan raised by every one demanding for justice. All those who bear anger against a revolting society and unjust government, take refuge in the Alawides call as if it were synonymous with reform, or as if Imam Ali(A.S.) was the only way out for every persecuted person. Persons suffering from internal conflicts find their remedy in the name of Ali (A.S.), and those who rebel against oppression find in the name of Ali(A.S.) a drive for their rebellion and a satisfaction for their anger. The one who goes through the history of Islam with reason, or with taste, or with imagination, or with sentiment, finds in the personality of Ali(A.S.) a point of intersection with his own temperament, in many ways and in many circumstances. This is the idiosyncratic trait of Ali's personality which distinguishes him from others in the panels of history. Thus, there exist links between Ali(A.S.) and people's hearts which are created by human nature, though the history or the historians might have failed to find them.
His Character-traits
Ali(A.S.) was the first Hashimite whose father and mother both were from the Hashimite. Thus in him were combined all those character- traits on account of which this noble family had become famous. These traits had already appeared in old well-known members of this tribe. These traits, briefly enumerated, are nobility, strength, bravery, affection, devotion, chivalry, intelligence etc., in addition to physical and bodily qualities found in many of these members.
Perhaps, it is true of Ali's characteristics that he was a fast-growing child which was a preliminary step to his fame for intelligence and capability. Thus, he had the quality of rapid growth as he had the results of this rapid growth in the form of difficulties and problems which such persons have to bear in view of the old age of their parents.
He grew up as a man of strong body both in his young age as well as the old. He maintained this stoutness, strength and physical fitness right up to his end, reaching around sixty.
His life-story as well as his characteristics indicate that he had an immense bodily strength and ability to resist illness and disease. He could easily raise a rider from his horse and throw him down on the ground without any effort. He would hold the arms of a person as if he had held his soul that would not let him breathe. He would move a huge stone from its place which needed many persons to move it. He would carry a large gate which many strong men found difficult to be turned.
Side by side with this immense strength, he was so brave that none would dare face him in the battlefield. He was so courageous in the face of death that for centuries none could reach his fame and glory in this respect. He was just a raw youth when he dared face Amr Bin Abd Wudd, known as the Knight of the Arabian Peninsula, who was considered a match for a thousand, both by his friends and enemies. His bravery, however, was decorated with the best of qualities which are found in the brave. No one knows bravery personified in a better way than was presented by Ali(A.S.) without any effort or conflict of mind. And these qualities are refraining from any kind of aggression, benevolence shown to the opponent, irrespective of his being weak or strong, and being free from ill-will against the enemy after the conclusion of the battle.
One sign of his refraining from aggression is that he never took the initiative in fighting unless he had no other alternative. He used to say to his son, Imam Hasan(A.S.), "Never call for fighting, and if you are called to it, then reply. The one who calls for fighting is an aggressor and an aggressor finally get killed."
It was discovered that the Kharjites' were leaving his camp with the intention of fighting against him. He was told that the Kaharjites were rebelling against him and therefore he should take the initiative and fight them first. But he replied, "I shall not fight them unless they come to fight me. And this they shall do."
He took the same step before the Battle of the Camel and that of Siffin, and all other encounters whether big or small, or whether the enmity of the opponents was open or hidden. He always invited them to peace and forbade his men to begin fighting. He never put his hand on the sword unless he had earlier folded it for peace talks.
Once he was preaching before some people and his sermon affected some of the Kharjites who had declared him as an heretic. So one of the admirers exclaimed in a fierce manner like a person who neither controls his hatred nor admiration, and said, "May God kill this heretic, how understanding and reasonable he is!" When his friends heard these words, they wanted to rebuke the Kharjite, but he said to them, "Either you should curse as he did or excuse him."
We quite well know that he said to Amr Bin Abd Wudd, "I do not hate to shed your blood."But these words he uttered only after becoming disappointed that Amr would not embrace Islam or give up fighting against the Muslims. First he offered to him that he should leave the battle-field, but Amr refused and said, "So that the Arabs should talk about my escape." Then he called out to him, "O Amr! You gave a promise to your people that no one from the Quraish would ask you two things but you would accept one." Amr replied in affirmative. Ali (A.S.) then said to him, "I then invite you either to become a Muslim or to fight." Amr asked him, "But why, O my nephew? I do not like to kill you ..." He then had no alternative but to kill or get killed.
Despite such a bitter enmity between him and Mu'âwiyah and his armies, he never fought against them nor did he take revenge upon them and avenge his friends except what they deserved on the occasion. It happened during the Battle of Siffin that one of Mu'âwiyah's friends, named Kuraiz bin As-Sabâh Al-Himyari, came out of his rank and challenged Ali's side for a duel. In reply to this challenge, one of the companions of Ali(A.S.) went out but was killed by Kuraiz. He again challenged, and another went out from Ali's side but was again killed. He repeated it four times and killed four men from Ali's side. Then he attacked the army as a whole, with the result that the men who were in the first rank, tried to withdraw to the second and so on. Ali(A.S.) apprehended that the awe of this person might create panic in his army. He therefore himself went out to meet this man who had just established his skill and bravery, and finally killed him. Now Ali(A.S.) challenged in the same manner and killed three more persons one after the other, and then returned to his position.
As to his kindliness and culture, it was rare among the brave men. He refused to allow his army to take revenge, to kill an escaping person, to murder a wounded man, to strip the dead bodies in the battlefield or take money from his person. He came out to be victorious after the Battle of the Camel against Abdullah bin Zubair, Marwân bin al-Hakam, Sa'id Bin al-Aas, who were his sworn enemies, but he pardoned them and did not harm them at all. Similarly, he overcame Amr bin al-'Aas, who was more dangerous than a fully equipped army, but, when Amr stripped himself naked on the ground, he left him and let him save his life. Similarly, Mu'âwiyah's army interposed itself between Ali's forces and water during the Battle of Sif fin, and called out, "You will not get a single drop of water until you die of thirst. But when he defeated them and drove them from their positions on the river, he permitted them to drink water from the river as his soldiers did.
When he paid a visit to Aa'ishah after the Battle of Camel, Talhah's mother Saffiyah shouted at him, saying, "May God make your children orphans as you have done to my children!" He did not make any reply to her. When he returned from the visit, Safiyyah repeated what she had said earlier. Again he kept quiet and did not reply. A man, who got offended by the curses of Talhah's mother, said to him, Amir-ul Mu'minin ! You keep quiet at what this woman says?" Ali(A.S.) ignored him and said, "We have been ordered to refrain from harming or punishing women even though they are pagans; should we not refrain from doing so to Muslim women ?" He was on his way when some of his followers told him that two men were cursing Aa'ishah. He ordered them to be flogged one hundred strokes each. Then he saw a woman off with utmost honour, walked along with her camel for a long distance, and then sent persons to accompany her in her journey, to serve her and protect her. It is said that he sent twenty women from Abdul Qais family, who were asked to put on turbans and carry swords. When one woman was on the way, she used bad words against him, then sighed and said, "My privacy has been disclosed by his men under whose care he has sent me!" When she reached Madinah, these women threw down their turbans and said to her, "We are nothing else but only women.
This is his kindliness with his enemies, those who deserved honour or those who did not; those who had sanctity like Aa'ishah or those who did not enjoy such a position. This is a kind of treatment which is hardly found in a fighter and warrior during the heat of the battle.
His purity of heart and his being free from any kind of hatred comes at par with his nobility and uniqueness. He would not show any kind of hatred even against his sworn enemy or a person well known for having the bitterest feelings against him. He forbade his family and friends not to mutilate the body of his assassin, or kill any other person (after his death). Similarly, he mourned the death of Talhah, who had withdrawn his allegiance to him and had gathered armies to fight against him. In this elegy, he expressed the sentiments of extreme pain and grief. He also recommended to his followers not to fight with the Kharjites, who had disrupted his ranks and were more dangerous and vicious than Muâwiyah and his forces. This is because he found them sincere though mistaken and insistent on their mistakes.
Imam Ali (A.S.) and His Servant Qamber
It is narrated in Safinat’ul-Bihār from Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.) that one day a religious person from among his companions visited Amir ul-Mu’minīn Imam Ali (a.s.) with his son.
Imam Ali (a.s.) stood up and accorded great respect to him and ordered his servant Qamber to arrange for dinner for them. They ate together, then Qamber brought a pot of water and a towel to wash their hands. ‘Ali (a.s.) picked up the water pot and wanted to wash the hands of the guest when he protested. How is it possible for a slave to allow his master to serve him?
Imam Ali (a.s.) asked,
“What if by washing hands my Lord and master will be pleased with me? You wash your hands as if Qambar is pouring out water for you.”
These words compelled the companion to have his hands washed and ‘Ali (a.s.) poured out water for him. After this ‘Ali (a.s.) gave the water pot to his son Muhammad bin Hanafiyya and told him to pour out water for the son, so that the status of the father and the son is not made equal.
He (a.s.) said:
“If the father had not come with the son I myself would have poured water on his hands. But could not do so in the presence of the father.”
If Amir ul-Mu’minīn (a.s.) had washed the hands of the son himself, the status of the father and son would have been equal. But ‘Ali (a.s.) upheld the dignity of the father by not washing the hands of his son after he had washed the hands of the father.
Advice of Amir ul-Mu’minin Ali (A.S.) for the Businessmen
Whatever Imam Ali (A.S.) found himself free from the administrative work, he used to go to the market place and announce, “O people! Fear Allah! Weigh and measure with justice. Do not cheat people (by giving less) and do not spread corruption in the earth.”
One day ‘Ali (A.S.) saw a saffron seller short-weighing. He had applied oil to his hand and very cunningly he applied it to the pan of the balance which held the saffron. ‘Ali (A.S.) picked up the saffron from the balance and said, “First rectify your balance, then if you like you can give more than that.”
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http://www.abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=202000
http://www.abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=201998
http://www.abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=202003
http://www.abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=202006
http://www.abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&Id=202007
Edited by Ahmad.G, 16 September 2010 - 10:09 PM.
in praise of Hazrat Ali 
