Honour and Islam
The perfect example of Imam Ali Ibn Abu Talib
 

Imam Ali was the first of the Prophet's family to accept Islam. He also fought in nearly all the early battles of Islam and was generally considered to be one of the bravest warriors of his time. Several times, before battles, he accepted the challenge to fight in single combat the champion of the enemy - for it was the custom in Arabia at the time that before a battle started a champion or champions from either side would engage in a single combat to the death. Thus at the battle of Badr (2 AH/624 AD) he accepted the challenge of al Walid ibn Utbah, and cut him in two with his sword, while at the battle of the Trench he fought with Amr ibn Abd Wudd because nobody else had the courage to accept the challenge. Amr ibn Abd Wudd was the most famous warrior in Arabia at that time, renowned for his swordsmanship.

Before his combat with Amr ibn Abd Wudd, the Prophet Muhammad gave Ali  a double-edged sword (Dhu'l-Fiqar). This is the account of Sayed Ali Asgher Razwy, from his Restatement of the History of Islam and the Muslims (ISBN 0 95 09879 1 3):

" The two heroes identified themselves, and sized up each other. Ali had a set of principles which he applied in all situations whether of war or of peace. In the battle of the Trench, the Muslims and the pagans saw a demonstration of the application of those principles. Whenever he confronted an enemy, he offered him three options. They were:

1. Ali presented Islam to his opponent. He invited him to abandon idolatry and to accept Islam. This invitation made Ali a missionary of Islam in the battlefield itself.

2. If the enemy did not accept Ali's invitation to accept Islam, he a dvised him to withdraw from the battle, and not to fight against God and His Messenger. Fighting against them, he warned him, would only bring eternal damnation upon him in the two worlds.

3. If the enemy did not accept the second option also, and refused to withdraw from the battle, then Ali invited him to strike the first blow. Ali himself was never the first to strike at an enemy.

Amr ibn Abd Wudd disdained even to consider the first and the second options but accepted the third, and struck a mighty blow with his ponderous sword which cut through the shield, the helmet and the turban of Ali, and made a deep gash in his forehead. Blood leapt out from the wound but Ali was not dismayed.

He rallied, and then struck a counter-blow with the famous Dhu'l-Fiqar, and it cleft the most formidable warrior of Arabia into two....."

The single combat had ended when Ali  with one blow from this sword cut off Amr ibn Abd Wudd's head. Thereafter, the Prophet Muhammad called Ali  Asadullah - the Lion of Allah - and he was commonly known by either that name or as Ali of the Double-edged Sword (Dhu'l-Fiqar). Thus did he earn the respect and admiration of both his enemies and the early Muslims. But Ali  was also much more than a courageous noble warrior.

He was also modest, and lived frugally. In common with the Prophet Muhammad  he disliked pomp and was disdainful of wealth, and just like the Prophet Muhammad  he had few possessions, and mended his own worn clothes and footwear. He was also a scholar who laid the foundation for the study of Arabic grammar and who encouraged people to reason, using logic as a guide. The Prophet Muhammad said of Ali: "If I am the city of knowledge, then Ali is its Gate."  He was also married to the Prophet's beloved daughter, Fatima.

Many of his sayings, speeches and letters have survived, kept and handed on by his descendants, and were published in book form from the first to the fourth century after the death of the Prophet Muhammad.  Most of the earlier books were subsequently lost, but they did form the basis for the collection called Nahj al Balaghah (The Peak of Eloquence) which was edited by al-Radi in the fourth century and which has survived to the present day.

It was Ali who was with the Prophet Muhammad when he died (11 AH), and it was Ali who buried him, while the other close companions of the Prophet were away arguing over who should succeed him.
 

After the death of the Prophet Muhammad when what was later to become the vast Empire of the Ummayyids was expanding and the rulers and their families were enriching themselves, Ali lived simply, earning his own living by digging wells and irrigation canals. Even when, some decades after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, he became Caliph and ruler of what was even then an  Empire, he still lived simply, a perfect living example of Islam in practice.  About being a ruler, he said:  " The ruler of a society should live in such a way that he is a consolation for the poor and needy, and not the cause of their distress."

It is in the letters to his army commanders, to his sons, and to the governors and regional rulers he appointed that his humanity and nobility shine forth for all to see. They contain and expound the essence of civilized conduct.

He was renowned for his fairness, treating everyone, rich and poor, chieftain or peasant, exactly the same. And he insisted that the noble principles of Islam should be put into practice in everyday life. This meant, for example, that public servants - from town officials to regional governors to Army commanders, were paid exactly the same, were expected to set an example of honour and frugality, and were to be incorruptible.  It meant that alcohol and lustful self-indulgence was forbidden. It meant daily prayers and a scorning of worldly vanities.

This adherence to Islam was in contrast to those who had preceded him as Caliph, and it made him many enemies from among those who longed for wealth, privilege and the trappings of power, and who wanted to satiate their appetites and lusts.  It also made him enemies from among a fanatical religious sect who had abandoned the reason and simplicity of Islam. As a result, there were many plots against him, and in the fourth year of his rulership he was attacked in a cowardly way by Abd al-Rahman bin Muljam who waited until Imam Ali was kneeling down in prayer before striking him with a sword dipped in poison.  Imam Ali died several days later.
 

Letter to Maalik Al-Ashtar

[ Note: Maalik Al-Ashtar was the commander of the Army during the battle at Siffin and was later appointed Governor of Egypt. He was a loyal and courageous supporter of Ali  and was known as the "Fearless Tiger". The insolent tyrant Mu'awiya hated Maalik and conspired to have him killed by a cowardly gang of assassins.
The letter was given to Maalik by Ali  when he appointed him Governor of Egypt.

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE BENEFICENT, THE MERCIFUL.

I order you, Maalik, to always fear Allah, to give priority to His worship and to give preference to obeying His Commands over every other thing in life, to follow the commandments and instructions which are given in His Holy Book because without them, you cannot achieve honour and virtue just as you cannot do what is dishonourable and wrong except by opposing them and ignoring them.
 

I order you to use your head, heart, hands and tongue to help the beings whom Allah has created because the Almighty Allah is responsible for helping those who sincerely try their best to help Him. Allah has further ordered you to keep your heart under control when your passions are roused because the heart can drive you to what is dishonourable unless Allah comes to your help.

Let it be known to you, Maalik, that I am sending you as a governor to a country which has seen many regimes before this. Some of them were just, while others were oppressive and cruel. People will judge your rule as critically as you have judged the activities of other rulers and they will criticize you in the same way as you have censured or approved other rulers.

You must know that a good and virtuous man is known and recognized by the good that is said about him and the praise which Allah has destined him to receive from others. Therefore, your best collection should be the collection of good deeds.  So strive to control your passions and do not let your heart stray toward what is unlawful for you, and do this by keeping it half-way between what is likes and what it dislikes.

Maalik! You must create in your heart kindness, compassion and love for your subjects. Do not behave towards them as if you are a ravenous beast whose success lies in devouring them, for remember, Maalik, that amongst your subjects there are two kinds of people: those who have the same Way of Life as you who are brothers to you, and those who have ways of living other than that of yours, who are beings just like you. Both of these can be weak, make mistakes, commit sins, indulge in vices either wilfully or foolishly. So let your mercy and compassion aid and help them in the same way that you expect Allah to show mercy and forgiveness to you.

Maalik! You must never forget that just as you are a ruler over them then the Imam is the ruler over you and Allah is the Supreme Ruler over the Imam. And  He has appointed you as the governor to test you through your rule over them.

Never believe you can declare war against Allah because you have no power before His power and have need of His Mercy and Compassion.

Never be ashamed to forgive and be merciful. Do not be hasty with punishments when you are angry but strive to find another way if you can. Never say you must be obeyed because you have the power of authority since this brings strife to the heart, weakens our way of life and takes you close to ruin. If your power brings you pride look at the kingdom of Allah which reigns over you, over which you have no power, for this will restrain your pride, reduce your anger and return you to the wisdom which you had strayed from.

Beware of comparing your power and your glory to that of Allah, for Allah can and does humble those who claim power and those who are full of pride.

Let your justice be because of Allah and be just to all of the people as you would be to yourself, your family and those of your subjects whom you like, and if you are not  just, then you will be a tyrant and when a being is a tyrant, oppressing others, Allah becomes his opponent, and when Allah becomes someone's opponent, He goes to war with them until that person repents.  Swift will His blessings turn to retribution if oppression continues, for Allah listens to the prayers of those who are oppressed just as He always knows who is a tyrant.

Letter to his Army Commander

[ Note: When Ali sent an expedition of 3000 soldiers under Ma'qil bin Qays Riyahi against the Syrians, he issued the following instructions to his Commander. ]
 

Always keep the fear of Allah in your mind. Remember that you have to meet Him one day (let the fear of Allah guide you in all your activities) and your end will be towards Him and towards none else.

Do not stand apart from your men, but stand with them and do not fight against anybody unless he wishes to fight against you. During winter, travel in the mornings and give your army a rest in the afternoons. Do rush through journeys (unless absolutely necessary). Travel by easy stages, and do not tire out your army during the journey. Do not travel during the early part of the evening because Allah has meant this to be time for rest and comfort and not for march and exertion, so make use of these hours to give rest to your body and heart.

When you have rested then begin your march with trust and faith in Allah in the early hours of the morning.

Do not crave to fight and do not behave as if you are craving for a combat or desire an encounter, but at the same time do not try to avoid your enemy or to evade an engagement as if you are afraid.  Act accordingly to my orders until you get further instructions. Do not let the hatred and dislike which your opponents show force you to a combat, and do not begin a battle even if the enemy so desires unless, having striven to be friendly and shown them good-will, you have exhausted all the chances of a peaceful settlement.

Letter to his soldiers before the Battle of Siffin

Do not take the initiative in fighting, let them begin it. It is because by the Favour of Allah you are on the side of truth and justice. Leave them until they begin their hostilities and then you are at liberty to take to fighting. Their keen-ness to begin a battle will be another proof of your sincere belief in the orders of Allah .

If Allah favours you with success and inflicts defeat to the enemy, then do not attack those who have surrendered, do not injure the disabled and weak, do not assault the wounded, do not excite women and do not make them angry with rude behaviour even if they use harsh and insulting words against your commander and officers because they are physically weak,  may get excited  easily and be frightened. During the days of the Holy Prophet we had strict orders not to touch, molest or insult women though they were unbelievers.
 
His Last Will and Testament:
 [ Note: When Abd al-Rahman bin Muljam wounded Imam Ali  who was then offering the morning prayers in the Mosque of Kufa,
Imam Ali advised  his sons Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain  in the following words. ]
 
I advise you to fear Allah. Do not go after the things of this world though they may try to entice you and may seek you out, and do not grieve over and pine for things which this world refuses you. Let the eternal Reward and Blessings of Allah be the deciding factor for all that you say and do. Be an enemy of tyrants and oppressors and be a friend and helper of those who are oppressed and tyrannized.

To you, to my other children, to my relatives and to all who acquire this will of mine, I advise  you all to fear Allah and to be pious, to have fair and honest dealings with one another and improve mutual relations because I have heard your grandfather, the Holy Prophet  saying, "To remove mutual enmity, ill-feeling and hatred is better than recommended prayers and fasting".

Fear Allah when the question of helpless orphans arises. You should never let them starve. So long as you are there to guard and protect them they should not be ruined or lost. The Holy Prophet had always advised, cautioned and reminded us of this responsibility, so much so that we often thought that the Prophet of Allah  might on the next occasion assign them a share from our heritage.

Fear Allah in respect of the Holy Quran, lest others should excel and surpass you in following its tenets and in acting according to its orders. Fear Allah so far as prayers are concerned because prayers are pillars of your faith. Fear Allah in the matter of His Holy House [Kaa'ba]. Let it not be deserted because if it is deserted, you [the Muslims] will be lost.

Do not forget Allah, struggle in His cause with your tongue, with your wealth and with your lives.

Develop mutual liking, friendship and love and help one another. Take care that you do not spurn and treat one another badly and unsympathetically.

Exhort people to do good and abstain them from evil, otherwise the vicious and the wicked will be your overlord and if you willingly allow such persons to be your rulers then your prayers will not be heard by Allah.

O' sons of Abdul Muttalib! Let there be no retaliation for the act of my murder, do not roam about with a drawn sword and with the slogan: "Amir al-Mu'minin is killed", and do not start the massacre of my opponents and enemies.

See to it that only one man, that is my assassin, is killed, as the punishment of the crime of murder is death. No one else must be molested. The punishment to the man who attempted the murder shall take place only when I die of the wound delivered by him and this punishment shall be only one stroke of sword to end his life. He should not be tortured before his death, his hands and feet should not be amputated because I have heard the Holy Prophet saying: "Do not amputate hands and feet of anybody, be it a biting dog".