[18] It is reported in Tafseer Imam Al-Hassan Al-Askari -asws (11 th Imam)...

[18] It is reported in Tafseer Imam Al-Hassan Al-Askari -asws (11 th Imam): Confirming the causes regarding the Arabs sitting back from Amir Al-Momineen -asws was the matter of wealth, for he -asws did not happen to give preference to any noble over the ordinary (person), nor an Arab over the non-Arab, nor did he -asws deal with the chief and the leaders of the tribes like what is done with the kings and did not incline anyone to himself -asws , and Muawiya was opposite that, so the people left Ali -asws and joined up with Muawiya.

Ali -asws complained to Al-Ashtar of the abandonment by his -asws companions and fleeing of some of them to Muawiya. Al-Ashtar said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen -asws !

We fought the people of Al-Basra by the people of Al-Kufa, and the people of Syria by the people of Al-Basra and the people of Al-Kufa and saw the people as one, and they have differed afterwards, and have weakened the intention, and the numbers became few, and you -asws are taking them with the justice and working among them with the truth, and are being fair to the ordinary one from the noble, so there isn’t the preference, the status for the noble one in your -asws presence.

A party from the ones with you made noise from the truth when they had been generalised with it, and they became saddened from the justice when they came to be in it, and they saw the dealing of Muawiya with the rich people and nobles. So, the souls of the people yearned for the world only a few weren’t for the world, and most of them disliked the truth and bought the falsehood and preferred the world.

So, if you -asws were to spend the wealth, O Amir Al-Momineen -asws , the necks of men would incline towards you -asws and their advice would be clear they would be sincere of the cordiality Allah -azwj has Made to be for you -asws . O Amir Al-Momineen -asws ! And write to your -asws enemies and disperse their groups and weaken their plots and scatter their affairs, He is Aware of what they are doing [11:111] ’.

Ali -asws said: ‘As for what you mentioned of our -asws knowledge and our -asws ways with the justice, so Allah -azwj Mighty and Majestic is Saying: One who acts righteously, so it is for himself, and one who does evil, so it would be against him, and your Lord is not the least unjust to the servants [41:46] , and I -asws am fearful from becoming deficient regarding what you mentioned.