During his reign...

During his reign, a group went to him and said, “Why do you distribute the commonwealth equally among people?” They thought that if the Imam gave more to the powerful group of society, they would protect him. However, the great imam answered, “Do you want me to win victory at the price of tyranny?” (2) To understand this, one must know that in Islamic thinking properties are of different kinds to three of which we shall refer to. One group of properties should be distributed equally among people.

The second group should be distributed differently among people. The third group should be distributed among some people. Equality runs in a society where everyone performs their duty shoulder by shoulder. For instance, the booty should be distributed equally among those who have fought side by side. However, if among them are some who have taken greater pains, they shall have more booty. Thus, if some people have shirked responsibility during the war, they will not benefit from the booty.

As you see the three different types of distribution are seen in the three instances given above which include equality, difference and allocation. With this explanation, it becomes evident that Imam Ali believes the commonwealth to belong to the first category and believes it belongs to all members of the society and considered equality in the distribution of it. Now once again observe his answer, “Do you want me to win victory at the price of tyranny?” This answer embodies some lessons.

The first lesson is that the end does not justify the means. To achieve victory – even if the victorious ruler is Imam Ali, one cannot choose an inappropriate path to violate the truth. Imam Husayn repeats the same thing when he says, “If someone tries to reach his goal through sin, he shall lose way before everyone else and plunge into a pitfall.”(3) Sin can never be a way towards victory but it is a bypass. “But they will meet deception. (4) The lesson we get from the sayings of Imam Ali.

“Indeed it is not proper to bestow one’s wealth upon those who do not deserve it. This raises the status of the one who bestows but debases him in the Hereafter. That is, it endears him among people but puts him to shame before God. He who squanders his wealth and bestows it upon those who do not deserve it, God will make them ungrateful and he will not win their friendship.