People will now watch your dealings as you used to watch the...

People will now watch your dealings as you used to watch the dealings of the rulers before you…” Imam Ali reminds Malik not to forget previous leaders. When you enter a new environment, it is imperative that you are aware of what you are following. People may be sceptical towards you because you are going to be another let-down or, alternatively, you will not live up to the greatness of the previous person. Imam Ali (PBUH) is reminding us not to take the people’s scepticism to heart.

Instead, it should motivate you to be better than what was before you. 3. We are all humans that make mistakes; be forgiving. Imam also said: “People are of two kinds, either your brother in religion or one like you in creation. They will commit slips and encounter mistakes. They may act wrongly, willfully or by neglect.

So, extend to them your forgiveness and pardon, in the same way as you would like Allah to extend His forgiveness and pardon to you…” He then says arguably his most famous quote, but what he says right after should not be ignored. The first part of this quote should be imprinted outside every place of worship. Imam Ali (PBUH) takes off the lenses that separate people based on religion. If we aren’t linked through religion, we are linked through humanness.

When one realizes this, it is then we can treat each other with respect and mercy. Regardless of what worldview you belong to, you will make mistakes. Imam Ali says to be a forgiving person because we all want God to be forgiving towards us in light of our mistakes. We must mirror the attributes of God to our human capability. 4.

Remove negative people from your circle: Imam Ali (PBUH) added: “The one among the people under you who is furthest from you and the worst of them in your view he should be who is the most inquisitive of the shortcomings of the people because people do have shortcomings and the ruler is the most appropriate person to cover them.” Imam Ali says that these people are no good for you. We all know people whose sole purpose on the earth seems to be to criticize people and expose their faults.

These people should not be near you. As a leader, you are the safety net of the people who work for you. Your job is to make sure they flourish in a positive environment and if they have any shortcomings, you keep them in-house. Having people in your circle that exposes the faults to others weakens your team and creates an environment of mistrust. 5.