(3:134)[^5]” Imam al-Kadhim (a) said: “Be steadfast against...

(3:134)[^5]” Imam al-Kadhim (a) said: “Be steadfast against the enemies of the graces, for your best retaliation for those who acted disobediently to Allah against you is to act obediently to Allah with them[^6].” Once, he (a) gathered his sons and said: “Sons, I will lead you to an instruction that saves you from deviation if you adhere to it.

Accept the apology of him who reviled at you in your right ear, and then turned to your left to make an apology and claim that he had not said anything bad[^7].” The foolish may regard clemency as signs of weakness, while the intelligent regard it as signs of nobility, high standards, and honor. When man’s prestige mounts, his traits become nobler he holds fast on clemency and pardon. Hence, he becomes the matter of admiration and praise.

It is related that a wise man answered those who asked him why he had not replied the one who had reviled at him: “I will not engage myself in a war the triumphant of which is eviler than the loser.” When al-Ma’mun, the Abbasid caliph, asked Imam ar-Rida (a) to recite some poetic verses, the Imam composed: If he whose ignorance befell me is lower than I am in position, I will reject for myself to answer him by means of ignorance.

If he enjoys the same position of intelligence that I have, I will adopt for clemency so that I will not be likened to him. If he is higher in position than I am, I will respect him from his preference. As he heard these verses, al-Ma’mun showed his admiration and asked about the one who composed them.

The Imam (a) answered: “He is one of our men[^8].” The Prophet and the immaculate Imams (a) were the ideal examples of clemency: Imam al-Baqir (a) narrated: When the Jewess who served the Prophet (S) a poisonous meal was brought before him, he asked her a reason for her deed. “Well,” she replied, “I said that the poisoned meal would not affect him if he was real prophet. But if he was only an ordinary king, the meal would save people from him.” The Prophet pardoned her.

The Prophet (S) also forgave many individuals after he had outlawed and ordered to be killed. Habbar Ibn al-Aswad Ibn al-Muttalib was one of those individuals. The Prophet (S) outlawed him after he had frightened Zainab the Prophet’s daughter- and caused her to terminate her pregnancy. It was related that this man came to the Prophet and said: “We, God’s Prophet, were polytheists, and God guided us to the right by you and saved us from perdition.