“Imprison this captive...

“Imprison this captive, and give him food and drink, and deal with him in a good way in his captivity.” And in another tradition[^14] he says the following about Ibn Muljim: إِنَّهُ أَسِيْرٌ؛ فَأَحْسِنُوْا نُزْلَهُ، وَأَكْرِمُوْا مَثْوَاهُ. فَإِنْ بَقِيْتُ، قَتَلْتُ أَوْ عَفَوْتُ.

وَإِنْ مِتُّ، فَاقْتُلُوْهُ قَتْلَتِي،  وَلاَ تَعْتَدُوْا إِنَّ اللٌّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِيْنَ  “Indeed he is a captive; therefore give him good food and a nice place; then if I were to remain alive I would either kill him or forgive him; and if I die, then kill him the way he struck me [with one blow] and do not transgress the limits, for verily Allāh does not love those who transgress the limits.” [2:190] This practical encounter of Imām ‘Alī (as) in those sensitive moments exemplifies the outlook of the teachings of…