Ibn Abil-Hadid writes...

Ibn Abil-Hadid writes: “Some spokesmen of our sect say that if some impartial person considers the politics of `Ali (a.s) he will find that he was faced with such situation at the hands of his companions that notwithstanding the complications, his politics was no less than a miracle.”[1] The following were also the causes of intrigue and disturbance: The first fact was that `Ali’s politics was purely Islamic administration and he was not willing, at any cost, to sacrifice the moral and Islamic values for worldly power.

Therefore, it was beyond him to think of trying to hold to the power with falsehoods and worldly-wise talk. If `Ali (a.s) had adopted the same tactics as did his adversaries, he would have succeeded as did they. But then caliphate would be termed Monarchy. It would not then be an example of the caliphate that has no space for stealth and falsehoods or the tricks of cheating and misguiding the people.

It is evident that while on one hand the rules of morality and the norms of the Faith were there on the other there was every type of intrigue and false allegations. The opponents knew that the Imam (a.s) would not allow any bend in his principles took advantage of his forthrightness and played all types of political tricks. Ahmad Hasan al-Zayyat writes: “`Ali (a.s) would not bend the principles of the Faith and was not aware of the worldly manipulations.

They were these lofty traits that Mu`awiyah used in his cunning to turn the atmosphere against him.”[2] The second reason was that for the appeasement of the elite, the Imam (a.s) would not compromise the interests of the people. In fact, he gave precedence to the interest of the common man over that of the affluent class. He also instructed his functionaries too to do the same.

Therefore, he wrote to Malik al-Ashtar: “Of all the methods you must like the method that is the best from the point of view of the truth and from the point of view of justice it must encompass everyone and in accord with the wish of the majority of the people.

The discontent of the masses nullifies the agreement of the elite, and the disagreement of the elite can be overlooked if the masses are in agreement.” [1] Sharh Nahj al-Balāghah by Ibn Abil-Hadīd, Vol 2, Page 184 [2] Al-Adab al-`Arabī, Page 174 This attitude was not palatable to the minds that wanted power and wanted to maintain their status and the elitist position in the society.