He took a farsighted approach and tried to see how to unite...

He took a farsighted approach and tried to see how to unite the Muslims under the banner of Islam and how to win their hearts. Had he taken back Fadak then certainly those who had been benefiting from the lands, during the time of reign of the third ruler Othm"n ibn Aff"n, would be deprived of that benefit and would say: 'It would have been better for us had Ali not come to power.' It is related in the traditions that an infidel who warranted death was brought before the Apostle of God.

The angel Gabriel descended and said: 'O Apostle of God, your Lord conveys you a greeting of peace and says: 'Forgive this person for he is noble.' So the Prophet said to the man: 'You are forgiven so go as you please.' The man said: 'Why, O Muhammad?' The Apostle said: 'Because Gabriel has told me that you are noble and God loves the noble.' This became the reason for the man entering Islam.

The Prophet had appreciated the nobility in this man and for this reason forgave him even though he was a polytheist and had committed crimes deserving death. The wanted to draw the people to what is best for them in this world and in the hereafter, he did not want to adhere to dictatorship or authoritarianism, or wealth and position, like other rulers, kings and Caesars do.

Islam is underlined by a system of equal opportunities and respects professionalism and expertise, and therefore when it assumes power, its policy would be to forgive and forgo of acts perpetrated before, and take into account the role and impact of expertise on the society's future. The Islamic government has certain functions: " The preservation of social justice so that no-one transgresses against another. " The protection of the [Muslim] land from enemies.

" Facilitating the nation's progress in all areas of life - order, health, employment, manufacturing and agriculture, culture and education, economics, virtue, piety, faith etc. The ruler in Islamic lands is not to be a dictator. As Imam Ali said: 'He is not to be a ravening lion,' meaning that he will take people's property and freedoms and stifle their breaths and limit their movements.

In the Islamic regime the people's property, honour, lives, and their freedoms including those of the non-Muslims who live in the Islamic lands are guaranteed security, peace, prosperity and well being. It is related that the Apostle of God sent Kh"lid ibn al-Wal:d to a community of unbelievers who subsequently professed Islam but Kh"lid nonetheless killed a number of them.