In the same way...

In the same way, he did not take revenge from Saad bin Aas who was his deadly enemy. In the Battle of Siffeen, Muawiyah’s forces cut off the water supply from the army of His Eminence, Ali (a.s.). The people were thirsty. Ali (a.s.) launched a severe attack and regained control on the river. The army of His Eminence, Ali (a.s.) wanted to stop water supply in retaliation, but His Eminence, Ali (a.s.) prevented them. Such was the generosity of His Eminence, Ali (a.s.).

It is learnt from Izalatul Khifa[^2] that Muawiyah asked Zarar to say something about the qualities of Ali (a.s.). Zarar said: “By Allah, His Eminence, Ali (a.s.) was brave, just, learned, clever and wise. He was horrified of the world, was friendly to the loneliness of the night and looked at divine working to obtain lessons from it. He dressed like paupers, but despite that commanded terrific awe. He respected the people of religion, loved the poor and did not like unlawful matters.

He did not disappoint the weak and helpless. He used to cry in a sad voice in darkness. He gave up worldly pleasures and said that provisions of journey are scarce and journey is very long. Muawiyah cried hearing this and said: “May Allah have mercy on Abul Hasan, he was doubtlessly, a venerable and a holy man.” The writer feels highly regretful on Muawiyah that knowing all this, he still made war against him? O, world! How you have destroyed people!

And as long as it is all right, it will do the same. Abu Huzail says that he saw His Eminence, Ali (a.s.) wearing an old coarse shirt and when he pulled the sleeves down, they reached to his fingertips, but when he left them, they covered only half of his arms. He did not leave anything pending in distribution of booty and public treasury and when he started distributing the booty the whole day passed. He did not keep anything in the house.

He gave authority to the honest and when he found any official guilty of breach of trust, he guided him through verses of Quran and beseeched to the Almighty that he has not commanded him injustice. Abu Umar narrates from Majmaul Samin that: “I saw that when His Eminence, Ali (a.s.) had distributed war booty, Zakat or Khums, he swept the ground so that not single grain can stand up to testify against him on Judgment Day.” It means that he maintained account of each and everything.

Abu Umar narrates that during his Caliphate, His Eminence, Ali (a.s.) asked: “Is there anyone who would buy this sword of mine?