Biography of Imam `alĪ Ibn AbĪ-tĀlib

Citizenship

Human beings are gregarious. Their life is identified with togetherness. Because of this togetherness, people are identified with families, tribes and nations. In these groups, because of different natures of the individuals there are bound to be differences and disputes. Therefore, it is necessary to create a balance placing some restrictions on the individuals and groups were imperative. These norms of civilization make what is called citizenship. Because of the importance of the subject of citizenship, its study has been included in the curricula of the young students.

The basic principle of citizenship is that one should respect the feelings of others, cooperate, and protect each other in all matters in their environment. The concept of citizenship does not take effect until the individuals in the society understand their rights and duties and they learn how to live amicably together. They have to know how to behave with their neighbors, with men from their own profession, with the master, with the workers and others. They need to know what moral aspects they will have to bear in mind while interacting with others. A good citizen is one who thinks of the benefit of all the persons in his group as much as he thinks for his own benefit. He should dedicate himself to the service of his nation and the community. He should come forward to the aid of the weak and downtrodden. If someone calls for help, he should not quietly sneak away. The Prophet (a.s) said:

“If someone calls with the words, ‘O Muslims!’, and one who hears does not come to his help, then he is not a Muslim!”

It is this sense of citizenship that voluntary organizations have come up in the society with the main purpose of benefiting the people. The purpose of citizenship too is the same that the individual should not think only of himself, but he should have care for everyone around him. The Prophet 0f Islam (a.s) has said:

“One who does not attach importance to the affairs of the Muslims is not a Muslim!”

The norms of citizenship fixed by different nations, although they have a lot

in common and subservient to the local customs and practices. But Islam, which is above all differences of color and race, and is the torchbearer of universal amity and welfare unites all men under the one brotherhood. It has based nationhood on universal basis where no distinction is made of color or of descent. It accepts neither boundaries for nationhood nor the official geographical restrictions.

The norms of citizenship promulgated by Islam do not pertain to any particular land or dominion. They are universal for all places and times. Therefore, Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) who was a fountainhead of Islamic Learning has thrown light on the norms of citizenship. It is the result of our callousness and our pettiness that when the voice of this “Sage of Arabia” reverberated in the environment, we were deaf to it. But when the same voice was echoed by the West, we were all ear to it. There is no doubt that the norms and rules set by the thinkers in the world, have not a single article that was not enunciated by `Ali (a.s). Some of these norms are given here as examples.

(1) The basic principle of societal welfare is justice and fairplay. This maintains a balance between the powerful and the weak. The powerful controls himself for fear of accountability in inflicting excesses on the weak and the weak will have confidence that if the unkind hand of the powerful was about to strike him, law and justice would protect him like a defensive shield. Therefore, in a society where justice exists, peace prevails. Where cruelty flourishes, there the flames of discontent will keep burning inside the hearts of the downtrodden to assume the proportions of a wildfire in time! Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) says, “Tread the path of justice and abstain from cruelty and waywardness. Because with waywardness you may have to leave your home and hearth and cruelty invites people to take to the sword!”

(2) It is the requirement of good citizenship that people respect the feelings of others. Do to others as one wishes others to do with him. `Ali (a.s) says, “What you like for yourself, you must wish for others too! What you do not want others to do; you must refrain from that as well!”

(3) Refrain from pride and prejudice because it creates hatred in the minds of others that might affect the amicable relations between people. Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) says, “The biggest thing to be proud of is that one should have no pride!” The reason is that pride is the result of inferiority complex. A person with character, instead of making tall claims gives an example of his character with his actions.

(4) Treat the weak and downtrodden with sympathy and consideration. Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) says, “Be kind to the weak. This kindness will be the source of Allah’s Blessing for you!”

(5) If you hear any gossip about others, do not go around announcing it to others. `Ali (a.s) says, “One who heard something wrong and repeated it to others, it will be tantamount to his committing that wrong deed himself!”

(6) Do not take pleasure at someone falling into bad days after enjoying affluence. `Ali (a.s) says, “Do not express happiness on the losses suffered by others! Who knows tomorrow people may give the same treatment to you!”

(7) As far as possible do not pick up quarrels. The Imam (a.s) says, “One who wishes to preserve his self respect, he should abstain from fights.”

(8) Do not always express lack of confidence on others because mutual confidence is the basis of community life. `Ali (a.s) says, “One who does not trust others, he is not trusted as well!”

(9) Do not deny the right of anyone on account of friendship and relationships. Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) says, “Because of mutual relation ships do not deny a brother’s rights. How is he your brother when you have denied him his rights?”

(10) Meet a needy person with a kind demeanor. `Ali (a.s) says, “If on some occasion people need your help, meet them with humility and kindness. You may yourself need some help tomorrow and you may have to call on the same person for his assistance when you should not be in a predicament of being apologetic to him.”

(11) One of the important requirements of Islam is forbiddance of evil, that is, wherever you notice a wrong being committed, do not keep quiet and try to the best of your ability to stop it. If this commandment is followed, many ills in the society can be nipped in the bud. People will then avoid doing wrong things thinking that there are people around who will warn them against such misdemeanors. `Ali (a.s) has said, “A person who does not stop wrong things through his tongue, his hand and the heart, he is like a living dead among people!”

Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) did not content himself with moralizing sermons only. In practice, he made all the efforts to remove the social ills in the people. If he heard of any wrongdoing or was informed of an unnecessary conflict between persons, he used to stand up firmly to sort out the matter. Once a person complained to `Ali (a.s) that another person was troubling him

by saying that he had had a wet dream with his mother. `Ali (a.s) said that the requirement of justice was that the person is made to stand in the hot sun and his shadow beaten with a whip because a dream is like a shadow. But he added that the person would certainly be punished so that he refrained from such canard in the future. The man was therefore called and was given the punishment he deserved. The Imam (a.s) once saw two persons fighting and asked why they were at loggerheads. One of them said, “O Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s)! I have sold him one piece of textile for 9 dirhams and the agreement was that the payment must be in real dirhams. But he gave me counterfeit and broken dirhams. I refused to accept those coins when he slapped me and insulted me in the bazaar” The Imam (a.s) confirmed the facts of the event and told the other person to exchange the dirhams for the complainant. The man complied. Then he asked the complainant to slap the accused in return for the slap he gave him. The man said that he was forgiving the person for what he did. The Imam (a.s) was very happy with the spirit of forgiveness of the person and said, “It is your right whether you forgive or take revenge for the hurt caused to you by the person!”

The matter should have been considered settled with the judgment, because the person had himself forgone his right to avenge the hurt caused to him. But besides his right, there was the collective right of the society that demands punishment of such transgressors that such acts are not perpetrated again. This right could not have escaped the mind of the Imam (a.s). Therefore, he pronounced a punishment of 15 lashes to the person for his breach of trust and causing bodily harm to the complainant

With the social ills being rampant, people gamble almost in the marketplace and it has almost become a source of recreation. This, despite the fact that the Holy Qur’an has termed them taboo and Satanic acts. Therefore, Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) has said, “Chess and dice games are only maysir” When young children see their elders play these games, they too start doing the same. They then start gambling that leads them to total destruction. `Ali (a.s) considered indulging in such gave as a punishable offence. Therefore, once he found some persons playing chess and said,” What sort of chessmen are these around whom you have formed a circle? Then he overturned the chess board and punished the men by asking them to stand in the sun!”

Yaqūt al-Hamawi writes in Mu`jam al-Buldan that `Ali (a.s) once noticed a group of houses outside al-Kūfah He asked someone what place that was? He was told that it was a locality of al-Kūfah which is known as Zurarah after Zurarah ibn Yazid. They said that alcohol was brewed and sold from there.

`Ali (a.s) crossed the Euphrates and reached that locality. He ordered the habitation to be burned down, which was done.

The reform of societies depends on the reform of individuals. If they adopt the right path, the society flourishes. If the individuals are evil, they affect the type of society the people have. Individuals make the society. Therefore, Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) always paid attention to the reform and correction of the individuals. He believed in persons rendering accounts of their deeds and reprimanded them to implicitly follow the norms of behavior established in the society. Of course, mildness is a very good trait. But he was never mild when he dealt with persons who committed social offences!