Examples of Imam `ali’s (a.s.) Moral Virtues

The Battle of Siffin

Siffin was a region by the river Euphrates. When the army of `Ali reached it, he was told to block the army of Mu`awiyah from having access to the river, but `Ali did not accept the idea. Mu`awiyah took advantage of this situation, seized all the ways leading to the river and blocked the army of `Ali from having access to the river. By his command, the army opened ways to the river. To retaliate, Imam `Ali’s companions decided to block Mu`awiyah’s army from access to river, but again `Ali did not permit. The Battle of Siffin lasted for eighteen months. The offensive by `Ali’s army was started hoping that the Syrians would give up and less blood would be shed!

The Battle Of Nahrawan

The best definition we can use in describing the Kharijites is that they were people afflicted with the disease of enmity with `Ali and they did not stop this enmity until they killed him. If we use the word disease, it is because enmity with anyone needs a reason. A person bears enmity to someone for personal reasons, for being jealous of that person’s position, for having been hurt or harmed by that person, for having experienced a tyranny, a family feud or religious differences. None of those reasons existed for those who were hostile to `Ali. They simply could not see `Ali alive and victorious.

These people were in the army of `Ali in the Battle of Siffin but when he overcame the enemy, they drew their swords against him and deprived him of victory. They did not accept the intelligent arbiter Imam `Ali had chosen and selected the arbiter who was `Ali’s enemy! They were the enemies of Mu`awiyah too but unknowingly assisted him and compelled `Ali to accept the mediation of the arbiters.

When the treachery of mediation became clear, they started to disagree with `Ali so much so that they disrespected him in his presence and absence. `Ali too had left them to themselves showing no reaction to what they said and did.

`Ali’s friends who could not tolerate hearing their sarcastic and insulting remarks would often ask `Ali to suppress and imprison them or check their activities. However, `Ali would not agree, saying, “As long as they do not do anything against us, we will not harm them nor will we cut their stipend from the public fund. We will allow them to come to the mosque but if they kill anyone, we will retaliate.”

The inner disease of Kharijites was being intensified. Hence, they could not stay in Kufah, for they saw `Ali there. So, they left it for Nahrawan. Still `Ali let them act freely and had nothing to do with them. When he set out to suppress Mu`awiyah, he wrote a letter as such, “We are going to suppress your enemies, a common enemy; come long with us.” The Kharijites did not accept the offer and declared war against him! Still `Ali did not go to them and set off for Syria. `Ali was asked to put an end to the enmity of Kharijites first and then set out for Syria. It was not accepted and the order to move to Syria was issued.

`Ali’s army was or the way to Syria when news reached that the Kharijites have become active, forcing people to curse `Ali and anyone who does not comply with it, is killed. `Ali headed for Nahrawan, the Kharijites base. He still refused to enter battle against them. So, he started to admonish and guide them. He managed to dissuade many of them from fighting though they refused to assist `Ali in suppressing Mu`awiyah. Those Kharijites who were dissuaded to fight `Ali returned to Kufah but remained `Ali’s enemies.

The seeds of Kharijites in the history of Islam were sown by same people and the rest did not accept any option but fighting and preferred death to living with `Ali. So they attacked `Ali’s army with the motto of ‘we are going to Paradise’. Still no order of counterattack was issued until one of `Ali’s soldiers was killed. It was then that Imam `Ali said, “It is now the right time to fight them.” `Ali’s army started its attack which put the Kharijites to flight.[^21]

A Light Diet

Suwayd ibn Ghaflah reports: I went to see Imam `Ali while he was in governor’s seat. Before the Imam was a bowl of sour yoghurt the smell of which I could feel. A loaf of bread of barley the husk of which I could see was in his hand. The Imam was breaking the dry bread either with his hand or with his knee!

At this time, I said to Fi¤¤ah, his slave-girl who was standing by him, “Don’t you fear Allah for treating this old man as such? Don’t you sieve the barley flour?” Fi¤¤ah said, “He has asked me not to sieve the flour.” `Ali asked, “What are you talking about?” I told him the story. At this time, `Ali said, “May my parents be ransom for the one for whom the flour was not sieved, nor did he ate fill bread of wheat for three straight days until he passed away.”[^22]

One Of The Days

Abu-Matar, one of the inhabitants of Basrah, reports: I was coming out of Kufah Mosque when suddenly a man called from behind, “Hold up your garment which makes it last longer and cut your hair short, if you are a Muslim.”

I followed him while he had covered himself with a cloak and held a lash in his hand like a Bedouin, “Who is this man?” He said, “I find you a stranger in this city!” I said, “Yes, I am a man from Basrah.” He said, “This is `Ali, the Leader of the believers.”

I followed him until he reached the neighborhood of Banu-Mohit which was the camels’ market-place. There, he said, “Sell but do not take oath, for it will destroy goods and blessing.” Then, he went to date sellers. There, he found a slave-girl crying. He asked the reason. She said, “This man sold me date for one dirham but my master did not like it and he does not take it back.” The Imam said, “Take back your date and give her back the one dirham, for she is a slave and has no authority.” He pushed back the Imam! I said, “Do you know this man?” He said, “No.” I said, “He is `Ali ibn Abi-Talib, the Leader of the believers.” The man took back the date and gave back her money.

Then, the man said, “I hope you are pleased with me.” He said, “Now that you have given people’s right, I am pleased with you.” Then while passing through the date sellers, he said, “Give of these dates to the needy so that Allah will bless your business.” Then he went to fish mongers telling them to be careful not to sell the fish which has died in water! Then, he went to the market of canvas sellers and visited an old man selling canvas and said, “I want a shirt for three Dirhams.” As soon as the man recognized him, he refused to sell anything to him. He went to another seller but since he too recognized the Imam, he did not buy from him until he came to a young man. He bought a shirt for three Dirhams, put it on while praying as such to Allah,

“Praise be to Allah who provided me with a good garment to adorn myself and to cover my private parts with.”

He was asked whether these were his words or he had heard it from Allah’s Messenger. He said, “I heard from the Holy Prophet saying it while he was wearing a garment.”

Amidst this, the father of the young man arrived. He was told that his son sold a shirt for three Dirhams to Amir al-Mu’minin. Turning to his son, he asked, “Why did you charge more than two Dirhams?” The father took the one dirham and came to Amir al-Mu’minin who was now sitting with Muslims at the gate of Rahbah, saying, “O Amir al-Mu’minin! Take this one dirham!” The Imam asked about the story of this dirham. The man said, “The price of the shirt was two Dirhams.” The Imam said, “He sold it with consent and I bought it with consent.”[^23]

Recompense

In the eighth year after Hijrah, Mecca was conquered by Allah’s Messenger. The House of Allah was purified from the filth of idols with `Ali’s idol-breaking act. Allah’s Messenger sent groups to propagate Islam and to invite people to monotheism. He did not declare war. One of these persons was Khalid ibn Walid who was dispatched not as fighter but as propagator. On his way Khalid came to a tribe one of whom had killed his uncle in the pre-Islamic era and had looted whatever belonged to him. When Khalid was alight near the water sources of Banu-Judhaymah, they took arms. Khalid said, “Put aside your arms, for people have become Muslims.” He had their hands tied and killed whomever he wished. When the news came to Allah’s Messenger, he raised his hands saying, “O Lord! I seek immunity from what Khalid has done!” Then, the Holy Prophet sent `Ali with money to look into their affairs. `Ali gave them back whatever Khalid had taken from them.

He paid the blood money for all and the extra money which `Ali had with him was paid to them by the command of the Holy Prophet. When `Ali came back, the Holy Prophet said that what he had done was good and right. On the words of Ya`qubi, the Holy Prophet said, “What you have done is better than the red camels.” It was at this time addressing `Ali, Allah’s Messenger said, “May my father and mother be your ransom.”[^24]