Principles Governing the Political Conduct of the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (AS)

Abstract

In every government, there are individuals or groups who oppose its policies, commonly referred to as opponents or, in contemporary terms, the opposition. In the early Islamic governments established after the Prophet (PBUH), certain prominent figures were recognized as opponents of the ruling authority, among whom the most significant was the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (AS). Throughout both his time away from power and his period of governance, he adopted particular approaches in dealing with his adversaries, each of which is subject to analysis and reflection. In these instances, his strict adherence to ethics and Islamic law is evident. Although Imam Ali (AS) had received the legitimacy of his imamate and governance from God through the words of the Prophet (PBUH), he never employed means to attain power or weaken his opponents that, despite appearing necessary, were not endorsed by Islamic ethics and the tradition of the Messenger of God (PBUH). Instead, in both periods of his life, his supreme objective was the preservation of human values, the establishment of justice, and the enlightenment of the people. This is because one of the essential tools for establishing governance—perhaps the most important—is the acceptance of the ruler by the people of the time, an element that Imam Ali (AS) lacked during that era.