Principles of good governance in the letter of Ali to al-Ashtar explained

Principles of good governance in the letter of Ali to al-Ashtar refers to a set of instructions and advice for rulers, reputedly addressed at Malik al-Ashtar, the Arab military commander and an ardent supporter of Ali ibn Abi Talib, who was the fourth Rashidun caliph, the first Shia imam, and the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The letter is attributed to Ali and outlines his conception of just and righteous governance, following the appointment of al-Ashtar as the new governor of Egypt circa 657 CE. Among the earliest extant records about Islamic rule, the letter has received considerable attention throughout the Muslim history as a blueprint for Islamic governance. The theme of the letter can be summarized as justice and compassion for all, regardless of class, creed, and color. Malik was killed en route to Egypt to assume his new post at the instigation of Mu'awiya, the archenemy of Ali.

Background

The controversial policies of the third caliph Uthman resulted in a rebellion that led to his assassination in Medina in 656 CE. Ali ibn Abi Talib, the son-in-law and cousin of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, was subsequently elected caliph by the Medinans and the dissidents present there. While he received a nearly unanimous pledge of allegiance in Medina, Ali found limited support among the powerful Quraysh tribe. Among the Quraysh, the caliphate of Ali was soon challenged by Aisha, a widow of Muhammad, and two of his companions, namely, Talha and Zubayr. Uthman's cousin Mu'awiya also denounced the accession of Ali when he was dismissed from his post as the governor of Syria. He now demanded retribution against Uthman's killers.

Ali defeated the rebellion of Aisha, Talha, and Zubayr in the Battle of the Camel in 656, but the Battle of Siffin against Mu'awiya in 657 resulted in a stalemate when the latter called for arbitration by the Quran to avoid defeat. Soon after Siffin, pro-Uthman and pro-Mu'awiya rebels in Egypt defeated the forces of Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, the governor of Ali in Egypt at the time. Apparently concerned about his youth and inexperience, Ali sent his commander Malik al-Ashtar to replace Muhammad. However, Malik was poisoned and killed at the instigation of Mu'awiya en route to Egypt in 657, or in 658 or 659. Muhammad was also killed later and Egypt fell in 658 to a large army dispatched by Mu'awiya under the command of Amr ibn al-As.

Contents

The letter reputedly contains some instructions for Malik al-Ashtar issued by Ali, outlining his vision of just and righteous governance. Among the earliest extant records about Islamic rule, the letter is the longest of its kind in, an eleventh-century collection of sermons, letters, and sayings attributed to Ali. The letter has received considerable attention, serving as a blueprint for Islamic governance and complementing the general guidelines enshrined in the Constitution of Medina, attributed to Muhammad.

The theme of the letter can be summarized as justice and compassion for all, regardless of class, creed, and color. The letter opens with an emotional exhortation to Malik to fear God and strictly abide by all divine commands, perhaps as an antidote to the maxim, 'power corrupts'. In the letter, the ruler's obligation to God thus transcends and subsumes his duty to the society. The ethos of humility is then stressed in the letter by presenting pride as a war with God. The letter urges Malik to view his rule as a means of encouraging religious awakening and spiritual well-being within the community.

Then there are instructions concerning the specific classes within the society, namely, the army, the scribes, the judiciary, executive officers, tax-collectors, peasants, merchants, artisans, and the destitute. Malik is advised to be a role model for his staff and others, to strive for justice and monitor his staff for its enforcement, and to consult often with his staff. The letter directs Malik to recruit only those known for their trustworthiness and to be wary of others' (often hidden) true nature. Merchants and craftsmen are praised therein for their benefits to the community but Malik is also asked to curb their vices, namely, hoarding, miserliness, and cheating. The destitute are described as those in the greatest need of compassionate justice, and the ruler is warned of divine wrath for neglecting them. To fulfil all these responsibilities, the letter prescribes endless remembrance of God and long hours of worship at nights.

Authenticity

The letter can also be found in some sources that pre-date, and it has been furnished with multiple chains of transmission from the first transmitter of the letter, Asbagh ibn Nubata, who is considered trustworthy in Shia hadith studies, to Sharif al-Radi, the prominent Shia scholar credited with compiling . Another recension of the text exists in, the legal compendium authored by the Isma'ili jurist al-Qadi al-Nu'man, who attributes his version to Ali or Muhammad, though the latter attribution can be easily ruled out. There are some textual differences between the two versions. For instance, the name of Malik does not appear in the second version. The Islamicist Wadad al-Qadi rejects the attribution of both versions to Ali, while Reza Shah-Kazemi, another Islamic author, criticizes her for ignoring the Twelver evidence for attribution of the text to Ali. Such debates about the authenticity of this text and others attributed to Ali may nevertheless be irrelevant to their value as a source of spiritual and ethical teachings.

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