Imam Ali's Advice to Malek (Part 2)

Malek and Taking lessons from ancestors in Leadership

Verily, people look at your works in the same way that you look at the functions of previous rulers; that which you say about they are told about you.

Fear God in view of the lowest classes of society consisting of those who have few means: the poor, the destitute, the penniless and the disabled; because in this class are both the discontented and those who beg. Take care for the sake of Allah of His obligations towards them for which He has made you responsible. Fix for them a share from the public funds and a share from the corps of lands taken over as booty for Islam in every area, because in it the remote one's have the same shares as the near ones. All these people are those whose rights have been placed in your charge. Therefore, a luxurious life should not keep you away from them. You cannot be excused for ignoring small matters because you were deciding big problems. Consequently, do not be unmindful of them, nor turn your face from them out of vanity.[1]

Everyone who grows discerning, the straight path will become evident to him in knowledge and in action. Everyone for whom the straight path pops up can understand the state of the progenitors and anyone who gets acquainted with the state of others appears to have been living among predecessors and experience their conditions and the result of their deeds.

Verily, people look at your works in the same way that you look at the functions of previous rulers; that which you say about they are told about you.

 Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi

Note:‌

[1] Nahjul Balaghah, letter 53.

Other links:‌

Imam Ali’s Advice to Malek in Selecting Officials

The Caliphate of Imam Ali (A.S) and His Method of Rule (Part 2)