Imam Ali’s words about government's justice
Imam Ali says, “if people had not come to me and supporters had not exhausted the argument and if there had been no pledge of Allah with the learned to the effect that they should not remain silent in the face of the gluttony of the oppressor and the hunger of the oppressed, I would have cast the rope of the camel of Caliphate on its own hump.”[1]
In periods when changing government was not possible or the benefit of Muslims required the society to be in peace, they pursued the tactic of dissimulation and tried to achieve their objectives by continuing cultural fight, promoting Islamic education and educating wise followers.
In this part of ash-Shiddiqiyyah sermon, Imam Ali describes two reasons for accepting the responsibility of government after 25 years of forced isolation from power: First, people’s presence as the supporter of Islamic government and popular acceptance; because without the presence of people as the supporter of Islamic ruler, the government would fail. Although we should not think that government’s legitimacy depends on popular demand and acceptance, and must distinguish legitimacy from social popularity.
Note:
[1] . Nahjul Balagha, translated by Mohammad Dashti, p. 30
Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi
Other links:
Government’s legitimacy
Objectives of a Theocracy
