نشریه پژوهش های نهج البلاغه
سال سیزدهم شماره 3 (پیاپی 42، پاییز 1393)

During Imam Ali’s (a.s.) rule, the people of Kufa lived comfortably with respect to food, shelter, accommodation, and access to drinking water. Imam Ali (a.s.) granted a pension to retired and weary Muslims and non- Muslims. He acknowledged and observed the rights of prisoners and captives. In Imam Ali’s (a.s.) view, human rights originate in believing in God, and it is man’s responsibility toward God that guarantees the fulfillment of justice in the human society and the observation of human rights.

Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) has occupied an important position in Muslim culture and history. Imam ‘Ali is a perfect man since all the human values, such as love, courage, knowledge, honesty, unbending devotion to Islam, intellect, justice, freedom, and devotion have had their maximum growth in him and in a harmonious manner. Muhammad Iqbal, one of the contemporary and distinguished Persian and Urdu poets, has paid attention to Imam ‘Ali in his works, especially his poems. His portrayal of ‘Ali is indicative of his attitude to life and the operational philosophy he wished to convey to Muslims. Due to his personal attributes, Ali was for Iqbal the mard-i mu’min and the fata par excellence; the seeker of truth and God, who lived an active, energetic life. With his sincerity and dynamism in actions, ‘Ali personified and embodied Islamic values; he projected qualities which if followed would provide the key for self-reliance and dignity in the lives of contemporary Muslims.

This research is an attempt to show that intuition and intuitive thought play a great role in Nahj-al-Balagha as one of original sources of Islamic mysticism. It first offers a short introduction to contents of Nahjal- Balagha, then defines the term “intuition” and its varieties. The state of intuition is one of the most fundamental mystical thoughts in Nahjal- Balagha whose validity, from intellectual thought, is doubtful. But, mystically, the state of Imam Ali (a.s.) in cognitive knowledge, in general, and in Nahj-al-Balagha, in particular, is very famous. Therefore, it can be understood from the context of the orations of Nahj-al-Balagha that Imam Ali(a.s.) is the originator of intuitive thought. Nahj-al- Balagha raises many mystical questions from theoretical and practical perspectives, one of which is intuition. The question of intuition in Nahj-al-Balagha, in fact, is notable for two aspects: finding out mystical thoughts of Imam Ali (a.s.), and the importance of the state of intuition in Muslims’ mystics. However, the intuition in Nahj-al- Balagha is of such intuitive knowledge and awareness of the world of facts that it may not be possibly available to common people and intellectual thought. The findings of this paper show that the intuition in Nahj-al- Balagha is identical to attainment to God.

Justice and its enforcement is one of the concepts about which various thinkers have discussed. The holy Quran and the narrations of our Shiite leaders, especially Imam Ali who managed to serve as a governor for a while, have discussed widely about the theoretical and functional aspects of justice. Based on religious ideologies, the government has a special role in enforcing justice so much so that we can declare that it’s the right of the people on their government. The enforcement of justice requires certain conditions that Islamic thoughts have defined. The enforcement of justice leads to certain results among which are stability, development, and the stability of society in intellectual, cultural, educational, political, and economic areas that as a whole contribute to a well-balanced and ideal society.

From an Islamic perspective, freedom has been recognized as one of man’s natural rights, sometimes referred to as a divine blessing and sometimes as a human value. As the most fundamental Islamic principle, Tawhid (Oneness of God) is closely associated with freedom; in actual fact, one may attain equality and freedom through Tawhid. There exist clear assertions in the Quran and Nahj al-Balagha with respect to freedom in choosing religion and government selection, as well as freedom in having individual independence and freedom of speech. On the other hand, breaking free from all sorts of attachments, which is strongly recommended in Islam, may itself be regarded as a contributing factor to the establishment of freedom. Freedom in the Islamic viewpoint does not equal immorality: a free man is one who is free from the bonds of lusts.

Revealed religion of Islam descended upon Muhammad (pbuh) on behalf of God. Despite of being collection of commandment, religious, pray, personal, social and other duties included in the Holy Quran and tradition donated to humanity, from Prophet’s standpoint, rites and traditions are based on morality and for him the ultimate prophetic mission is expansion of good moral and comportment among people. Imam Ali(a.s.) who from his childhood and before Prophet’s prophetic mission to the time he sepulchered prophet’s body, always and everywhere accompanied the prophet and momently benefited from prophet’s knowledge, insight and character; not only deserves political and religious surrogating of Muslims on behalf of Muhammad(pbuh) also necessitates himself to morality based attitudes in all affairs and matters; because Prophet(pbuh) before being as a religious and political leader of Muslims, was a moral exemplary in all aspects. Thus his exclusively genteel, Imam Ali (a.s), must with a particular and necessary effort adhered to morality in every political and religious task, remain as a fixed and attractive exemplary for all humanity and Muslim forever. This research, benefiting from authentic data and historical references, systematically studies ethical and clement manner of Imam Ali (a.s) in his caliphate epoch. Hoping in this chaotic period of Islam, with all the violence and anti-divine act by some of the Muslim minorities who make the living for humanity and Muslims troublesome and difficult; clinging to moral and merciful guideline of Imam Ali (a.s) will shed a hopeful life fraught of peace and serenity to humanity and Islamic societies, perpetuate it and replace Islamophobia with Islamophile.

Supervision is one of the concepts which in the qualitative promotion of activities, plans and also the individual and group thoughts have been emphasized by divine religions. Islam has stressed on this issue in a specific way too. The significance and sensitivity of supervision in group activities and social relations can be studied more than anything else in the conditions and necessities of the age of Imam Ali (a.s.), the commander of the faithful believers and in the noble Nahj al-Balagha. The present research is an attempt to extract and elaborate the concept of supervision based on a specific designed system and accurate objectives with a reliance on the five-year governmental biography of Imam Ali (a.s.). His endeavors towards observing the individual and social discipline, encouragement and punishment based on truth and justice, employment of diverse methods to fulfill a constant and effective supervision of public process and contemplation on mostly frequent terms such as Akhberni [keep me informed] and Balaqhani[I have been informed that…] in particular in administrative and governmental letters and correspondences all and all indicate that supervision from his perspective is an instrument for the qualitative and ideal fulfillment of human elevated values.