Imam Ali and Political Leadership

The British philosopher Bertrand Russell had a similar view of the political motives and behavior of men in politics:
Political motives in most people include profiteering, selfishness, competition and love of power. For instance, in politics, all human actions originate from the above traits. A political leader who can convince people that he would be able to satisfy these needs, would also be able to subjugate people in such a way that they get to believe that two plus two equals five, or his authority has come down to him right from God.
The political leader who neglects these basic motives is usually deprived of the support of the masses. The psychology of public mobilizing forces is the most basic part of the education of successful political leaders. Most political leaders achieve their positions by convincing people that they have humanitarian ideals. It is easily understood that such a belief will be welcomed as it is emotionally appealing. Fettering people, public lectures and sermons, illegal punishments, and wars are procedures and steps towards the development of emotions. I think, for the followers of illogical thinking, keeping people in emotions provides with a better chance to deceive them and make benefit from them.¹
This interpretation of politics is clearly the same interpretation of Umayyad statesmen, beginning with Mu`āwiya. On this basis, and by relying on the slogan ‘Kingdom is barren’, in order to seize control and safeguard his acquired power, Mu`āwiya was ready to commit any mischievous act and use any means to achieve this goal.

The Politics of Imām Ali (a.s.)

In the view of Imām Ali (a.s.), by contrast, politics is the administration of society based on Divine principles and values, and a truth-oriented movement. He is quoted as saying:

1.. Robert Edward Egner, Bertrand Russell, Best: Silhouette in Satyr.

Imam Ali and Political Leadership

According to Imām Ali (a.s.), political insight is one of the most crucial requirements of leadership. Imām not only considers ‘understanding and correct political perception’ as the secret to a government’s success and survival, but also stresses that ‘governing a state is exactly politics itself’.¹ He asserts that political incapability is a blight that undermines a statesman’s authority and can lead to his downfall. In Imām’s view, therefore, rulers who do not possess such political insight will not be able to remain in power for long. Eventually, according to the teachings of Imām Ali (a.s.), the pursuit of ineffective and wrong policies is a clear sign of the decline of a government’s authority and the weakness of a state.²
Therefore, the management of a society on the basis of Islamic principles, as defined by Imām Ali (a.s.), is only possible through the effective leadership of the rulers. In other words, statesmanship is one of the general principles of management and it is equally important in other schools. What distinguishes Islam from other doctrines, and puts the political principles of Imām Ali (a.s.) above others and those of Umayyad politics, is how politic is viewed and understood.

Umayyad Politics

In the political ideology of the Umayyads, the only principle involved in politics appears to be identifying the goal and achieving it through whatever means possible and necessary. Such approach to politics has been common in all societies throughout history. Even today, politicians and statesmen in the “International Community” seem to have no other definition of politics than this. In other words, politics in the Umayyad School, is the same category as the common understandings of the governments that are not based on any principles or values, and for them, it is not the criteria for distinguishing between truth and falsehood that give them direction in their practices. In describing a politician, Oswald Spengler says, “A person who is politician by nature has nothing to do with the truth and falsehood of things.”

1.. See ۱۰/۱ (Causes of Durability of Governments).

2.. See ۱۰/۲ (Causes of the Decline of Governments).

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Imam Ali and Political Leadership

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