Imām Ali’s (a.s.) grace, beauty and its manifestation in his government and yet not to fall in love with it?!
Now, before we elaborate on the historical texts and traditions relating to the statesmanship of Imām Ali (a.s.), we intend to review the Imām’s political principles in government. This review would be very brief and within our limited ability and time. In reality, restating these principles is manifesting the secret of the beauties and attractions of Imam Ali (as.) and indicating the political principles of ruling over hearts. We hope that the officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran do their best in getting to know, introducing and implementing these beauties and try to identify the reality of their political and administrative life as well as their transient responsibility with Imām Ali (a.s.), and hence delineating a beautiful perspective of the government of Imām Ali (a.s.) for all mankind.

One: Administrative Policies

The managerial policies of Imām Ali (a.s.) in administration can be stated in the following principles:

1. Honesty in Politics

Honesty is the most fundamental principle in the administrative policies of Imām Ali (a.s.). Throughout history, statesmen were mostly dishonest to people; what they have told people was not what they had thought about, nor acted upon accordingly. Imām Ali (a.s.) had set honesty and truthfulness to the people, as a steadfast principle in his sovereignty and remained faithful to it from the early days of his reign to the moment of his Martyrdom. Without doubt, honesty has been one of the most significant causes of the everlasting attractions of Imām Ali’s (a.s.) rule over the hearts throughout history and an explicit distinction between his (a.s.) politics and the Umayyad politics.
In the Umayyad culture, honesty is meaningless. All sorts of fabrication, lies and imposture are the motif of their politics. As previously mentioned and as it is evident to those having a slight familiarity with the history of politics, most statesmen of the past had no implication of politics except for inversion of reality and truth and spreading falsehood in their interactions. Narrating a

Religious and truthful political leaders of the Islamic nation are manifestations of the people’s love for their Lord and the people’s love for them is love for God. In this respect, the fundamental basis of the Islamic government is beyond people’s allegiance and their votes. An Islamic government is rooted in the people’s love. This is indeed the secret of so much emphasis given by the Holy Qur'ān and Islamic traditions regarding love of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.).
On the other hand, it is clearly evident that love is not something which could be gained by compulsion. It is not possible for a person, by merely reading a statement or a pamphlet, to start loving someone or something or being forced to do so, contrary to his inner drive.
Man loves beauty. This love for beauty lies deep in his soul, and by nature, he loves all types of material and spiritual beauties. Consequently, if he views someone’s personality, manner and behavior as beautiful, he would fall in love with him; and if he finds him displeasing, he would turn away from him. This is what human nature dictates, unless this inner nature changes.
We therefore understand that the secret of the emphasis on showing love for Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) and the philosophy of its necessity, are in persuasion to achieve real knowledge about them, as their character, behavior and treatment of people is so beautiful and attractive that true and unbiased knowledge of them simply leads to loving and attachment to them. How is it possible for a person to see and know so much inner beauty in the conduct of Imām Ali (a.s.) and yet not to love him, unless one has lost his human conscience and defiled his pure and noble nature? This is the secret of the people’s such fervent love and devotion towards Imām Ali (a.s.). Clearly, those who love him are of various types throughout history and unbounded by ideologies and beliefs, from all schools of thought; as beauty and the love for beauty have no boundaries, such as love for Imām Ali (a.s.) who is the greatest manifestation of beauty on earth.
The comportment of Imām Ali (a.s.) during his life was totally adherent with the truth, truth-centeredness and the spreading of truth. He (a.s.), during his brief period of reign, demonstrated the most beautiful aspect of human rule. Would it be possible to behold