372. Imām Ali (a.s.) – when he was informed that Shurayh was making judgments in his house: “O Shurayh! Sit in the mosque as people consider it fairer (and closer to justice) and certainly it is a disgrace for a judge to sit in his house.”¹

373. Imām Ali (a.s.) – from his letter to Rifā`a, when he appointed him as his judge in Ahwāz: “Leave aside aspirations, oppose the desires and adorn knowledge with righteous manners. Forbearance is a good assistant for religion; had forbearance been (in the feature of) a man, it would have been a righteous one.
Beware of [expressing] boredom, for it is [a sign] of folly and meanness! Do not let the one who is not your like attend your sessions and choose the men of courage. Judge by what is apparent (and evident) and leave the secrets and the hidden matters to the Knower [God]. Give up saying, ‘I suppose!’ or ‘It seems to me!’ There is no room for ambiguity in religion. Do not dispute with the fools and the legal experts (faqihs); because the latter will deprive you of his blessings and the former will dishearten you by his evils. Do not dispute with the People of the Book except in a manner that is recognized by the Qur'ān and the sunna. Do not accustom yourself to laughter, for it effaces your eminence and make your enemy brazen against you. Beware of accepting gifts from the adversaries and be wary of the internal (secret) side of affairs!
He who trusts in a foolish woman and consults with her and consents to her will shall regret. Beware of the tears of the faithful, for the one who moves them to tears will be shattered; and those tears will put out the seas of fire of such persons. Do not humiliate the adversaries and do not chide and repel one who has asked. Do not associate with non-jurist in judgment sessions and do not consult with them in your verdicts, for consultation is done only in warfare and in urgent expediencies. Religion is not a matter of opinion; rather, it is a matter of following and obedience. Do not waste the obligatory practices while depending on supererogatories.
Do good to him who has done evil to you; forgive him who has done injustice to you; pray for one who has assisted you; give him who has deprived you and be humble to him who has granted to you. Be thankful to God for what He has granted to you and praise Him for what He tried you with. Knowledge consists of three things: the explicit verses (of the Qur’an), the established Sunnah (tradition) and the moderate obligation and their criteria is what we command (they are measured by our command and loyalty to us).”²

372. الإمام عليّ علیه السلام ـ لَمّا بَلَغَهُ أنَّ شُرَيحاً يَقضي في بَيتِهِ ـ: يا شُرَيحُ، اجلِس فِي المَسجِدِ؛ فَإِنَّهُ أعدلُ بَينَ النّاسِ، وإنَّهُ وَهنٌ بِالقاضي أن يَجلِسَ في بَيتِهِ.¹

373. عنه علیه السلام ـ مِن كِتابِهِ إلى رِفاعَةَ لَمَّا استَقضاهُ عَلَى الأَهوازِ² ـ: ذَرِ المَطامِعَ، وخالِفِ الهَوى، وزَيِّنِ العِلمَ بِسَمتٍ صالِحٍ، نِعمَ عَونُ الدِّينِ الصَّبرُ، لَو كانَ الصَّبرُ رَجُلاً لَكانَ رَجُلاً صالِحاً.
وإيّاكَ وَالمَلالَةَ؛ فَإِنَّها مِنَ السُّخفِ وَالنَّذالَةِ، لا تُحضِر مَجلِسَكَ مَن لا يُشبِهُكَ، وتَخَيَّر لِوِردكَ، اِقضِ بِالظّاهِرِ، وفَوَّض إلَى العالِمِ الباطِنَ، دَع عَنكَ: «أظُنُّ وأحسَبُ وأرى» لَيسَ في الدّينِ إشكالٌ، لا تُمارِ سَفيهاً ولا فَقيهاً، أمَّا الفَقيهُ فَيَحرِمُكَ خَيرَهُ، وأمَّا السَّفيهُ فَيُحزِنُكَ شَرُّهُ. لا تُجادِل أهلَ الكِتابِ إلّا بِالَّتي هِيَ أحسَنُ بِالكِتابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ. لا تُعَوِّد نَفسَكَ الضِّحكَ؛ فَإِنَّهُ يَذهَبُ بِالبَهاءِ، ويُجَرِّئُ الخُصومَ عَلَى الاِعتِداءِ، إيّاكَ وقَبولَ التُّحَفِ مِنَ الخُصومِ. وحاذِرِ الدُّخلَةَ³. مَنِ ائتَمَنَ امرَأَةً حَمقاءَ، ومَن شاوَرَها فَقَبِلَ مِنها نَدِمَ، احذَر مِن دَمعَةِ المُؤمِنِ؛ فَإِنَّها تَقصِفُ مَن دَمَّعَها، وتُطفِئُ بُحورَ النّيرانِ عَن صاحِبِها، لا تَنبُزِ الخُصومَ، ولا تَنهَرِ السّائِلَ، ولا تُجالِس في مَجلِسِ القَضاءِ غَيرَ فَقيه، ولا تُشاوِر فِي الفُتيا؛ فَإِنَّمَا المَشورَةَ فِي الحَربِ ومَصالِحِ العاجِلِ، وَالدّينُ لَيسَ هوَ بِالرَّأيِ، إنَّما هُوَ الاِتِّباعُ، لا تُضَيِّعِ الفَرائِضَ وتَتَّكِلَ عَلَى النَّوافِلِ، أحسِن إلى مَن أساءَ إلَيكَ، وَاعفُ عَمَّن ظَلَمَكَ، وَادعُ لِمَن نَصَرَكَ، وأعطِ من حَرَمَكَ، وتَواضَع لِمَن أعطاكَ، وَاشكُرِ اللهَ عَلى ما أولاكَ وَاحمَدهُ عَلى ما أبلاكَ، العِلمُ ثَلاثَةٌ: آيَةٌ مُحكَمَةٌ، وسُنَّةٌ مُتَّبَعَةٌ، وفَريضَةٌ عادِلَةٌ، ومِلاكُهُنَّ أمرُنا.⁴