and have been oppressed. Therefore, if they ever find a chance to express their sufferings and pains, they may speak coarsely.” He would hence advise his administrators to tolerate people’s rough language, occasional ill-temper, bitterness and unseemly reactions, never to get angry at them and treat them with a smiling face and nice words, and if they found out that blunders were committed secretly and away from public’s eyes, they should not make any enquiries about them.
Imām Ali (a.s.) tried to maintain the people’s relationship with the state as candid, transparent and far from any ambiguity. He would therefore enjoin administrators to sincerely try to remove the grounds for people’s suspicion towards the state, and if some hoodlums, would by commotion and hubbub, accuse the administrators of violating people’s rights, they should try to elucidate the reasons for their actions with honesty and meet them with clear explanations and never leave any doubts about the affairs of the state in the people’s minds. In reality, this is an indication of the value of people and their significance in the perspective of Imām Ali (a.s.).
5. Protecting the Oppressed
Imām Ali (a.s.) believed that restoring the rights of the oppressed from the oppressors was a ‘Divine covenant’. He (a.s.) therefore stressed on helping the oppressed and insisted on fighting against the oppressors. Helping the oppressed and fighting the oppressors were among the last instructions bequeathed to Imām Hasan (a.s.) and Imām Husayn (a.s.) and to all those who would hear the Imām’s testament, throughout history.
Imām Ali (a.s.) seized every opportunity to promote the culture of fighting against oppression, protecting the oppressed, seeking help from people to carry out social reforms and to make social links and relations.
He (a.s.) would say:
أيُّهَا النّاسُ! أعينوني عَلى أنفُسِكُم وايمُ اللهِ لاُِنصِفَنَّ المَظلومَ مِن ظالِمِهِ ، و لَأَقودَنَّ الظّالِمَ بِخِزامَتِهِ.
