Government and Sovereignty

Imam Ali (AS) said, Obedience is the shield of the people and justice is the shield of governments.

Imam Ali (AS) said, The disgrace after being deposed is equal to the glory of sovereignty.

Imam Ali (AS) said, The humiliation of the man being deposed is equivalent to his evil as a sovereign.

Imam Ali (AS) said, Be just in that which you have been given authority and thank Allah for that which has been granted to you.

Imam Ali (AS) said, Protect your status near your king and be cautious not to be belittled due to [your] negligence in protecting that which elevated you to it.

Imam Ali (AS) said, Direct the people [based] on their practices and religions; let the innocent from among them be safe [from your wrath] and let the suspicious ones be afraid of you, and protect their frontiers and borders.

Imam Ali (AS) said, Make the religion your refuge and justice your sword, [then] you will be safe from every evil and will triumph over every foe.

Imam Ali (AS) said, Be cautious of inequity and tyranny, for verily inequity invites the sword and tyranny leads to expulsion and hastens retribution and revenge.

Imam Ali (AS) said, The most loathsome thing is the tyranny of rulers.

Imam Ali (AS) said, Kingship is politics.

Imam Ali (AS) said, Kingship spoils brotherhood.

Imam Ali (AS) said, Leadership is destruction.

Imam Ali (AS) said, Equity is the embellishment of leadership.

Imam Ali (AS) said, Haughtiness in sovereignty leads to disgrace in deposition.

Imam Ali (AS) said, Sovereignties are the arenas of men.

Imam Ali (AS) said, The instrument of leadership is [patience and] large-heartedness.

Imam Ali (AS) said, The bane of leadership is arrogance.

Imam Ali (AS) said, When you are given a position of authority, [then] act justly.

Imam Ali (AS) said, When the vile become sovereigns, the dignified ones are ruined.

Imam Ali (AS) said, When the depraved gain authority, hope turns into disappointment.

Imam Ali (AS) said, When the wicked become rulers, the honourable are persecuted.

Imam Ali (AS) said, The sovereignty of the vile and inexperienced over nations is the cause of their decline and regression.

Imam Ali (AS) said, Your haughtiness in sovereignty will be [the cause of your] disgrace in deposition.

Imam Ali (AS) said, The stability of nations is through the establishment of the practice of justice.

Imam Ali (AS) said, Love for authority is the primary source of tribulations.

Imam Ali (AS) said, The embellishment of leadership is bestowing favours.

Imam Ali (AS) said, The fall of nations results from the appointment of depraved leaders.

Imam Ali (AS) said, The excellence of leadership is [in] good governance.

Imam Ali (AS) said, Lack of leaders is easier to bear than the leadership of the depraved.

Imam Ali (AS) said, Every nation has its moment.

Imam Ali (AS) said, Nothing ever preserves nations like the exercising of justice in them.

Imam Ali (AS) said, One who oppresses his people helps his enemies.

Imam Ali (AS) said, By the One who split the grain and created human being! If people had not come to me and supporters had not exhausted the argument, and if Allah had not commanded the learned that they should not acquiesce in the excesses of the oppressor and the hunger of the oppressed, I would have cast its rope (i.e. of Caliphate) on its own shoulders and would have given the last one to drink from the cup of the first (i.e. I would have let things remain in their previous state). Then you would have found that in my view, this world of yours is not better than the sneezing of a goat.