Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 1 of 2

390 The oath of allegiance to Xli, his characteristics & his way of life
(B) have mercy on them, and may Allah (&)help us to follow their
path. No one can attain what they attained except by following in
their footsteps and loving them. So whoever loves me, let him love
them. Whoever does not love them hates me, and I have nothing to do
with him."273
'Ali defended the actions of 'Uthmin ibn 'Affgn, saying: "0
people, do not go to extremes (in criticising) 'Uthmin, and do not say
anything but good about him. For by Allah (B), he did not do what
be did (to the mushafs) except on the basis of the agreement of us all
-meaning the Companions. If I were in his position, I would have
done the same as he did."274 He also used to say: "I would not undo a
knot that 'Umar tied."275
2.10. The right of the Ummah
to keep watch on its rulers
The Ummah has the right to keep watch on its rulers and set
them straight. Allah (&) says:
4Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is
good @slam], enjoining al-Ma'roof [i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all
that Islam orders one to do] and forbidding al-Munkar [polytheism
and disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden]. And it is they who are
the successful.8 (Qur'an 3: 104)
The first thing that Amir alMu'mineen 'Ali(4)
said after he
was appointed was: "No one has any right to this matter (the position
of leader) except the one you appoint, and I cannot decide any matter
without your
This is similar to what Abu Bakr (&)
said when he was appointed: "If I do well, then help me, and if I do
wrong, then set me straight."277 'Umar said something like it: '"The
dearest of people to me is the one who points out my mistakes to
me.,,278 c
Umar also said: "I am afraid that I may do wrong and no one