Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 1 of 2

'Ali ibn Abi Trilib 393
Another report narrated from Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&)
tells us that he said: "Consultation is the essence of guidance. The
one who bases his actions on his own opinions without consulting
others is in grave danger."z87 He also said: "What a great support
when you seek consultation, and what a bad preparation when you do
not consult anyone."288 He said: "The view of an old man is better
than what the young man sees with his own eye."z89
When Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) sent Mil& ibn al-Hikith
al-Ashtar to Egypt, he gave him this advice concerning consultation:
"Do not include among your advisers any miser, because he will
advise you not to be generous and will make you fear poverty. Do not
include any coward, because he will weaken your resolve. Do not
include anyone who is covetous, because he will try to make you
accumulate things by unjust means. Miserliness, cowardice and
covetousness are different types of inclinations that are based on
thinking badly of Allah (&)."290
'Ali (&) held the view that if the ruler did not have any
advisers, he would not he aware of what was good and had in the way
the state was run, and he would he unaware of many issues of state
and ruling. He knew that consultation would enable him to find out
what he did not already know, and it would remove uncertainty in all
matters on which he had to make decisions. He said to al-Ashtar an-
Nakha'i, when he appointed him as governor of Egypt: "Examine the
profiles of the workers whom you appoint, and let your appointment
of them be on the basis of qualification and not on the basis of
favouritism or preference. Appointing people to official positions on
the basis of favouritism is injustice and betrayal of Allah (s), and it
causes great harm to the people. People's affairs cannot be run
soundly, and neither can the affairs of governors, unless the
governors choose those who are most qualified to manage the
people's affairs and choose their workers to take care of matters that