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Imam Ali s Act of Justice in the Court
Compiled by: Allama Husayn Ansariyan
Once, a complaint was lodged by a plaintiff before Umar ibn al-Khattab - the Caliph in those days. Both parties of litigation had to appear before the court and lay their complaints. The one against whom the complaint was lodged was Imam Ali (a.s). Convoking both parties, Umar went and sat down on the seat of judgment.
According to the Islamic law, both parties ought to station next to each other and the principle of equality before the Tribunal should be respected. Accordingly, the Caliph called out the plaintiff by name and beckoned him to stand up in a peculiar place before the judge. Then he turned to Ali (A.S.) and said, “O Abul-Hasan! Place yourself next to your plaintiff.†On hearing these words, Ali (A.S.) became apparently angry.
The caliph said, “O Ali (A.S.), do you not want to stand next to your adversary?†Ali (A.S.) said, “No, that is not the reason for my anger; the reason is that you have not entirely respected the norms of justice, for you called me respectfully by my nickname Abul-Hasan but you called the other person by his ordinary name.†Umar hugged the Imam (A.S.) and kissed him between the eyes saying, “May my father be your ransom! Allah guided us with your mediation and brought us out of darkness into light through you.†(Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah: 65/17)
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