EQUALITY BEFORE LAW

One day Ali Bin Abi Taleb was passing through the market of Kufa He heard a voice and went towards it. A man who ap­peared to be either a Christian or Jewish was holding a mail of armor and announc­ing its sale. The mail of armor being a good one attracted the attention of Ali who had lost his own. Ali being a warrior and cam­paigner against the enemies of God was in need of such. He went closer and took the mail of armor in his hands and carefully examined it. It seemed familiar to him. Fi­nally he was sure that it was his own. He told the Christian to give it back to him as it belonged to him and it had been lost for some time. The Christian got angry; snatched it away from Ali’s hands and said that it belonged to none but to him.

Because of their arguing people gathered around them. They recognized Ali, as he was their leader and the Caliph of God. They knew that All was telling the truth. Hence, they wanted to help him in getting his right from a Christian. But, Ali Bin Abi Taleb refrained them from doing so.

Again Ali approached the man more po­litely and requested him to return the mail of armor back to him since it brought back memories of past battles and Holy wars he had fought against the pagans and the hypocrites.

As the Christian insisted upon his re­fusal, Ali proposed to him to refer the dis­pute to a “Kadi” (Judge). The Christian

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