The Ideal Islamic Government

BOOK ID

Author(s): Allamah Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi

Category: General Imam Ali Politics Current Affairs

Topic Tags: Islamic Government

Featured Category: Shia beliefs explained

Person Tags: Malik al-Ashtar Imam Ali

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The Ideal Islamic Government as Expounded by the Leader of the Faithful Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s.)This text presents the ideal Islamic government in the eyes of Imam 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) through his letter to Malik Al Ashtar.

Preface

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

The letter of the Leader of the faithful, 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) to the Egypt's governor-designate, Malik ibn al-Harith al-Ashtar, written in 38 A.H., should rightfully be called the first Constitution which is wholly based on justice, common welfare and public weal.

Hammurabi's Code is probably the oldest surviving "document" on state-craft. Hammurabi ruled over Babylonia in circa 1750 B.C. He got his decisions and judgments carved in stone, which was discovered in Susa, and is now placed in Louvre in Paris.

But it is not so much a constitution, as of civil and penal code, dealing with family affairs, contracts and trade, slavery and debts, crimes and punishments, and so on. Even then it did not promulgate impartial justice, as penalties and punishments varied according to the status of offenders.

Plato (circa 428 B.C. -347 B.C.) was Socrates' friend and disciple. He said that there were standards, which he called "ideas" or forms. Those ideas were the real things. A phenomenon is good when it corresponds with its idea

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