Who is the best role model for the people and the rulers?

Who is the best role model for the people and the rulers?

It is obvious to all Muslims and Muslim rulers that the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) was a peak of perfection. His youth is a model for the youth of the Islamic Ummah. He was sincere and insightful. He could see the truth, and he was always seeking it. He used to defend the truth with all his soul. He used to step into dangerous arenas. He used to ignore the dangers on his path. He did not at all deviate from the appropriate path. He used to closely follow the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) all his life. He used to obediently follow the orders of God and those of the Prophet (s.w.a.). At the same time, he used to increase his knowledge on a daily basis. Every moment of his life, he used to base his actions on his knowledge. That was the youth of the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.). Similarly, when he was middle-aged and elderly, his life was full of difficult tests, and he patiently went through all of these tests. He always used to place the interests of Islam above everything else, even his own indisputable rights... Thus, he used to defend the interests of Islam with all his soul. And when people went to him and insisted that he should accept the leadership of their society, he stepped in with all his competence. He was not afraid of anything, and no criticisms could stop him. The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) was a perfect role model. Shia Muslims consider him to have this high position.

Imam Ali’s (a.s.) features as narrated by prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

Knowledge is one of the criteria. Regarding his knowledge, both Shia and Sunni narrations confirm that the Holy Prophet said, "I am the city of knowledge, and Ali is the gate to it." This is the best testimony to Imam Ali's knowledge. Regarding his jihad, Allah the Exalted said, "And there is the type of man who gives his life to earn the pleasure of Allah." [The Holy Quran, 2: 207] This Quranic verse describes the selflessness of the Commander of the Faithful. There are no other such revelations about other people in the Quran. Regarding his charitable activities, there is the ayah, "And they feed, for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive." [The Holy Quran, 76: 8] This ayah is about the Commander of the Faithful and his family. "Your (real) friends are (no less than) Allah, His Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers - those who establish regular prayers and regular charity, and they bow down humbly (in worship)." [The Holy Quran, 5: 55] Everyone says that this ayah is about Imam Ali (a.s.). He had each and every one of the qualifications specified in Islam - including knowledge, piety, charitable activities, selfless efforts, and jihad. Who would deny the fact that Imam Ali (a.s.) had these qualifications?

Imam Ali prohibited people from flattering and complementing him.

Another characteristic of the political behavior of the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) was that he genuinely - not insincerely - asked the people to avoid flattering and sweet-talking him. He asked them to avoid behaving in an insincere way towards him. In the middle of one of the sermons of the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) - which was one of his very articulate and astonishing sermons - someone stood up and began to praise and compliment him. He gave the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) plenty of praise because of his sermon and the things which he was saying. When this person finished praising, Hazrat turned to him and advised him - almost as much as this person spoke - to avoid speaking to the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) in this way. I am saying this on the basis of Nahjul Balaghah and the selected text of Sayyid Radhi. One of the sentences that he uttered in this sermon was: "Do not speak to me the way you speak to oppressive kings and rulers. Do not evade me as the people of passion are to be evaded". Some people avoid saying certain things to other people so that they do not make them annoyed and displeased. Imam Ali (a.s.) said that they should not show such considerations for him. "Do not meet me with flattery and do not think that I shall take it ill if a true thing is said to me" [Nahjul Balaghah, Sermon 216]. He said that people should not think Ali would be annoyed if they say a true thing to him. It was not the case that he found it hard to accept the truth. This is another characteristic of the political behavior of the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.).