Fahmida Riaz is Pakistan’s premier female poet. She became a sensation in the early 1970s when her bold, feminist poetry created a stir in the convention ridden world of Urdu poetry. Riaz was expressive, sometimes explicit, and politically charged. She created a completely new genre in Urdu poetry with a post-modern sensibility. Later, she remained prominent with her defiance of General Zia‘s martial law, her exile to India and the continuous evolution of her fiction and poetry.
Since the late 1990s, Fahmida Riaz has discovered Jalaluddin Rumi, the 12th century Turkish poet and jurist, and now an international celebrity. Her recent publication – Yeh Khana-e aab-o-gil – is a unique translation of Rumi’s ghazals in the same rhyme and meter. Since her navigation of the Rumi universe, she has explored another dimension of her individual and cultural consciousness, where the influence of Islamic scholars and Sufis is paramount.
Last winter, she read a letter by Hazrat Ali bin Abi Talib (AS), the fourth Caliph and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), while browsing a translation of Nahaj ul Balagha (a collection of sermons, letters and sayings of the Caliph). Later, in an email, she related to her friends across the globe how angry she felt for not knowing about this letter all her life, and how the real jewels of Muslim history were concealed “generation after generation.”
At the time she was preparing for a Conference at Heidelberg, Germany. Lo and behold, she made a dramatic speech about Ali‘s (AS) letter at the international moot. Thereafter she showed the text of the letter to Dr Patricia Sharpe, a US-based writer who was impressed by it and immediately paraphrased and uploaded it to on her website under the title “Good Governance Early Muslim Style.”
Ali (AS) had written a comprehensive letter – articulating principles of public policy – for the guidance of the newly appointed Governor to Egypt, Maalik al Ashtar. In this fascinating directive, Ali (AS) advises the new governor that his administration will succeed only if he governs with concern for justice, equity, probity and the prosperity of all. There is a timeless applicability of this famous letter. Selected passages from the text are reproduced below:
Religious tolerance: Amongst your subjects there are two kinds of people: those who have the same religion as you [and] are brothers to you, and those who have religions other than yours, [who] are human beings like you. Men of either category suffer from the same weaknesses and disabilities that human beings are inclined to; they commit sins, indulge in vices either intentionally or foolishly and unintentionally without realising the enormity of their deeds. Let your mercy and compassion come to their rescue and help in the same way and to the same extent that you expect Allah to show mercy and forgiveness to you .
Equity is best: A policy which is based on equity will be largely appreciated. Remember that the displeasure of common men, the have-nots and the depressed persons, over-balances the approval of important persons, while the displeasure of a few big people will be excused… if the general public and the masses of your subjects are happy with you .
The rich:…are the people who will be the worst drag upon you during your moments of peace and happiness, and the least useful to you during your hours of need and adversity. They hate justice the most. They will keep demanding more and more out of State resources and will seldom be satisfied with what they receive and will never be obliged for the favour shown to them if their demands are justifiably refused.
On judiciary: You must select people of excellent character and high calibre with meritorious records . . . When they realise that they have committed a mistake in judgment, they should not insist on it by trying to justify it . . . They should not be corrupt, covetous or greedy . . . . These appointments must be made . . . without any kind of favouritism being shown or influence being accepted; otherwise tyranny, corruption and misrule will reign . . . Let the judiciary be above every kind of executive pressure or influence, above fear or favour, intrigue or corruption.
Poverty: If a country is prosperous and if its people are well-to-do, then it will happily and willingly bear any burden. The poverty of the people is the actual cause of the devastation and ruination of a country, and the main cause of the poverty of the people is the desire of its ruler and officers to amass wealth and possessions, whether by fair or foul means.
Corruption undermines national well-being: I want to advise you about your businessmen and industrialists. Treat them well . . . They are the sources of wealth to the country . . . One more thing . . . you must keep an eye over their activities as well. You know that they are usually stingy misers, intensely self-centered and selfish, suffering from the obsession of grasping and accumulating wealth. They often hoard their goods to get more profit out of them by creating scarcity and by indulging in black-marketing.
On communicating with people: You must take care not to cut yourself off from the public. Do not place a curtain of false prestige between you and those over whom you rule. Such pretension and shows of pomp and pride are in reality manifestations of an inferiority complex and of vanity. The result of such an attitude is that you remain ignorant of the conditions of your subjects and of the actual cases of the events occurring in the State.
Peace leads to prosperity: If your enemy invites you to a peace treaty . . . never refuse to accept such an offer, because peace will bring rest and comfort to your armies, will relieve you of anxieties and worries, and will bring prosperity and affluence to your people . . . Be very careful never to break your promise with your enemy; never forsake the protection or support that you have offered to him; never go back upon your word, and never violate the terms of the treaty.
This document, written centuries ago, reflects an astute understanding of the class structure of society – ages before class as a political construct was defined, analysed and elaborated upon. The underlying ethos of a welfare state is captured here: protecting the poor and the disadvantaged .
Unlike many classics on governance, which tell you how to invite your enemy to dinner and then stab him, and how to perpetuate the exercise of power, Ali (AS) emphasised the creation of a state that provided the greatest opportunities to the people. Indeed, Riaz became a little poetic by stating that we hardly deserved the honour of being associated with a faith and vision that Ali (AS) propagated; in what unworthy hands his teachings fell!
The common stories about Islam or Muslims have to do with the chopping of arms and killing of infidels. We are told that Muslims had a great empire, after many conquests and subjugation of the “infidels.” And what have we learned in the textbooks: Ali (AS) was a brave general with a legendary sword? Have we heard this:
Do not close your eyes from glaring malpractice of officers, miscarriage of justice and misuse of rights, because you will be held responsible for the wrong thus done to others. In the near future, your wrong practices and maladministration will be exposed, and you will be held responsible and punished for the wrong done to the helpless and oppressed people.
Fahmida‘s exuberance indeed was heart-warming. Alas, not all her friends were impressed. A couple of agnostic liberals in Karachi were appalled – comrade Fahmida of yesteryear talking about Ali (AS) and Islamic history? So it turned into a spiteful, bitter litany against her for being “reactionary.” A self-styled intellectual from Karachi went to the extent of saying that she, being a woman, could not be fit to understand history and politics. This was shocking – all in response to a personal discovery that the poet shared with child-like enthusiasm. She was chided for everything under the sun, including supporting enlightened moderation, mullahs and dictatorship.
Undaunted, Fahmida composed a poem, and later wrote an allegorical short story on how a dreg of the earth, a cleaner in our society, finds a parchment of this letter and asks a mullah about it, who holds that the contents of this letter are beyond the comprehension of the cleaner. But there is a connection as the story proceeds, that universal principles of justice, fairplay and equal opportunity are valid for all – not just the elite or the powerful.
Thanks to Fahmida, many of us have (re)discovered this gem. Doubts on the authenticity of all ancient texts exist, and many a sceptical friend reminded me of this possibility. There are other ‘believers’ who contest such doubts. My view is simple:
one has to relish these little moments of pride and happiness in finding such wisdom from our heritage in an otherwise bleak world dogged by the constructs of Islamism and religious fundamentalism
Translations of the letter are based on the versions in “The Peak of Eloquence,” published by Islamic Seminary, Karachi – An earlier version appeared in the Friday Times, Pakistan.
Viqar Minai
Thanks for the insightful post.I really don’t know why you are worried about calling a spade a spade. Imam Ali has generally remained a favorite of intellectuals, poets , revolutionaries, mystics, and what not. Fahmida Riaz is hardly the first socialist of muslim background to draw inspiration from the Imam, Remember Ali Shariati? Imam Ali’s populism and anti-status-quo attitude is the recurring theme in his works. His hero is not some commander of muslim armies but the rebel Abu-Dharr who was banished by the oligarchy ruling medina at that time. Go back a little further and you’ll see Iqbal and Josh casting Imam Ali and his family as the ultimate champions of the downtrodden (in a revolutionary context against the colonialism). This particular letter obviously doesn’t have many revolutionary themes, but still has a Utopian touch to it. There’s no realpolitik in it. That’s what really attracts an activist. Imam Ali comes across as a closet socialist who generally identifies with the poor rather than the rich Industrialists. Remember that by the 3rd caliphs time, Islam has developed its own version of a proletariat. The whole struggle with the Syrians was in a way a class-struggle as well. Is it any surprise that it was the Syrian Umayyads who transformed Islam’s empire of faith into a mere empire?
Thus in my opinion, this letter should not be viewed in terms of the administrative insights presented in it, but rather in light of Imam Ali’s broad vision of a just society. We should also remember that the greatest opposition to this vision came from within the islamic society, not from without…
Ahmed R Shahid sahib wrote”
Very good post, I indeed did not know that the actual text of the letter exists ( i have only read some of the quotes here and there) does any one know of some link to see it , it sums up what we know.
The question is How do we get “self Appointed Governors ” today to understand this.
I just saw a moving picture on flickr, I made it into a post at my blog
http://www.dreampakistan.blogspot.com
Please read and in comments leave suggestions as to what to do. I can only think of ” education education education ” but there is a shortcoming in this, we have been doing it but the effort is a drop in the ocoean without GOOD GOVERNENCE
Islamic civilization produced numerous great personalities.It is ashame lot of them were treated badly during their times.May be they were much ahead of their times.
Ibn Rushd for instance wrote commentry on Aristotle,we have lost much of his work but jewish and christian scholars took advantage and benefited.I rarely hear about Ibn Sina and Al-Farabi.They believed in reason which has no place in present day Islam.
We should welcome debate whether it comes from liberal agnostics or fundamentalists.
The jewels amongst the companions of the Prophet(SAW) were indeed many . Yet, among them was one whose luminosity of faith, patience, courage and bravery was so utterly dazzling that even the words of praise and admiration seem like a crude attempt to diminish it. To his life and character nothing needs be added; it speakes so eloquently for itself. Like the radiant beauty of an unblemished flower about whom the famous poet Insha said:
“nasIM’e subh jo chU jA’e rang hO maela”
In the battle of the trenches the Quraysh were thwarted in their plans to storm the citadel, by the trench prepared by the companions in advance. As days passed, in frustration with the tenacity of extremly ill nourished and sleep deprived Muslims, the well fed most powerfully built warrior of the Quraysh entered the trench and started to heap abuse and taunts on the Muslims, daring anyone to come out and fight him. Unable to bear his taunts, Ali(RA) begged the Prophet(SAW) to let him enter the trench and deal with the abuser. Now Ali(RA) wasn’t a particularly powerfully built man , and the Prophet(SAW) was reluctant for him to be baited by the tyrant’s cat calls. Ali(RA) desisted in obedience, but when the abuse continued unabated, he begged the Prophet(RA) a second time for his permission. This time the Prophet, possibly realizing the demoralizing effect of the unanswered verbal abuse on the muslims, reluctantly agreed. With a gang of disbelivers loudly jeering along the opposite edge, Ali(RA) descended into the trench with his sword drawn. The Prophet(SAW) declared with emotional pride: “Verily the entire light of Islam has gone forth to face the entire darkness of kufr”.
The loud tongues of darkness and vile hatred proved no match for the intense fire of truth; within seconds the sight of the abusive tormentor’s lifeless body silenced the jeering crows of onlookers, as the shouts of “Allahu Akbar” went up from the Muslim camp.
It saddens me when needless justifications, sometimes exaggerated and questionable, are sought to glorify the accomplishments of that sublime existence that needs no glorification.
Long before the reign of Ali(RA), the second caliph Umar(RA) had set forth the rules for what was required of governers. This is well documented and cetainly not unknown to any student of Islamic history. The following extract is from an online article by Dr. Dildar Ahmed:
“He kept a watch over them like a hawk, and as soon as any lapse on their part came to his notice, immediate action was taken. Before assuming his responsibility, a governor was required to declare his assets and a complete inventory of his possessions was prepared and kept in record.
If an unusual increase was reported in the assets of a governor, he was immediately called to account and the unlawful property was confiscated by the state. At the time of appointment, a governor was required to make the pledge: (1) that he would not ride a Turkish horse; (2) that he would not wear fine clothes; (3) that he would not eat sifted flour; (4) that he would not keep a porter at his door; and (5) that he would always keep his door open to the public. This is how it was ensured that governors and principal officers would behave like common people and not like some extraordinary or heavenly creatures.
The governors were required to come to Makkah on the occasion of the Haj. In public assembly, Hazrat Umar would invite all those who had any grievance against any office to present the complaint. In the event of complaints, inquiries were made immediately and grievances redressed on the spot”.
It is equally well known that, on one such occasion Umar(RA) had ordered Amr b. al-Aas, the powerful governor Egypt, to be flogged as recompense for the excesses he had committed against one of the citizens.
Once, in rebuttal to Ali’s(RA) remonstration over prolonged deputation of Mu’awiya(RA) to Syria, Uthman(RA) countered by saying that even Umar(RA) had appointed Mu’awiya as a governer. To this Ali(RA) said:”Umar(RA), as a rule, did not leave any of his governors in any one territory for too long. Moreover his governers were far more terrified of him than even his (Umar’s) slave “.
God(SWT) Be Witness that I dearly love Ali(RA) and his household. But let us call a spade a spade.