Al-Kāfi - Volume 8


Book 1, Chapter 204

Equitable practice of ‘Amir al-Mu’minin, 'Alayhim al-Salam
1 Ḥadīth

عَلِيٌّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) قَالَ لَمَّا وَلِيَ عَلِيٌّ (عليه السلام) صَعِدَ الْمِنْبَرَ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَ أَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنِّي وَ اللَّهِ لَا أَرْزَؤُكُمْ مِنْ فَيْئِكُمْ دِرْهَماً مَا قَامَ لِي عِذْقٌ بِيَثْرِبَ فَلْيَصْدُقْكُمْ أَنْفُسُكُمْ أَ فَتَرَوْنِي مَانِعاً نَفْسِي وَ مُعْطِيَكُمْ قَالَ فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ عَقِيلٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ وَ اللَّهِ لَتَجْعَلَنِّي وَ أَسْوَدَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ سَوَاءً فَقَالَ اجْلِسْ أَ مَا كَانَ هَاهُنَا أَحَدٌ يَتَكَلَّمُ غَيْرُكَ وَ مَا فَضْلُكَ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا بِسَابِقَةٍ أَوْ بِتَقْوَى.


204. Ali from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Abdul Rahman b. al-Hajjaj from Muhammad b. Muslim from Abi Abdillah (a.s) having said: ‘When Ali (a.s) became the ruler, he ascended to the Pulpit, and praised Allah (swt) and extolled Him. Then he said, "By Allah, I will not withhold from you a single dirham of your due shares from the gains. I have been hindered in Yathrib (Medina), so let your own souls testify if you see me withholding what is rightfully yours while giving it to myself." So Aqeel stood up and said to him, "By Allah! You will consider me equal to a black man from Medina?". So he said, "Sit down! There was no one here speaking except for you, and your virtue over others is only due to merit or piety."'