A Revolutionary Concept of Muhammad (PBUH) above Power and Wealth

Indeed, Islam began as a profound intellectual and spiritual awakening under the guidance of Muhammad, calling humanity toward justice, knowledge, and unity. His message sought to elevate hearts and minds above tribal rivalries and narrow loyalties, inspiring the creation of a community founded upon faith, moral accountability, and the pursuit of truth.

Islam is often described as a revolution of moral consciousness brought by Muhammad—a transformation that challenged the systems of power, wealth, and privilege that had dominated earlier civilizations.

Imam Ali’s Narrative on the Revolutionary Message of Islam

According to reflections associated with Imam Ali, the mission of the Prophet was not merely to establish another political order like the empires that preceded it. Rather, Islam emerged as a profound revolution in thought and ethics. The Prophet called humanity to a new standard where justice stood above tribal loyalty, truth above political power, and moral responsibility above wealth and status.

In Nahj al-Balagha, the teachings and letters of Ali ibn Abi Talib present clear moral standards for Islamic governance. In his view, ruling is not a privilege of power but a sacred trust (amanah) meant to protect justice, human dignity, and the rights of society. His famous instructions—especially his letter to Malik al-Ashtar—outline principles that a ruler must follow.

Below are some key standards of governance emphasized in Nahjul Balagha:

1. Justice Above All

Imam Ali repeatedly stresses that justice is the foundation of a stable society. A ruler must treat all people equally regardless of wealth, tribe, or status.

“Justice puts matters in their proper place.”

(Nahj al-Balagha, Saying)

2. Defense, Not Aggression

In his sermons and letters, he emphasizes that war should not be initiated for domination or conquest. Fighting is justified only in defense against oppression or aggression, and even then ethical limits must be observed.

3. Protection of Citizens’ Rights

In his letter to Malik al-Ashtar he wrote:

“People are of two kinds: either your brothers in faith or your equals in humanity.”

This statement sets a universal standard: citizens must be respected regardless of religion or background.

4. Compassion Toward the People

A ruler must show mercy and kindness rather than harshness.

“Fill your heart with mercy for the people, love for them, and kindness toward them.”

5. Accountability of the Ruler

Imam Ali rejected authoritarian rule and insisted that rulers must be accountable to the people and to God. Leadership is not ownership of the state but a responsibility.

6. No Exploitation of Public Wealth

Public treasury (Bayt al-Mal) belongs to the people. Leaders must not use it for personal luxury or favoritism.

7. Equality Before Law

No one—whether elite or poor—should receive special treatment in justice. Imam Ali warned rulers against favoring powerful individuals.

8. Appoint Honest Officials

He instructed rulers to appoint administrators based on integrity, competence, and honesty, not tribal loyalty or political favoritism.

9. Care for the Poor and Vulnerable

A government must protect those who cannot protect themselves: the poor, widows, orphans, and the elderly.

10. Humility in Leadership

Imam Ali lived simply and warned rulers against arrogance and luxury because they distance leaders from the people.

According to these teachings, a just Islamic government must stand upon clear ethical foundations: justice must prevail over favoritism, warfare should be defensive rather than aggressive, and every citizen must be treated with dignity and respect. A ruler must govern with mercy and compassion, remain accountable for his actions, safeguard the public treasury, and ensure that the law applies equally to all people.

 Administrators should be chosen for their honesty and integrity, the weak and vulnerable must be protected, and leaders themselves must embody humility rather than arrogance.

Within this vision, Imam Ali presents Islam not as an imperial structure built on conquest or wealth, but as a moral order whose legitimacy arises from justice, service, and the protection of human dignity.

In narratives reflecting his perspective, it is often expressed that after the passing of the Prophet Muhammad, many of these ideals faced challenges as political realities and struggles for authority shaped the early course of the Muslim community. When Ali eventually assumed leadership as the fourth caliph, he sought to revive and reaffirm those original principles, attempting to restore justice, ethical governance, and the spirit of the Prophet’s message in both jurisprudence and administration.

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As history witnessed that the standards of governance established by the Prophet Muhammad were meant to guide the Muslim community toward justice, restraint, and moral responsibility, were not followed by the temporal kingdoms of Bani umayya. The Prophet’s vision of leadership emphasized humility, protection of the people, and defense against oppression rather than the pursuit of worldly power.

However, after the Prophet’s passing, the direction of the state gradually changed as political ambitions and expansionist policies began to shape the course of events.

 Armies moved beyond Arabia into neighboring regions, and the Muslim state expanded rapidly into lands that had once been ruled by earlier empires. With these conquests came the establishment of new territorial boundaries and administrative systems designed to manage provinces and collect revenue from the expanding domains. Much of this expansion occurred through warfare and political strategy.

From the reflective perspective associated with Imam Ali, such developments raised a deeper question about the direction of the community. The Prophet had called people toward faith through humility, moral example, and compassion. His governance was rooted in justice, mercy, and love for humanity rather than domination or the pursuit of empire.

Thus, in this narrative, Imam Ali is seen as reminding the community that the true strength of Islam lies not in the expansion of territory but in the establishment of justice and the cultivation of a society guided by humility, truth, and compassion—the very path that the Prophet had shown.

In reflections attributed to Imam Ali’s perspective, such developments raised concerns about whether the expanding political order remained faithful to the original ethical spirit of Islam. For him, the true purpose of Islamic rule was not conquest or accumulation of wealth but the establishment of justice, protection of the weak, and the moral guidance of society.

When Ali eventually assumed leadership, his efforts focused on restoring the principles he believed had defined the Prophet’s message—fairness in governance, equality before the law, and a return to the ethical foundations of Islam rather than the pursuit of empire.

Before Islam, much of the world was ruled by imperial systems where authority was concentrated in kings, emperors, and ruling elites. Power was measured by armies, land, and treasure. The Prophet’s message overturned that logic. He declared that the most honored among people are those who possess the greatest righteousness, not those who possess the greatest power.

From the perspective attributed to Imam Ali, the Prophet’s leadership embodied this principle. He lived simply, rejected luxury, and ruled with humility. His aim was not to accumulate power but to awaken humanity to the sovereignty of God and the dignity of justice.

In this view, Islam was therefore a revolutionary concept:

It replaced tribal privilege with moral equality.

It replaced imperial domination with justice and accountability.

It replaced the pursuit of wealth with spiritual responsibility.

Imam Ali is often remembered as emphasizing that the true strength of Islam lies not in armies or political authority but in truth, knowledge, and justice. Leadership, in this understanding, is a trust meant to serve the people and uphold divine principles rather than to enrich rulers or consolidate worldly power.

Thus, the prophetic mission of Muhammad—seen through the moral vision associated with Imam Ali—was fundamentally different from the models of earlier world powers. It sought to build a society where authority flowed from righteousness and service, and where the measure of a leader was not wealth or conquest but justice and humility.

According to a narrative often attributed to the spirit of Imam Ali’s reflections, the day of Eid al-Ghadir carried profound significance. On that occasion, the Prophet Muhammad publicly honored and elevated Ali ibn Abi Talib, declaring his closeness and authority among the believers. Yet even while many companions were present, it was clear that not all hearts were prepared to accept Ali’s leadership without hesitation. Questions of succession quietly lingered among some companions and within the broader community.

In those moments of uncertainty after the Prophet’s passing, concern spread through the household of the Prophet and among the companions about who would guide the community next. Although Ali possessed deep knowledge, closeness to the Prophet, and a strong claim in the eyes of many, he chose not to force the matter or allow the Muslim community to descend into open conflict.

For the sake of preserving the unity of the Ummah, Ali exercised patience and restraint. Rather than competing for authority, he allowed leadership to pass first to Abu Bakr, then to Umar ibn al-Khattab, and later to Uthman ibn Affan. His silence during that time was not born of weakness, but of a deliberate choice to protect the fragile unity of the Muslim community.

In this way, Ali demonstrated that leadership in Islam was not merely about power, but about wisdom, patience, and the greater good of the faith and its people.

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In a reflective narrative often associated with the spirit of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the final days of the Prophet Muhammad are remembered as a moment filled with both sorrow and responsibility for the future of the Muslim community.

Historical reports relate that Abu Bakr and Umar ibn al-Khattab were informed about the seriousness of the Prophet’s illness by their daughters—Aisha bint Abu Bakr and Hafsa bint Umar, who were present in the household of the Prophet during his final days.

According to a well-known narration recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, often referred to as the Hadith of the Pen and Paper (Book of Knowledge), the Prophet asked those present to bring writing materials so that he might write something that would guide the community after him and prevent them from going astray. However, disagreement arose among those present, and the request was not fulfilled.

From the perspective of reflection attributed to Imam Ali, such a moment carried great weight. The head of a community or a state bears the responsibility to clarify guidance and establish a clear chain of command so that confusion does not arise after his passing. Yet in those final hours, debate and hesitation overtook the gathering, and the Prophet’s wish to write a final directive remained unfulfilled.

The Qur’an itself emphasizes that the Messenger does not speak from personal desire but conveys what is revealed to him.

 As stated in the Qur’an:

“Nor does he speak from his own desire.

It is nothing but revelation revealed.”

— Qur'an, Surah An-Najm 53:3–4

Thus, for many believers reflecting on those events, the moment stands as a profound episode in early Islamic history, one that highlights the tension between divine guidance, human judgment, and the unfolding political realities that followed the Prophet’s passing.

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the final days of Muhammad were a time of deep concern for the future of the Muslim community. As the Prophet’s illness intensified, the community entered a delicate transition in which the question of guidance after him weighed heavily upon many hearts.

Reports preserved in Sahih al-Bukhari mention that during those last days the Prophet asked those present to bring writing materials so that he might record a statement that would guide the community and prevent disagreement after him. However, while he was gravely ill, a dispute arose among some of the companions regarding the matter. Voices differed about whether such writing was necessary at that moment, and as a result the request was not fulfilled.

Around the same time, the Prophet had already instructed that a military expedition be prepared under the command of Usama ibn Zayd. The order was clear that the army should depart under Usama’s leadership. Yet as the Prophet’s illness worsened and uncertainty spread through Medina, some companions delayed their departure, waiting to see how events would unfold.

In reflections attributed to Imam Ali’s understanding of those moments, these events illustrate how the Prophet’s final days were marked not only by sorrow at his illness, but also by hesitation and differing judgments among the companions about how best to respond. They became part of the broader story of how the Muslim community faced the challenge of continuing the Prophet’s mission after his passing.

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Soon after the Prophet’s death, Abu Bakr publicly confirmed the news of his passing and assumed leadership of the Muslim community as the first caliph of the emerging Islamic state.

Many observers and historians later reflected that the original spiritual momentum of Islam soon became intertwined with political struggles over leadership. From this perspective, the early political order that developed under Abu Bakr and his supporters—including influential figures such as his daughter Aisha—represented the beginning of a governing structure for the expanding Muslim state. Critics argue that this structure gradually adopted characteristics similar to earlier imperial systems, moving somewhat away from the purely spiritual and ethical focus that had defined the Prophet’s original message.

Amid these turbulent developments, Ali ibn Abi Talib sought to guide the community back to the foundational principles of justice, humility, and truth that had characterized the earliest teachings of Islam. Known for his simplicity of life and commitment to fairness in governance, he attempted to restore the moral vision of the faith. Yet the path of justice is seldom easy, and Ali himself ultimately became a martyr while defending those ideals.

The story of the Prophet’s family—beginning with Fatimah bint Muhammad and continuing through the lineage of the Imams—came to be remembered as a history marked by patience, sacrifice, and steadfast perseverance. Many members of the Prophet’s household endured hardship and persecution while striving to preserve the spiritual and ethical teachings of Islam.

According to the belief held in Twelver Shia tradition, the twelfth Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, lives in a state of occultation and will return at a time appointed by God to establish justice and restore balance in the world. It is also believed that Jesus Christ will stand alongside him, and together they will guide humanity toward truth, peace, and justice.