Letter of Imam Ali (a) to Ash'ath b. Qays

The Letter of Imam Ali (a) to Ash'ath b. Qays is one of the letters in Nahj al-balagha, in which Imam Ali (a), recalling events such as the Murder of Uthman and the breach of allegiance by Talha and Zubayr, urges Ash'ath b. Qays, his governor in Azerbaijan, to pledge allegiance to him. At the end of the letter, Imam Ali (a) also warns Ash'ath about the protection of the public treasury (Bayt al-Mal).

According to Makarim Shirazi, a commentator of Nahj al-balagha, the main issue of this letter is that governmental positions in an Islamic administration are a divine trust and should not be used as a pretext for personal gain or oppression of the people. Imam Ali (a) wrote this letter in 36/656, after the Battle of Jamal, and it was delivered to Ash'ath through Ziyad b. Marhab al-Hamdani.

Ibn 'Uthaym al-Kufi, a historian who died after 320/932, in al-Futuh, and Nasr b. Muzahim (2nd/8th century) in Waq'at Siffin have both transmitted the text of this letter with minor variations. Sayyid Radi included only the concluding sentences of the letter in Nahj al-balagha. This letter is listed as the fifth letter in Nahj al-balagha according to the editions of Subhi Salih, Fayd al-Islam, Ibn Maytham, and other editors.

Ash'ath b. Qays al-Kindi (d. 40/660) was among those who participated in the conquest of Azerbaijan and was appointed as the governor of Azerbaijan by Uthman b. Affan in 25/646. According to historians, with Uthman's permission, Ash'ath took 1,000 dirhams annually from the taxes of Azerbaijan for his own use. Imam Ali (a), at the beginning of his caliphate, did not remove him from office.

According to historical reports, after Ash'ath read Imam Ali's (a) letter to his companions, they encouraged him to pledge allegiance to Imam Ali (a). However, he expressed fear that if he went to Ali (a), his personal gains from Azerbaijan's treasury would be confiscated, whereas if he went to Mu'awiya, he would not be asked for anything. According to these accounts, Ash‘ath regretted his statement after being reproached by his companions. Historians report that he then proceeded toward Kufa, where Imam Ali (a) reclaimed the public funds under his control and dismissed him from office.