La hukm illa li-llah: Difference between revisions

In response to the claim that he had appointed individuals as arbiters in matters of God's religion, Imam Ali (a) clarified that appointing people to arbitrate according to the [[Quran]] does not mean choosing them as arbiters in God's religion.<ref>Yaʿqūbī, ''Tārīkh al-Yaʿqūbī'', vol. 2, p. 192.</ref> He further explained that this action was necessary because the Quran cannot speak for itself. During a debate with the [[Kharijites]], the Imam (a) brought a copy of the Quran and addressed it, saying, "O Quran! Judge!" When the Kharijites responded that the Quran does not speak, the Imam (a) replied, "Then how do you expect the Quran to arbitrate among people without human mediation?"<ref>Ibn Kathīr, ''al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya'', vol. 7, p. 279.</ref>

Imam Ali (a) believed that "ruling is for none but Allah" was a true statement used to promote a falsehood. He challenged the Kharijite claim that rule or governance belonged solely to Allah by asserting that people must inevitably have rulers, whether just or unjust. He argued that government is necessary to maintain order, provide services for both believers and unbelievers, organize societal affairs, and secure the roads.<ref>Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 33, p. 358.</ref> The Imam's (a) response to the slogan "la hukm illa li-Allah" is recorded in the fortieth sermon of ''[[Nahj al-Balagha]]''.<ref>Sayyid Raḍī, ''Nahj al-balāgha'', p. 82.</ref>

While Imam Ali's (a) debates with the [[Kharijites]]<ref>Yaʿqūbī, ''Tārīkh al-Yaʿqūbī'', vol. 2, p. 191; Balādhurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 2, p. 353; Ibn Kathīr, ''al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya'', vol. 7, p. 280.</ref> changed the minds of four thousand<ref>Dhahabī, ''Tārīkh al-Islām'', vol. 3, p. 591.</ref> or even all of the Kharijites,<ref>Ibn Khaldūn, ''Tārīkh Ibn Khaldūn'', vol. 2, p. 635.</ref> they ultimately insisted on asserting that Imam 'Ali was sinful and an unbeliever when [[arbitration]] proved futile. As a result, they refrained from accompanying Imam Ali (a) and the Kufan army in their continued fight against [[Mu'awiya]].<ref>Dīnawarī, ''al-Akhbār al-ṭiwāl'', p. 206.</ref> Gathering in the house of [['Abd Allah b. Wahab al-Rasibi]],<ref>Dīnawarī, ''al-Akhbār al-ṭiwāl'', p. 202.</ref> they prepared for war against the Imam (a), which ultimately culminated in the [[Battle of Nahrawan]], where they were defeated.<ref>Yaʿqūbī, ''Tārīkh al-Yaʿqūbī'', vol. 2, p. 192- 193.</ref>

The slogan "ruling is for none but Allah" remained a significant symbol for the Kharijites, and later, [[Ibn Muljam al-Muradi]] invoked this phrase when striking Imam Ali (a).<ref>Ibn Kathīr, ''al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya'', vol. 7, p. 326.</ref> Years later, the slogan was recognized as a doctrinal principle of the Kharijites<ref>Ibn Aʿtham al-Kūfī, ''Kitāb al-Futūḥ'', vol. 7, p. 63.</ref> and was used in their uprisings.<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam'', vol. 6, p. 276; Ibn Aʿtham al-Kūfī, ''Kitāb al-Futūḥ'', vol. 7, p. 63.</ref>