The sun had begun to set over the golden sands of Kufa, casting long shadows across the quiet streets. The marketplace was nearly empty, and a soft wind carried the dust of the day into the evening sky. Inside the modest house of the Caliph, a small oil lamp flickered, lighting the room where Ali ibn Abi Talib sat reviewing state matters.
Ali (RA), the fourth Caliph of Islam, was known not for his wealth or grand palaces, but for his unwavering justice and humility. His home was simple, his clothes were plain, and his heart was filled with a deep fear of accountability before Allah.
That evening, as he examined reports concerning public funds, there was a knock at his door.
"Enter," he said gently.
Two men stepped inside. One was a Muslim citizen of Kufa; the other was a Christian merchant who had recently settled in the city. They both greeted the Caliph respectfully.
"Peace be upon you, O Commander of the Faithful," said the Muslim man.
"And upon you be peace," Ali replied warmly.
The Christian merchant bowed slightly. "O Caliph, we have come seeking justice."
Ali straightened himself. "Justice is the right of every person under our rule. Speak without fear."
The Muslim man began, "This shield belongs to me. I found it missing from my home, and later I saw it in the possession of this man."
The Christian merchant responded calmly, "Commander of the Faithful, the shield is mine. I bought it in the market. I did not steal it."
Ali listened carefully. He looked at the shield placed between them. His eyes recognized it instantly. It was, in fact, his own shield—one he had lost during a previous journey.
For a moment, silence filled the room.
The Muslim man looked confused. "O Commander of the Faithful, you recognize this shield?"
Ali nodded. "Yes. It is mine."
The Christian merchant's face grew tense. He feared the outcome. After all, he was standing before the ruler of the vast Islamic state. Who would dare oppose the Caliph?
Ali (RA) then did something that stunned both men.
"If the shield is mine," he said, "then I too must present my claim before a judge. I cannot judge in my own favor."
The Muslim man's eyes widened. The Christian merchant stared in disbelief.
The next morning, Ali walked to the courthouse of Kufa. He did not summon the judge to his palace; instead, he went like an ordinary citizen. The judge of Kufa was a respected man named Shurayh.
When Ali entered the court, Judge Shurayh stood up in respect.
Ali immediately said, "Remain seated. In this court, I am only a claimant."
The Christian merchant stood beside him, still uncertain.
Judge Shurayh asked, "What is your case, O Commander of the Faithful?"
Ali replied, "This shield belongs to me. I lost it some time ago, and now I have found it with this man."
The judge turned to the Christian merchant. "What do you say?"
The merchant answered, "The shield is mine. I purchased it in the marketplace."
Judge Shurayh looked at Ali and said, "Do you have any evidence or witnesses to prove that the shield belongs to you?"
Ali paused. He had no written proof. He had no witness except his son Hasan.
"My son Hasan can testify," Ali said.
Judge Shurayh gently shook his head. "The testimony of a son in favor of his father is not accepted in this case."
The courtroom fell silent. The people watching were astonished. Would the judge dare rule against the Caliph?
Judge Shurayh spoke firmly, "O Ali, without sufficient evidence, I must rule in favor of the Christian merchant."
For a brief moment, all eyes turned to Ali.
Would he protest?
Would he remind them that he was the ruler?
Instead, Ali smiled peacefully.
"The judge has spoken according to justice," he said. "I accept his decision."
The Christian merchant's heart trembled. He had just witnessed something he had never seen in any kingdom before. A ruler standing equal before the law. A judge ruling against the Caliph without fear.
As they left the court, the Christian merchant hurried behind Ali.
"Commander of the Faithful!" he called out.
Ali turned.
The merchant's eyes were filled with tears. "By God, this shield is yours. I saw it fall from your camel during a journey. I took it. I was afraid to return it. But today, I have witnessed true justice. This cannot be the conduct of a false religion."
Ali looked at him with compassion.
The merchant continued, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His Messenger."
Ali's face lit with gratitude. "Praise be to Allah who guides hearts."
The story of that day spread across Kufa and beyond. People spoke not only of the shield, but of the principle behind it—that justice does not bend for power, wealth, or status.
But this was not the only time Ali (RA) demonstrated justice.
Years earlier, during his caliphate, his own brother Aqeel came to him seeking financial help from the public treasury. Aqeel was poor and had many children. He requested additional money from the Bayt al-Mal (public treasury).
Ali listened carefully but refused.
"This wealth belongs to the people," he said. "I cannot give you more than your rightful share."
Aqeel insisted, pleading with emotion.
Ali then brought a piece of heated iron close to Aqeel's hand—not to harm him, but to teach him.
Aqeel cried out in pain from the heat.
Ali said, "You cry from a piece of iron heated by man, yet you ask me to expose myself to the fire of Hell by misusing public funds?"
Aqeel lowered his head in shame.
Ali's justice was not harsh; it was principled. He did not distinguish between family and strangers when it came to rights.
Another example occurred during a time of famine. Food was scarce, and many families struggled to survive. Though Ali was the Caliph, he refused to eat luxurious meals.
It is reported that he would eat dry bread and salt. When asked why he did not eat better food while he had access to it, he replied:
"How can I be satisfied while there may be people in the land who cannot find enough to eat?"
He believed leadership was not privilege—it was responsibility.
Ali (RA) would often patrol the streets of Kufa at night, checking on his people without revealing his identity. He once saw a widow struggling to cook for her hungry children. The children were crying, and the pot on the fire contained only water and stones to calm them until they slept.
Ali returned to the treasury, carried a sack of flour on his own back, and delivered it to the woman. His servant offered to carry it for him.
Ali refused.
"Will you carry my burden on the Day of Judgment?" he asked.
He cooked for the children himself and stayed until they smiled and slept peacefully.
That was the essence of his justice—not merely court rulings, but compassion tied with accountability.
Ali understood that justice was not only about laws; it was about fairness in every action.
He once wrote to a governor he had appointed, advising him:
"Treat people with mercy and kindness. Remember that they are of two types: either your brothers in faith or your equals in humanity."
These words echoed through history.
Under his rule, even non-Muslims felt secure. Markets functioned fairly. Courts operated independently. No one feared approaching the ruler with complaints.
His governance was rooted in the teachings of Islam, shaped by his closeness to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and strengthened by his deep knowledge and wisdom.
Ali's courage in battle was legendary, but greater still was his courage in justice. It takes strength to fight enemies on the battlefield; it takes greater strength to fight one's own ego.
Years later, when Ali was struck by an assassin while praying in the mosque of Kufa, he did not call for revenge.
Instead, he instructed his sons:
"If I survive, I will decide what to do. If I die, then give him only one equal strike. Do not mutilate him, for I heard the Messenger of Allah forbid mutilation—even of a rabid dog."
Even in his final moments, justice remained his guiding light.
Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA) left behind no vast treasures, no grand monuments, no golden throne.
He left behind something far more valuable—the example of true justice.
A justice that did not bow to power.
A justice that protected the weak.
A justice that feared only Allah.