Some false teachers ascribe to Imam Ali (a.) that he believes that it would be better for an oppressor like Saddam Husain to rule and steal from the people for tax purposes than for nobody to rule. This is false information that was wrongly put into the mouth of Imam Ali (a.).

Muhammad Ibn Husain reported that Imam Ali (a.) said about: “The departing (Khawarij) when he heard their statement “no one owns the judgment but God.” Said: “A true word, with which one aims at falsehood. Yes, nobody owns the judgement except for God, but they say: [1.] “No one owns the Command except for God.” [2.] However, there is no escape (Budd) for the people from a commander, be he righteous or wicked. In his command the believer acts and in it the disbeliever takes pleasure from and in it God allows the respite to come [3.] and with him the booty (Fai’) is collected [4.] and with him the enemy is fought against [5.] and with him the roads are safe and with him one takes for the weak from the strong, till with him a righteous man comes to his rest and one has rest from an unjust one.” [Nahj-ul-Balaghah, Volume 1, Page 91, Sermon 40]

عن محمد بن الحسين عن الإمام علي عليه السلام في كلام له عليه السلام في الخوارج لما سمع قولهم لا حكم إلا لله قال عليه السلام كلمة حق يراد باطل. نعم إنه لا حكم إلا لله ولكن هؤلاء يقولون لا إمرة إلا لله وإنه لا بد للناس من أمير بر أو فاجر يعمل في إمرته المؤمن. ويستمتع فيها الكافر. ويبلغ الله فيها الأجل. ويجمع به الفئ ويقاتل به العدو وتأمن به السبل. ويؤخذ به للضعيف من القوي حتى يستريح به بر ويستراح من فاجر

[1.] Sulaim Ibn Qais reported that Imam Ali (a.) said: “Obedience belongs only to God and His Messenger (s.) and those who are in command (4:59) and it was only commanded to obey those who are in command because they are infallible and perfectly pure (33:33) and do not command disobedience to Him.” [Al-Khisal of As-Saduq, page 139, hadith 158]

عن سليم بن قيس عن الإمام علي عليه السلام قال: إنما الطاعة لله عز وجل ولرسوله ولولاة الأمر وإنما أمر بطاعة أولي الأمر لأنهم معصومون مطهرون ولا يأمرون بمعصيته

[2.] Muhammad Ibn Muslim reported that Imam As-Sadiq (a.) said: “Do you think i do not recognize your good from the bad among you? But, by Allah, the bad one among you is the one who had it in his heart to be followed. There is no escape (Budd) from a liar and a man of incompetent opinion.” [Al-Kafi of Al-Kulaini, Volume 2, Page 299, Hadith 8]

عن محمد بن مسلم عن الإمام الصادق عليه السلام قال: أترى لا أعرف خياركم من شراركم؟ بلى والله وإن شراركم من أحب أن يوطأ عقبه إنه لا بد من كذاب أو عاجز الرأي

[3.] Muhammad Ibn Muslim reported that Imam Al-Baqir (a.) said: “The booty (Fai’) and the goods of war are what was of a ground on which not a drop of blood flowed and people with whom the hatchet was buried and gave out of their hands and what was of a broken ground or deep valleys, all this is the booty (Fai’) and it belongs to God and His Messenger (s. ) and what belonged to God belonged to His Messenger (s.) who invested it where He wanted it and it belongs to the Imam (a.) after the Messenger (s.) and it is His statement: “For what God has given to His Messenger of them as booty, you did not have to spur on horses or camels.” (59:6) Do you not see that it is he? However, as for His testimony: (What God has given as booty to His Messenger from the locals.) (59:7) So it is on the level of what is preyed upon. My father used to say that, and we have nothing but two shares of it: The messenger’s share and the family’s share. Then we distribute to the people what is left over.” [At-Tahdhib of At-Tusi, Volume 4, Page 134, Hadith 10]

عن محمد بن مسلم عن الإمام الباقر عليه السلام قال: الفئ والانفال ما كان من أرض لم يكن فيها هراقة الدماء وقوم صولحوا واعطوا بايديهم، وما كان من أرض خربة أو بطون أودية فهو كله من الفئ، فهذا لله ولرسوله صلى الله عليه وآله فما كان لله فهو لرسوله صلى الله عليه وآله يضعه حيث شاء وهو للامام عليه السلام بعد الرسول صلى الله عليه وآله، وقوله: وما افاء الله على رسوله منهم فما اوجفتم عليه من خيل ولا ركاب قال: ألا ترى هو هذا، واما قوله: ما افاء الله على رسوله من أهل القرى فهذا بمنزلة المغنم كان ابي عليه السلام يقول ذلك وليس لنا فيه غير سهمين سهم الرسول وسهم القربى ثم نحن شركاء الناس فيما بقي

[4.] Bashir reported that he said to Imam As-Sadiq (a.): “I saw in my sleep that i said to you: “Fighting with another than the Imam, to whom obedience is a obligation, is as forbidden (haram) as the dead, blood and pork.” (2:173) Whereupon you said:”That is how it is, that is how it is!” [Al-Kafi of Al-Kulaini, Volume 5, Page 27, Hadith 2]

عن بشير، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: قلت له: إني رأيت في المنام أني قلت لك إن القتال مع غير الإمام المفترض طاعته حرام مثل الميتة والدم ولحم الخنزير فقلت لي نعم هو كذلك فقال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: هو كذلك هو كذلك

[5.] Companions of Muhammad Ibn Abi Umair reported that Imam As-Sadiq (a.) said: “A Muslim is he from whose hand and tongue the people remained unharmed, and a believer is he from whom the people were safe in terms of their property and themselves.” [Ma’ani Al-Akhbar of As-Saduq, page 239, hadith 1]

عن أصحاب محمد بن أبي عمير عن الإمام الصادق عليه السلام قال: المسلم من سلم الناس من يده ولسانه والمؤمن من ائتمنه الناس على أموالهم وأنفسهم

Abu Ar-Rabi’ Ash-Shami reported that Imam Al-Baqir (a.) said: “Woe to you, O Father of Rabi’, do not seek the leadership and do not be a wolf. Do not consume the wealth of men, whereas you invoke on us, whereupon God will put you in a poor state, and do not say about us what we do not say about ourselves, for you will undoubtedly be stopped and held accountable, and if you were true, we will declare you truthful, and if you lied, we will declare you a liar.” [Al-Kafi of Al-Kulaini, Volume 2, Page 298, Hadith 6]

علي بن إبراهيم، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن يونس، عن أبي الربيع الشامي، عن الإمام الباقر علبه السلام قال: ويحك يا أبا الربيع لا تطلبن الرئاسة ولا تكن ذئبا ولا تأكل بنا الناس فيفقرك الله ولا تقل فينا ما لا نقول في أنفسنا فإنك موقوف ومسؤول لا محالة فإن كنت صادقا صدقناك وإن كنت كاذبا كذبناك