Ali Defines Justice, Tolerance and Coexistence
It is narrated that one day Imam Ali the caliph of Muslims had a dispute with a Jewish man about armour, where Imam Ali claimed the armour was his and the Jewish man denied the allegation. Therefore, Imam Ali asked the Jewish man to come with him to the Judge and resolve the matter before him. The Jewish man accepted the offer and went with Imam Ali to the judge. The judge heard the story from Imam Ali, and then asked him: do you have a witness to testify the armour is yours? Imam Ali replied: Yes my son Hussein is my witness, and his son Imam Hussein testified that the armour was his father’s. The Judge asked Imam Ali once more, if he had a second witness, and Imam Ali said that he does not have a second witness. Therefore, the judge ruled in favour of the Jewish man, and said due to absence of sufficient witnesses the armour belongs to the defendant. Imam Ali accepted the ruling and was about to leave the place, when the Jewish man said: you are the caliph of Muslims, and you brought me here to a Judge, and the Judge ruled in my favour, and you are fine with this notion. You are the true successor of Mohammad. You were right, the armour is yours. It fell of your camel when you were leaving for a battle, and I took it. Then the Jewish man converted to Islam, when he saw the tolerance of Ali and his Justice and acceptance of others.
