الشَورَى

COUNSEL

---

2– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘There is no better support than good counsel.’
[Ibid. no. 54]

3– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Seeking counsel has been highly emphasised because the opinion of the counselor is unadulterated whereas the opinion of the one seeking counsel is polluted with his own whims.’
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3908]

4– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘O Ali, do not seek counsel from a coward for verily he will confine the way out for you, nor from the miser for verily he will hold you back from your goal, and nor from the covetous one for verily he will make greediness fair-seeming to you.’
[`AIlal al-Shara’i`a , p. 559, no. 1]

5– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Do not seek counsel from a liar for verily he is like a mirage – he makes that which is far appear near, and he makes that which is near appear far.’
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 10351]

6– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Counsel should only be sought whilst fulfilling its four terms. Firstly that the one whose counsel you seek must be a man of intellect. Secondly that he must be a free and religious man. Thirdly, he must be brotherly and friendly, and fourthly that when you disclose your secret to him whereby he knows as much about it as you do, he would keep your secret and guard it well.’
[Makarim al-Akhlaq, v. 2, p. 98, no. 2280]

7– Imam Zayn al-Abidin (AS) said, ‘The right of the one who seeks your counsel is that you point him in the right direction if you know that he is inclined towards a certain opinion, and if you do not know
[which way to point out], then you must guide him to someone who does.’
[al-Khisal, p. 570, no. 1]

8– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Whoever seeks counsel from a fellow brother who refuses to advise him with even an opinion either way, Allah wrests him of his opinion.’
[al-Mahasin, v. 2, p. 438, no. 2521]

9– Imam Ali (AS) said in a letter that he wrote to Muawiya, ‘…rather counsel is confined to the muhajirun and the ansar
[muhajirun – early Muslims who migrated from Mecca to Medina with the Prophet (ed.) ansar – Medinan Muslims who helped the Meccan Muslim migrants settle in Medina (ed.) ]. If they agree on an individual and take him to be their leader, it will be deemed to mean Allah’s pleasure.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 6]

10– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Do not desist from speaking the truth, nor from offering your counsel with fairness, for verily I do not regard myself above erring, nor do I consider myself immune from erring in my actions. It is only that Allah makes up for my shortcomings and helps me avoid errors in all these matters wherein He is more powerful than I.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 216]

11– Imam al-Hasan (AS) said, with regards to his treaty with Muawiya, ‘Muawiya b. Abi Sufyan has no right to delegate anybody after him to power. Rather the matter will be for the Muslims to decide in counsel amongst themselves.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 44, p. 65, no. 13]