The murder of Uthman, the third Khalifah, in 656, resulted from unrest in the province of Egypt, where Uthman's appointed governor was accused of tyranny. When Ali ibn Abi Talib acceded to the Khilafah, he appointed Malik al-Ashtar as governor of Egypt. Because the appointment was so critical to restoring good government and civil order, Ali put in writing a lengthy exposition on just rule in the form of the letter excerpted here. The letter was among the writings and sayings of Ali compiled by al-Sayyid al-Radi (970-1015), an influential Shi'i scholar, based on earlier works.

Let it be known to you, Malik, that. I am sending you as a governor to a country which has seen many regimes before this. Some of them were benign, sympathetic and good, while others were tyrannical, oppressive and cruel. People will judge your...