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The Voice of Human Justice

The history of mankind has witnessed many leaders over the ages. Many of these leaders achieved leadership through might or inheritance and some were chosen as leaders because of certain outstanding qualities that they possessed. Among the latter group there have also emerged some leaders whose works and contribution to humanity cannot be limited to any particular time or place; and their life-styles, their works and the sayings of such heroes continue to inspire and motivate people, generation after generation. Ali ibn Abi Talib is a unique leader who stands out among all other leaders. Ali was born in the Sacred House (i.e. the Kaba) in Mecca, the holiest place in Islam that was built by the prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael. Ali’s birth in the Kaba is unique in the history of the world. Neither a prophet nor a Divine saint was ever blessed with such an honour. (It was a mark) of him being honoured by God, the Most High, may His name be exalted, and of his position being dignified in its greatness. Ali was raised by Muhammad , the Prophet of Islam himself and was truly the Prophet’s shadow for most of his life, and was elevated to such a stage that it would be no exaggeration to say that he is Islam’s gift to the world of humanity. Wherever Muhammad went Ali was with him all the time. Even in the Mountain of Hira[one of the famous mountains in Mecca] when Muhammad went for meditation Ali went with him most of the time.

Muhammad lived in a society in which ignorance and idol-worshiping were prevalent sanctifying superstition and legalizing the unethical conduct. He lived in the midst of his society as an island of knowledge wisdom and civilization surrounded by an ocean of barbarism and ignorance. Ali was destined to be a part of that independent world and to live in the atmosphere of that island without being affected by the surrounding society. He grew up as a light derived from the light of Muhammad. His illuminated nature and keen mind enabled him to follow the steps of the Prophet living up to his principles and ideals. Ali spoke of his growth under the direction of the Prophet Muhammad and the influence of his attachment to him in forming his high characters:

By that time Ali arrived in his spiritual ascendance to a degree by which he became able to hear and see what the Messenger was hearing and seeing at the days of the commencement of his Prophethood. Ali said that at an occasion which took place during the first few days from the commencement of his Prophethood the Prophet told him:

Ten years in the company of the Prophet had kept him so close and inseparable, that he was one with him in character, knowledge, self-sacrifice, forbearance, bravery, kindness, generosity, oratory and eloquence.

George Jordac — a renowned Christian author of Lebanon — says:

Ali’s mental capability and the integration of his life with the life of the Prophet enabled him to think as a philosopher while he was ten years old. He was able to arrive at a logical conclusion. The overwhelming majority of the Meccans had for thirteen years refused to open their eyes to the light of Islam and prevented the Messenger of God from reaching their ears. while Muhammad and Khadijah (his wife) were praying Ali entered their room. He stood until the Prophet finished his prayer, and asked:

The Prophet replied:

The Prophet recited verses from the Holy Qur’an then invited his cousin to embrace Islam. Ali was fascinated. He asked the Prophet to give him time to consult his father. He spent his night excitedly and on the following day he came to declare his Islam. He embraced the new faith without taking the advice of his father Abu Talib [ or Abi Talib] reasoning:

George Jordac says:

For three years, Muhammad invited people to Islam in secret, and then he started inviting publicly. According to the Quran, When he was commanded to invite his closer relatives to come to Islam he gathered the Banu Hashim clan[one of the famous and great Arab tribes] in a ceremony. Muhammad announced at invitational events that whoever assisted him in his invitation would become his brother, trustee and successor. Only Ali , who was thirteen or fourteen years old, stepped forward to help him. This invitation was repeated three times, but Ali was the only person who answered the Prophet in all three times. Upon Ali’s constant and only answer to his call, Muhammad declared that Ali was his brother, inheritor and successor and people must obey him. Most of the adults present were uncles of Ali and Muhammad , along with Abu Lahab[ one of Muhammad’s ardent enemies] laughed at them and declared to Abu Talib that he must bow down to his own son.

During the persecution of Muslims and boycott of the Banu Hashim in Mecca, Ali stood firmly in support of the Prophet.

The Prophet has said of Ali:

George Jordac says:

During the times of the Prophet, whenever Ali met an enemy in battle, he offered him three options. They were: 1.Accept Islam; or, 2.Do not fight against Muhammad who is the Apostle of God, and withdraw from the battle; 3.If the first two options are not acceptable to you, then you be the first one to strike at me. fighting, for him was the last option, and the most repugnant one.

Under Divine instruction, Muhammad married his beloved daughter Fatima zahra to Ali, though others vainly tried for her hand. God blessed this marriage with children. Those children were God’s most devout servants. Their greatest pleasure in life was to wait upon their Lord. Among all the companions of the Prophet, Ali was the most knowledgeable. He had thorough knowledge of the Qur’an, and its interpretation. He was the best of all judges.

In history there were numerous occasions when the Prophet designated Ali as his Deputy and successor after him. at the time of Ghadir this was clearly ordered by God through a clear verse revealed on the Prophet. the event of Ghadir was immediately after the last pilgrimage by the Prophet. the Prophet said:

The whole crowd declared in unison:

Hearing this the Prophet declared:

then he said:

They all in one voice replied:

At this solemn affirmation he said:

George Jordac says:

Ali realized that any serious dissension at this stage would harm the cause of Islam. Muhammad, The Prophet of God, had told Ali:

Ali’s love for Islam was so intense, he could not, for the sake of worldly rule, endanger Islam. He knew fully well that a civil war at this stage would give chances to the Jewish tribes on the one side, and the Byzantine armies in the north with the hypocrites on the third side to simply take advantage of the situation. When they would find the Muslims busy killing each other they would literally cut them to pieces and Islam would totally disappear as a message of peace. As Ali says:

Hassan, son of Ali, writes in a letter :

The original inheritors of Muhammad, the Prophet of God, and the upright adherents of the religion are the members of the Prophet’s family. They were the partner of the Qur’an, the second previous legacy of the Prophet and the interpreters of the religious laws, and they showed to the people the pristine and genuine Islam after the Prophet’s demise. Their extinction would be an irreparable loss. As Ali says:

Although ‘Ali distanced himself from the political scene with the formation of Saqifa, the Shi‘ah in the form of a particular group with a particular political orientation was formed after the event in Saqifa and were collectively or individually defending the truthfulness of ‘Ali.

During those 25 years, Ali neither took part in any battle or conquest, nor did he assume any executive position. He withdrew from political affairs, especially after the martyrdom of his wife, Lady Fatima Zahra. He used his time to serve his family and worked as a farmer. Ali dug a lot of wells and planted gardens near Medina and endowed them for public use. He compiled the complete version of the Quran, Six months after the demise of the Prophet . It was included Prophet Muhammad ’s interpretations and it was sorted by the revelation time of each verse. The volume was completed and carried by camel to show to other people of Medina. However, this book was rejected by Othman . Afterward, Othman changed the order of verses and also he omitted Prophet Muhammad ’s interpretations. Both Qurans of Ali and Othman are the same by the number of verses but different in ordering. The Quran of Ali remained in the progeny of Prophet Muhammad and it will be manifested by 12th Imam (Imam Mahdi) when he returns.

Ali was caliph as the leader of Muslims after the Prophet, between 656 and 661, during one of the most turbulent periods in Muslims history. Othman’s assassination meant that rebels had to select a new caliph. In order to resolve the deadlock, the Muslims gathered in the Mosque of the Prophet on June 18, 656 to appoint the caliph. Initially Ali refused to accept, however, when some companions of Prophet Muhammad, in addition to the residents of Medina, urged him to accept the offer, he finally agreed. Ali disagreed to be the caliph he knew because of the political and economical corruptions in the last caliphate, many people couldn’t bear his justice. but when he saw people want him strongly and need him too, then he accepted. When Ali took charge of the government, the Muslim umma was in a state of anomie. Its ruling classes had reached a state of undreamed-of affluence, and the ultimate arrogance of power. He realized that the social, economic and political order of the state called for a restructuring of government and society. But his attempt to restructure government and society was resented by the rich and the powerful.

Ali described his rule as something which is even less worthy than his old and patched up shoelaces. he also said:

What value does the sneezing of a goat have? It has no value. He says that this power and this rule is even of less worth and less significance than the sneezing of a goat. He like other godly men and spiritual leaders, despises temporal power and political office for being lowly and degrading when an instrument of gratification of lust for power and political ambition. He looks down upon it with extreme contempt when it is desired as an end-in-itself and aspired as an ideal of life. He considers such kind of power to be devoid of any value. But the same power and leadership if used as a means for the establishment and execution of social justice and service to society is regarded by him as a thing of paramount sanctity, for which he is willing to fight any opportunist and political adventurer seeking to grab power and illegitimate wealth. In its defence, he does not hesitate to draw his sword against plunderers and usurpers. he explains why he accepted government:

He said that he accepted caliphate because the people insisted and pledged allegiance to him. He goes on to explain:

He said that God the Exalted has commanded scholars and knowledgeable personalities to avoid enduring the oppression of oppressors and the hunger of the oppressed. These were the things which drew Ali towards caliphate.

George Jordac says:

On that day Ali was not agreeable to accept the caliphate as with his far-sightedness he could see up to the last end of the future. If he was a claimant of the caliphate earlier, it was not because he desired to become a ruler. On the contrary what he desired was that Muslims should develop within themselves those morals and virtues which the Prophet wanted to inculcate in them. And if he declined to accept that office at that stage (i.e. after the assassination of Othman ) it was because owing to the policies of the former rulers the habits of the Muslims had been spoilt and their way of thinking had changed.

The kingdom which was established with the name of Islamic state had been moulded into worldly authority and carried the signs of the despotism of Kaiser and Kisra. Ali’s object differed from the desires of the people. Neither Ali could condescend to the wishes of the people, nor could people agree to Ali’s achieving the ends he had in view. He himself draws the picture of that period in these words:

Ali knew very well that if he accepted the request of the people and assumed the responsibilities of the office of caliphate they would not tolerate the manner in which he would run the administration and would not obey his orders unless he was harsh to them.

These were the conditions which Ali had to face after the assassination of Othman. The dignitaries as well as the common people gathered outside the door of his house again and again and insisted upon his accepting the oath of allegiance from them. However, notwithstanding the fact that he entertained very good wishes for the people in his heart he was reluctant to accept the oath of allegiance from them. There was, however, one thing which obliged him to think of accepting their request. The Muslims were too much insisting upon his accepting that office, which meant that a responsibility was being placed on them to guide those, who were in need of reformation and guidance from him. Furthermore, at that time social equity and justice were in danger. Persons in authority were encroaching upon the rights of the weak, and the life, property, and honour of the common man did not carry any value. Ali could not tolerate that he should sit quietly in his house when the poor citizens were being subjected to oppression.

Favouritism, nepotism, partiality and shutting up of mouths by big morsels, have always been the essential tools of politicians. Now a man had assumed power and captained the ship of the caliphate who profoundly detested these things. In fact his main objective was to struggle and fight against this kind of politics. Naturally, with the very inception of Ali’s reign, the politicians with their hopes and expectations were disappointed. Their disappointment soon grew into subversive conspiracies against Ali’s government, creating for him many a headache. He regarded people with reverence, whether they were Muslims or non-Muslims. He did his best to distribute wealth and spoils among them justly. Well-meaning friends, with sincere goodwill, advised Ali to adopt greater flexibility in his policies for the sake of higher interests. some people said to him that he should show some consideration for the influential personalities in society and that he should give them a larger share of public funds. Ali replied to them:

This is an example of how highly Ali valued justice and what status it held in his opinion.

In the beginning of his caliphate, a number of people gathered around Ali and they insisted that he deal with some of his opponents. They firmly insisted that he should do this. In response, Ali advised them to be patient. One of the things that he said was:

He said that they should be patient so that he can carry out his responsibility with acumen.

He said that they should allow him to establish people’s rights in a calm and peaceful way.

We should do our best to establish and achieve people’s rights in a patient and kind way. If we realize that there is no other alternative, then we should “brand with a hot iron”. This is a well-known Arabic saying. It means that the last alternative is behaving in a firm way.

Soon after Ali became caliph, he dismissed unworthy provincial governors, replacing them with trusted aides. During his caliphate , Ali followed, exactly, the way of the Prophet and gave his caliphate the form of a spiritual movement and renewal and began many different types of reforms. Naturally, these reforms were against the interests of certain parties that sought their own benefit. As a result, a group of the companions made a pretext of the death of the third caliph to raise their heads in opposition and began to revolt and rebel against Ali. Those, who enjoyed from the public treasury during the reign of Othman, expected that Ali would never refuse to employ them in the state affairs, but he in the first day of his caliphate said:

Ali desired to purge Islam of any evil. He advised the populace to behave as true Muslims, warning that he would tolerate no sedition and those who were found guilty of subversive activities against Islam, would be dealt with harshly. Ali recovered the land granted by Othman and swore to recover anything that elites had acquired before his election. Ali opposed the centralization of capital control over provincial revenues, favoring an equal distribution of taxes and booty amongst the Muslim citizens; he distributed the entire revenue of the treasury among them. Ali refrained from nepotism, including with his brother. Once when his daughter had borrowed a necklace from Bayt al-Mal [ literally meaning the House for Money, is used as an equivalent for the Treasury House where public fund is kept] for a short time, Ali got angry when he knew about it and he threatened the treasurer to be punished for his carelessness. He said to his daughter:

Ali was very adequate in distributing the wealth and the grains among the people so that the all, far or near, could enjoy their shares equally.

What shows Ali’s policies and ideas of governing, is his instruction to Malik Ashtar (Ali’s closest companion), when appointed by him as governor of Egypt. This instruction, which is considered by many Muslims and even non-Muslims as the ideal constitution for Islamic governance, involved detailed description of duties and rights of the ruler and various functionaries of the state and the main classes of society at that time. Ali wrote in his instruction to Malik Ashtar:

Ali instructed to Malik to give more attention to development of the land than to the collection of the tax, because tax can only be obtained by the development of the land and whoever demands tax without developing the land ruins the country and destroys the people.

Nowadays the world’s population is divided into two classes; a group living in extreme poverty that a bit of food is not possible for them and another group surrounded with affluence and riches living at ease and luxury. The Islamic civilization does not allow such distinction of classes; therefore Ali wrote in his instruction to Malik Ashtar:

Ali often said:

This is really the civilized Islam, which calls for argument among the civilizations.

Read the full text of this letter:

The political behavior of Ali was not separate from his spiritual and moral behavior. The politics of Ali interrelated with his spirituality and morality. In fact, his politics originated from his spirituality and morality. If one’s politics originate from morality and feed from spirituality, then it will be a tool for the people who are faced with it, to achieve perfection and paradise. But if politics become separate from morality and spirituality, then it will be demagoguery. It will be a tool for gaining power at any price, for accumulating wealth and for furthering one’s own interests. This kind of politics is like a pest. Ali’s policy was purely Qur’anic. He was not going to compromise with Islamic ethics and principles for the sake of hanging on to power and authority. If he had also adopted the policy of realpolitik, he would have been eminently successful but doing so would have changed the character of his government from Islamic to “Aristotelian.” Ali did not try to please the rich and the powerful at the expense of the poor and the weak. He invariably put the interests of the poor and the weak ahead of the interests of the Arab aristocracy. The Arab aristocracy resented this, and showed him its resentment. When distributing the revenues of the state treasury, Ali made no distinction between high and low, rich and poor, and Arab and non-Arab. In his sight, they were all equal. The Arab lords protested against such treatment but he ignored their protests. Soon their protests exploded in civil war.

It is clear that social justice is based on righteous judgments of the judges. Therefore Ali had instructed the judges with many legal instructions in order to spread justice everywhere. According to Ali’s instructions, every judge ought to treat the litigants equally in looking at them, talking with them and in seating them so that the judge’s relative would not exploit the opportunity to gain illegal benefits and that the judge’s enemies would not despair of justice. Once he said to the second caliph Umar:

George Jordac says:

We go back to dry and sandy Arabia of fourteen centuries ago where ignorance and party spirits were spread. The noble privilege and grandness were too much hateful and the ordinary people could never look forward to the positions that were held by the nobles. Ali proclaimed freedom and equality and those, who were entitled to virtue, became high- ranking officials during his government. He urged people to behave fairly towards each other without letting differences trouble their life. Although such privileges were cancelled by the charter of the Human Rights organization under the name of freedom and equality, it took a long time until the west got rid of the gloom of the ignorance of the middle Ages. In spite of this declaration of the Human Rights, we regretfully see the racial feelings and supremacy over other nations and bloody wars throughout the world. the shameful act of killing the Palestinians in Sabra and Shatilla camp and the felony of the Sorbs in Kosovo and Herzegovina are not just stories. These ugly and hateful events are written down in the pages of history like a stain on man’s forehead.

One of the characteristics of Ali’s politics is that it was free of any deception and trickery. Ali has said:

When he is committed to piety and morality, then his hands and his tongue are tied. If one is not pious, his hands and his tongue are free and they can do and say whatever they want. If we are not pious, we can say things which are not true, we can engage in slandering, we can tell lies to people, we can break our promises, and we can become attached to the enemies of the straight path. When piety does not exist, this is the way we behave. Ali said that he chose politics and piety together.

There were many Jews and Christians living under Ali’s domination. They were free to practice their rituals and their rights were secured by the government. One day when Ali was exhorting people to jihad [struggle in the way of God], he said:

And then he said:

The personal life and behavior of this great and powerful ruler with a vast and rich country at his disposal was like a poor person. his lifestyle didn’t change. Ali lived an austere life in the true sense of the term. His clothing was made of the coarsest material with many patches on it. His food was dry barley bread. Occasionally, he ate some dates. He was extremely abstemious, and often told the Arabs not to eat too much, and particularly, not to eat too much meat.

He avoided all material pleasures in a way that he himself said to his companions, colleagues, and the politicians of his time,

He said to them that they cannot live such a life and he was right. He still made his living as a laborer. He ruled the Muslims with the “collaboration” of labor. In a sense, his government was the first “labor government” of history, and also its last, since he was not an “arm-chair” laborer but actually worked in fields and gardens for a competence. No one can do this. It is really astonishing that Ali’s life during his government was like this. His house was modest. His lifestyle was like a poor and needy person. This was while he engaged in all these great tasks.

George Jordac says:

How did politicians and rulers throughout the world live? How did Ali live? This is another important chapter which has been unique until today and which will be unique forever.

According to the testimony of friend and foe alike, Ali had no shortcomings from the point of view of human perfection. And in the Islamic virtues he was a perfect example of the upbringing and training given by Muhammad, the Prophet of God. In science and knowledge Ali was the most learned of the companions of the Prophet, and of Muslims in general. In his learned discourses he was the first in Islam to open the door for logical demonstration and proof and to discuss the “divine science” or metaphysics . He spoke concerning the esoteric aspect of the Qur’an and devised Arabic grammar in order to preserve the Qur’an’s form of expression. He was the most eloquent Arab in speech.

George Jordac says:

The prophets entered the arena for administering justice. They entered the arena for helping the people get close to God and enforcing divine rules among the people. Ali did not retreat even for a second in treading this path. He was not negligent in moving forward. His old friends broke off their relationship with him. Those who had extravagant claims became unhappy and they separated from him. They waged wars against him in order to overthrow him. Those who used to praise him in the past turned into his mortal enemies. But the criticism of these people did not at all influence him. He continued the path in a steadfast way until he was martyred. He died by assassination in the mosque at Kufa [ it is located in the south of Iraq], death occasioned by his own generous fairness.

The students of history know that appeals in the name of peace, justice and fair-play, are made only by those people who are weak and who are on the defensive. There is no reason for the strong and the aggressive to make appeals in the name of peace. If there is any pattern in history which is consistent, it is that the mighty, heady with power, rides roughshod; the weak seeks or tries to seek refuge in moral imperatives and ethical doctrines. To this general and universal rule, there is, however, one exception, and that is in Ali ibn Abi Talib. Even when he was strong and his enemies were weak, he appealed to them for peace in the name of humanity, and he appealed to them to refrain from shedding blood. Even when he was victorious, he acted toward his defeated enemies as if they would do him a favor by forswearing war. If an enemy was overcome, and he wished to save his life, all he had to do was merely to ask Ali to save his life, and he (Ali) saved his (the enemy’s) life. And he did so with no preconditions. His enemies knew this through long experience, and they took every advantage of this knowledge. Many among them escaped the penalty of death in this manner, for treason and rebellion.

Ali represented the ultimate triumph of character and ideology. He was a rare combination of love of God, devotion to duty, strength tempered with tenderness, symmetry of disposition, and inflexible integrity. He was not building an empire. He, therefore, did not act like an empire-builder. An empire-builder has to be an aggressor, an invader. He did not have any such aims. He, therefore, did not invade any country. Under Ali’s government , he made every effort to combat the social disease of poverty, as he would utter his famous line,

Ali lent a helping hand to all people no matter what their religion or background was, not discriminating against anyone.

Whenever Ali learned that someone was hungry or thirsty, without clothes or in debt, he would provide food, water, clothes and money for him. He would go to the houses of the sick, nurse them and give them money and medicines. Although Ali’s shirts, wearing apparel and shoes were full of patches, yet he felt the greatest pleasure in providing others with clothes. Whenever Ali used to visit the bazars of Kufa, he would help the travelers, the aged and the infirm. He was particularly kind to the elderly who could not support themselves and the widows who were left destitute.

Aside from treating the needy with generosity and tenderness, Ali gave special attention to orphans. Ali is known as “the Father of the Orphans” as he said:

Ali not only cared deeply for orphans, but put this care into action by cooking for them, feeding them, clothing them, conversing with them, and playing with them. Ali was very kind to children, especially to orphans. If he ever saw an orphan crying, he would stop whatever he was doing. wipe away the child’s tears, put his hand on the child’s shoulder and say,

Ali would take the child home and treat him better than any father. He would bring the child sweets and cakes and honey and put them in the child’s mouth himself. Ali used to tell his followers to love and be kind to orphans, especially the orphans of martyrs killed in the path of God.

he used to say:

To the orphans, Ali showed so much affection and love that it was said that he pampered them. He collected all the bonbons, honey and other delicacies that he could, and fed them on these. Ali was so kind to orphans and laid so much stress on them in his teachings that one of his companions said:

Read the following narrative:

At all stages of life, Ali is our role model. Teenagers who are ten, twelve, thirteen years old can follow Ali . They can make him their role model. Why? Because when he was a ten years old, he was the first person to know and accept Islam and follow Muhammad, the messenger of God. The fact that a ten year-old child discovered the truth, stood up for it and followed it as hard as he could, amid all those hostilities and denials, is very important. Young individuals can also make Ali their role model. Why? Because when he was twenty-three years old — during the time when Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Medina — he undertook the heaviest responsibility during the great migration. Muhammad entrusted the dearest members of his household to Ali so that he would bring them from Mecca to Medina. it was he who agreed to sleep on Muhammad bed and face danger during the night when the enemies were supposed to break into the house and mutilate Muhammad with their swords. See how great that Ali was. This can become a model for us. In other words, anyone can follow Ali.

George Jordac says:

Ali martyred in 661 A.D in the age 63. Ali was attacked by Ibn Muljam while praying in the Great Mosque of Kufa. He was wounded by Ibn Muljam’s poison-coated sword while prostrating. The anger and fury of the people was at its height. They were waiting for an order from Ali, but their faces showed that they wanted to tear Ibn Muljam alive. Ali called for the murderer to be presented before him. He, then, asked him:

Ibn Muljam said:

Ali asked:

Ibn Muljam said:

Ali said:

Ali then addressed the members of his family gathered around him, thus:

After Ali passed away, Ibn Muljam was struck only once by the same sword that he had prepared for himself. He died on the spot.

A man with a spark of faith in his heart cannot pass this point from the history without shedding a tear on a martyr who obtained from every virtue its highest degree.

The loss which the Muslims suffered when they missed the Brother and Successor of their Prophet was great and unique in its magnitude. The Muslims never experienced similar to it after the death of the Holy Prophet.

George Jordac says:

Ali is an incredible role model in all his words and actions. We see this throughout his life and even during his very last moments. As tragic as this episode was in Islamic history, it is also a timeless lesson for all humanity. In the religion of Islam, it is highly recommended that a person leaves a will behind before passing away. In his last will, Ali offered deep and profound advice to his family and “everyone whom [his] writing reaches.”

Many among the Muslims were the mourners of Ali’s death but none mourned him more dolorously than the Dhimmis (the Jews, the Christians, and the Magians). They were utterly heart-broken. And when the sick, the disabled, the cripples, the orphans and the widows in the empire heard that he had died, they felt that their world had collapsed. He had been a father to them all. He had taken them all by the hand. He had taken them all into his prayers. Many among them did not know until after his death that it was he who had fed them and had taken care of them. He had taken all mankind into his grasp. Ali, Islam’s greatest saint, hero, statesman, philosopher and martyr, had left this world, and the world was not to find a man sublime like him to all eternity. It was only in his dominion that the Dhimmis (non-Muslims), the powerless and the defenseless enjoyed complete security. No one could terrorize them or exploit them. With his death, their security was gone forever!

After Ali , Muawiya[One of his enemies] occupied the seat of ruler by force and deceit. He summoned Adi ibn e Haatim to Damascus[ the capital of Syria]. he asked ‘Adi to describe Ali as he had known him from very close quarters. Adi began his favorite discourse:

Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881). Scottish historian, critic, and sociological writer:

Edward Gibbon (1737–1794). Considered the greatest British historian of his time:

Philip Khuri Hitti (1886–1978) Professor of Semitic Languages at Princeton University:

Sir William Muir (1819–1905) Scottish scholar and statesman:

Dr. Henry Stubbe (1632–1676) Classicist, polemicist, physician, and philosopher:

Gerald de Gaury (1897–1984) A distinguished soldier and diplomat:

Wilferd Madelung Professor of Arabic at Oxford University :

Charles Mills (1788–1826) Leading historical writer of his time:

Simon Ockley (1678–1720) Professor of Arabic at the University of Cambridge:

Washington Irving (1783–1859) Well-known as the “first American man of letters” :

Ali said:

Ali forms a key role in the distinct shaping of a separate and unique Shi’a identity. Due to the fact that Ali is recognised by Shi’a as the divinely appointed leader of the Muslims, who immediately succeeded the Prophet; Shi’a have often affirmed their identity upon the point that historically, Ali was deprived of this right to rule and hence he and his followers were oppressed in this sense from an early period in Islamic history. Throughout history the Shi’a have faced oppression for their beliefs. Ali has had remarkable friends, truly historical persons, ready to sacrifice themselves, forbearing, burning with love for him like flames from a bonfire, and full of light. They deemed giving up their lives in his way to be their aim and their glory, and they became oblivious of everything in their friendship for him. Years, even centuries, have passed since the death of ‘Ali, but this attraction still sends out the same rays of light, and people are still dazzled when they turn to it. We read in history that years and centuries after the death of Ali people courageously welcomed the arrows of his enemies. Ali as the successor of the Messenger of God, not only ruled over the community in justice, but also interpreted the Sharia (Islamic laws) and its esoteric meaning. Hence he was regarded as being free from error and sin (infallible), and appointed by God by divine decree through Muhammad, the Messenger of God . Ali was a model of justice at a time when the world was not ready to bear it. It was for this reason that the enemies killed Ali , thus removing justice and replacing it with oppression, which will continue until the day universal justice will be established. In an ocean, we can see storms, waves, water and astonishing creatures, but only the person who has managed to reach the depth of the ocean can understand it. No one has managed to understand the depth of Ali’s ocean-like character, except for those who had access to sources of divine knowledge. What we see is only the surface of things. We can only see some signs. Besides, not all of us can see these signs. Not all of us can see the deep points in Ali’s sayings. What we see in the Ali are these things: his courage, his praying, his liberated outlook, his commitment to counseling the people to do good and advising them against evil, his sacrifices , his awareness of the developments of the time, his capability to know human beings, his mercy and kindness towards the weak, his fearlessness in the face of arrogant, oppressive and autocratic people, his persistence in administering justice among the people and his enmity towards oppression. These things are only the surface of this deep ocean. Nevertheless, you can see how complicated, astonishing and beautiful this surface is. Whom can we find to enjoy all these outstanding characteristics? Ali is like this.

A Restatement of the History of Islam and Muslims, Sayyid Ali Asghar Razwy.

The Voice of Human Justice, George Jordac.

Story of the Holy Ka’aba And its People, S.M.R. Shabbar.

Anecdotes of The Ahlul Bayt, Murtadha Mutahhari.

Brief History of Fourteen Infallibles, World Organization for Islamic Services (WOFIS).

The Brother of the Prophet Muhammad: Imam ‘Ali, Shaykh Muhammad Jawad Chirri.

The Emphasis on Justice in Nahjul Balaghah, Sayyid Jafar Shahidi .

http://english.khamenei.ir/

https://www.imamreza.net/

https://www.imamreza.net/

http://islampfr.com/

http://balaghah.net/

https://www.imam-us.org/

http://en.al-shia.org/

http://en.wikishia.net/

I strongly recommend the following two books:

The Voice of Human Justice By George Jordac

What is True Success? Excerpts from Peak of Eloquence By Dr. Syed H. Akhtar

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