Preface
The painstaking striving of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S) and the struggle of his successor Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Amir Al-Mu'minin (‘a) were the one and only source of the rays of light that illumined the Arabian Peninsula and whose brilliant waves extended to include all nations and peoples of the entire world, carrying all-inclusive liberty to human thought, will, and behavior, and proffering an advanced method and a comprehensive reformation that embraces all aspects of life, counting spread of knowledge, eradication of ignorance, development of intellects, and raising of man’s level from evils of this life to a life thriving with cognizance and illumination.
The doctrine of monotheism the most sublime word that involves all sorts of human liberty and casts the die of all sorts of servitude to other than Almighty Allah was launched on the tongue of the Holy Prophet (S) who adopted and declared it in Makkah.
The ensign of this word was borne by Imam Ali, the Holy Prophet’s successor and door to his city of knowledge, who swung with it in the space of Makkah; the center of idolatry and the heart of ignorance and superstitions.
Defending their superstitious beliefs, the people of Makkah confronted the Holy Prophet, concurring to extinguish the illumination of his Divine light and enfolding the ensign of the Holy Quran in order to take humanity back to the era of ignorance.
Yet, the immortal hero of Islam; namely Imam Ali (‘a), took upon himself the mission of protecting the Holy Prophet (S), availing himself of his matchless courage. He was thus the striking power that stood in the side of the Holy Prophet and defended him against those beasts.
Neither in the Muslim world nor in any other world can you find a personality matching the personality of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib in talents, geniuses, and other faculties that comprehended all languages spoken by the inhabitants of this planet, making all scientists and men of rationality unable to stop talking about him with full respect and admiration.
In addition to full acquaintance with the secrets of the Muslim jurisprudence and laws of Islam, Imam Ali’s knowledge ability included all sciences of this universe. He thus says, ‘Ask me about the ways of the skies, for I know them better than I know the ways of this earth.’
Through his uncountable sciences and faculties, this great personality worked for establishing edifices of knowledge and sciences in the eastern part of this globe, but the same ignorant tyrants who had stood against his cousin the Holy Prophet stood also in the face of his expectations and spared no effort in frustrating his efforts.
One of the most important expectations of Imam Ali (‘a) was the establishment of a system of rule founded on pure justice and untainted fairness. He therefore endeavored to distributing the fortunes of Almighty Allah among all humans equally and eradicating poverty and misery. He was thus the brother of the poor, the father of the miserable, and the hope of the deprived.
Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (‘a) was the first oppressed person in Islam. Ordeals and crises attacked him successively immediately after the passing away of his cousin. The malicious powers thus shouted in his face, Prophet Hood and leadership (of the Muslim community) must never be held by the same family!’
He was therefore driven away from his divinely commissioned position of leadership, forcing him to confine himself to his house and canceling all the privileges that the Holy Prophet (S) gave to him within earshot of all Muslims.
However, when the position of Caliphate led itself eventually to him, the tyrannical powers of Quraysh could not stand this fact, because they were certain that this man of absolute justice would deprive them of their undeserved privileges and of the fortunes that they had unrightfully seized from the public treasury of the Muslim State.
They therefore recruited all their financial and political powers to overthrow his government. From the first ray of the dawn of Islam, Imam Ali (‘a) was the very person who directed to them shattering blows and filled in their houses with wailings and mourning’s. Imam Ali (‘a) was therefore their vehement enemy before and after he became the leader of the Muslim State.
The history of Imam Ali (‘a) is strongly connected to the history of the Holy Prophet (S) in particular and the history of Islam in general. Since childhood, he was brought up by the Holy Prophet (S) and he was a chief branch of the blessed tree of Prophet Hood whose origin is fixed and whose branches are in the heavens, as expressed by the Holy Quran.
The views of people in general have never varied about any personality in the history of humanity as they did about the personality of Imam Ali (‘a). Some people adored him so exaggeratedly that they worshiped him, while others went too far in invoking his animosity and hating him that they tried to extinguish not only his light but also any ray that claimed belonging to him. At any rate, all Muslims agree unanimously that those who hate Imam Ali (‘a) are infidels, straying off the path of Islam, and lacking any share in this religion.
To conclude, each aspect of the personality of Imam Ali (‘a) is too far- reaching to be comprehended in a single book. If truth be told, this personality requires tens of volumes to comprehend.
Baqir Sharif Al-Qarashi
Holy Najaf