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Translator’s Foreword

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The personality of Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) is too great to comprehend in a single book, because it has so many sides; each one of which requires a multi-volume book to cover. Throughout his blessed lifetime, Imam Ali (‘a) represented the truth as flawlessly as sociologists desired. He treated almost all of the social defects, he thought, would affect any society.

Unfortunately, the people among whom Imam Ali lived had formed a primitive society whose individuals relied upon power instead of motive and civility, to lead their lives. Such was the community of the Arabian Peninsula in which Imam Ali (‘a) grew up.

Since the early years of his life, Imam Ali (‘a) was embraced and brought up by the ever greatest personality known by humanity; namely, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S) who brought him up on idealities and mental and physical perfections. The Imam (‘a) thus proved to be a great and righteous role model to the humanity.

This book is a translation of the eleven-volume book entitled Mawsu’at Al-Imam Amir Al-Mu'minin Ali Ibn Abi Talib, written by the well-versed scholar Sheikh Baqir Sharif Al-Qarashi. However, I, the translator, tried to translate the ideas of the book excluding the compositions and irrelevant topics. As a result, the English version of the book has come in one volume only.

The book is divided into two major sections; one dedicated to the life account of Imam Ali (‘a), and the other to his traditions including his words, deeds, and judgments.

In other words, the first section of the book deals with the details of the life of Imam Ali (‘a) from birth till death or, as expressed by scholars, from cradle to burial place.

The second part is further split into chapters. Each chapter touches a definite aspect of the Imam’s activities and reformative plans. Hence, topics like remarks of Imam Ali in the Holy Quran and the prophetic traditions, his commentaries on some verses of Holy Quran, his educational teachings, his sermons, his aphorisms, his judgments, his knowledge, his concentration on learning, his prophecies, his debates, and his supplications, all have been discussed in independent chapters of the second part of the book.

Finally, I hope the kind reader will learn something new about the great personality of Imam Ali (‘a) and will try to follow his example. Without doubt, the right track will lead to welfare of this life and the next.

I hope that the dear readers excuse the mistakes made in this book. They are definitely not intentional though.

Badr Shahin
April 2010