The life of Amir al-Mu\u2019menin (PBUH) is\nso appealing that it brings about feelings of either utmost infatuation or\nutmost envy in both friend and foe. The Prophet of Allah (PBUH&HP) has said\nregarding Ali, \u201cTwo groups, regarding you, will be annihilated: extremist\nfriends and extremist foes.\u201d1<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ali\u2019s foes have gone to extreme levels\nof hate and anger towards him because of his persistence in the path of\ntruth. But, it is amazing that even his\ngravest enemies admit his greatness.2 For the same reasons, some of his friends\nmay go to extreme lengths to express their love that they may fall into trouble\nif they remain ignorant. Although not\nmany people have given this attribute to Ali during his lifetime, nonetheless\nAli (PBUH) fell victim to such claims, and reacted quite harshly to them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The political and social life of Amir\nal-Mu\u2019menin (PBUH) sets a perfect example. \nDuring his lifetime, incidents of his persistence to practicing the law\nof the Lord were reported that others were incapable of doing, a matter that\neven the Imam (PBUH) himself made note of this in one of his letters.3<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the most important\nmanifestations of the life of Imam Ali (PBUH) was his piety, which had engulfed\nhis entire life. A pious man whom ruled\nthe Islamic society; he has all and can have all, but stayed away from it. A few went to Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz and spoke\nof the pious, asking about the most pious person. Several of the people present suggested\nAbouzar and Umar, but Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz said, \u201cAli is the most pious of\nall.\u201d4<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Imam (PBUH) would gather the poor and\nact kindly and patiently towards them.5 At times, during his prayer, his only\nshirt would be wet, and he would even give the sermon in that situation.6 Once,\na companion of his saw his very simple food and asked, \u201cWhy would you have such\na meal when the best foods are in Iraq?…\u201d7<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aswad ibn Gheis says, \u201cImam Ali (PBUH)\nused to feed people around the Kufa mosque, but he always ate in his own home.\nOne of the companions said to himself: \u201cPerhaps Ali is eating a better meal at\nhome.\u201d Thus, he left the meal he was having and followed the Imam towards his\nhome. Imam Ali (PBUH) called his servant at home and asked him to get the\ncompanion some food. The servant brought a bread and bowl of yogurt. He then broke the bread into the yogurt bowl.\nThe bread had pieces of bran in it (not made from a fine flour). The man turned to the Imam (PBUH) and said,\n\u201cIf you had asked for flour that does not have bran, it would have been better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Imam (PBUH) said whilst tears\nrolled in his eyes, \u201cBy Allah! I had never seen bread made of bran (fine\nflour).\u201d8<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is meant by this conversation was\nnot that the eating of these things is wrong, rather that for the Imam,\nfollowing the Prophet of Allah (PBUH&HP) in all areas was crucial. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another aspect in the life of the Imam\n(PBUH) was his interaction with workers, many of which have been recorded in\nhistorical texts. The Imam was very\ncareful of his staff and their deeds; and in the short period of his rule, he\nhad written numerous letters, admonishing his staff for their misconducts.9<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indeed! The life of Amir al Mu\u2019menin\n(PBUH) was the life of a complete humanity and the true example of a godly\nhuman being. For reasons said, the life\nof Imam Ali (PBUH) is the ultimate example of a person who wants to be\ndevoted. The same way that one should\nalways learn from. There yet remains a\nlong path to it.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Selection taken from the book The\nPolitical and Thinking Life of the Shiite Imams by Hujjatul Islam Rasul\nJa\u2019farian<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Roshd Website Congratulates all\nMuslims and Especially You Dear Friend on the Auspicious Occasion of the 13th\nof Rajab, the Birth Anniversary of the one born in the Ka\u2019bah, the Highest\nExample, the first Shiite Imam, Amir al-Mumenin, Ali ibn Abi Talib (PBUH)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1.Nahj\nal-Balaqa, sermon 127.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2.We can refer\nto the reaction of Muawiyah in the following story: <\/p>\n\n\n\n