The alchemists believed that there is\na material called elixir which can transform one material into another. They\nlooked for it for centuries, but could never find it. The Persian poets\naffirmed that the true elixir is love, and love is what can really change\nthings. Without love the heart would not be a heart but a worthless thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the most distinguishing\nfeatures of Shiism is that it is based on love. From the first day that the\nProphet founded this school of thought, there have been whispers of love and\naffection. Therefore Shiism is the school of love and affection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the history of Islam we can witness\nunique examples of infatuation and love towards the Prophet. Moreover we see\npeople around Imam Ali (PBUH) that adore him. Although Imam Ali (PBUH) punished\nthe corrupt according to the Islamic laws, still some people loved him, and did\nnot turn away from him. It was such a love that had an eternal attraction\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ali (PBUH) has always been a\ndouble-sided personality. He has always had an attraction and also a repulsion.\nAmong the companions of the Prophet, no one like Ali (PBUH) had such devoted\nfriends. Also no one had sworn enemies like he did. But where lies the secret\nof his repulsion?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Obviously, any determined campaigner\nwho strives for the realization of his goals would have bloodthirsty enemies.\nSuch a person would be a good example for the verse “striving hard in the\nway of Allah and not fearing the reproach of any reproacher.” (1)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One instance of comprehensiveness of\nthe character of Imam Ali (PBUH) is that he actively campaigned against\ndifferent fake sects and deviations. At times he fought against ostentatious\npeople, other times against deceitful demagogues or at times against ignorant\nhypocrites. Ali (PBUH) considered no one\u2019s will against the will of God, and\nwhatever he did was for the sake of Allah (SWT). Naturally such a trait creates\nenemies and annoys the lustful people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the same time, the attraction of\nImam Ali (PBUH) was so great that many people of his own time appealed to him,\nand furthermore this appeal has spread through the time and has penetrated many\nhearts. The love for Imam Ali (PBUH) fills the hearts of people everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No one has yet discovered the secret\nof love, but it seems that there is something in the beloved that attracts the\nlover. Ali (PBUH) has many sincere devotees and he is adored by lovers. The\nquestion is: What is so special about Ali (PBUH) that such love is aroused in\nthe hearts of his devotees?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
History has seen many heroes, heroes\nof speech, heroes of science and philosophy, heroes who command power, heroes\nof warfare; however, they have all gradually been forgotten. However, this is\nnot the case with Imam Ali (PBUH). Not only did the name of Ali (PBUH) not die\nafter his martyrdom, but he also became more famous as time passed by.\nObviously, the attraction toward him is different than all other types of\nattractions toward other so-called heroes found throughout the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moreover, it is wrong to think that\nloving Ali (PBUH) is related to his moral virtues. It is true that he was a\nmanifestation of the perfect man and human beings like the transcendent\nexamples of humanity. But if Ali (PBUH) did posses virtues such as wisdom,\nhumbleness, courtesy, justice, bravery, generosity, etc, not along with the\ndivine color, he would not be as adored as he is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes. Ali (PBUH) is loved by many,\nbecause he has an inseparable unity with the truth. Deep inside our hearts we\nhave a connection to the truth, and as we find Ali (PBUH) to be the sign of God\nand the sign of truth, we begin to love him. In other words, the base of loving\nAli (PBUH) is the connection of our souls to God, a connection which is\neternally bestowed upon us in our primordial nature. Because our primordial\nnature is perpetual, love of Ali (PBUH) is eternal and perpetual as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Taken from the\nbook “The Attraction and Repulsion of Ali (PBUH)”, by Scholar Murtada\nMutahhari)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On behalf of Roshd website, we would\nlike to offer our condolences to all Muslims upon the 21st of the Holy Month of\nRamadan, the anniversary of martyrdom of the symbol of justice and bravery, the\nkind father of believers, Amir al-Mu\u2019minin, Ali ibn Abi Taleb (PBUH).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. The Holy\nQuran, (5:54)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The alchemists believed that there is a material called elixir which can transform one material into another. They looked for it for centuries, but could never find it. The Persian poets affirmed that the true elixir is love, and love is what can really change things. Without love the heart would not be a heart […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28248],"tags":[63262],"class_list":["post-4024","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-occasional-letters","tag-affection"],"yoast_head":"\n