Faith and Values: Love and kindness flowed from Imam Ali"s heart
"Faith is patience during difficulty and thankfulness during prosperity."
"It suffices for one to work on his own flaws rather than other peoples flaws."
These are a few words from a devout and virtuous person.
Every religion has individuals who are exceptional in their holiness and virtue. Such individuals are called saints.
In Islam, the saints are the 12 successors after Prophet Muhammad. The first successor or Imam is Ali bin Abi Talib. On Friday, his birthday was celebrated by Muslims everywhere. The aforementioned adage was by Imam Ali. His greatness can be further known when one looks at his life and the legacy that he left behind. Countless sayings and examples from his life are applicable even today.
Imam Ali was a saintly man not only in the terms of being a religious person, but he also acted righteously in every aspect of his life. As a statesman, businessman, philanthropist, general or even a warrior, Imam Ali governed with justice and ethics.
Many biographies have been written about this person. One of the most prominent one is by George Jordac, a renowned Christian author and research scholar, called "The Voice of Human Justice." The compiled speeches, letters and sayings of Imam Ali can be found in the book "Peak of Eloquence." These are as relevant today as they were during his own time.
An excerpt from the voice of human justice briefly exemplifies the man that he was, "The earth did not recognize him, although his sweet and wise sayings continued to ring in it and it saw with its own eyes his great feats."
This stranger used to spend everything he possessed on others but did not seek anything from them. He was subjected to great oppressions, but he never thought of taking revenge. He forgave his enemies. He never did any injustice to his enemies and never performed any unlawful act for the sake of his friends.
He was the helper of the weak, the brother of the indigent, the father of the orphans and a kind friend of those who were fed up with their lives. They always approached him for the solution to their problems and hoped sympathy from him in all difficulties. He was an erudite, and was extremely forbearing.
However, his heart was full of grief. His majesty and loftiness were resounding in all the mountains and deserts. During daytime he administered justice and enforced the divine laws and in the darkness of night he wept bitterly for the sake of the indigent and the helpless. He was a stranger whose thundering voice made the oppressors tremble as when any oppressed person approached him with a complaint. Whenever a deprived person called him, love and kindness began to flow from his heart which quenched the thirst of everything dry and famine stricken.
He was a stranger on the face of the earth whose every word was true and correct. He wore coarse dress and walked meekly and whenever the people went downward he kept his face high. He was a stranger and a lovely person who suffered all sorts of hardships so that the people might remain happy.
Truly, to honor a great personality, is to recognize that personality.
