Examples of Imam `ali’s (a.s.) Moral Virtues

The Blazing Iron Bar

Mu`awiyah asked `Aqil to tell him the story of the blazing iron bar. `Aqil said: Life had become extremely hard for me. I pleaded with my brother `Ali but he took no heed of it. One day, I took my children in whose appearance poverty and indigence could be seen to `Ali. He said, “Come at night so that I will give you something.” At night, when one of my sons was holding my hand led me to `Ali. I said to my son, “Go and sit at a distance.” Having this impression that `Ali was going to give me a purse of money, I stretched out my hand. But what I touched was a blazing iron bar. I withdrew my hand with a loud cry. At this moment `Ali said, “This is the iron bar blazed by the fire of the world. How will be our situation on the Judgment Day when we are fastened with the chains of Hell?” Then he recited this verse:

إِذِ الْأَغْلَالُ فِي أَعْنَاقِهِمْ وَالسَّلَاسِلُ يُسْحَبُونَ (71)

When the fetters and the chains shall be on their necks; they shall be dragged (40:71)

Imam `Ali (a.s), commented, “You have no right on me except what Allah has made obligatory for you. Go back home!”

Mu`awiyah was extremely amazed and said, “Alas, alas! Women are barren to give birth to his peer.”[^25]

An Extraordinary Example of Piety

Imam al-Sadiq has been reported by Mu`awiyah Ibn `Ammar as saying:

If there were two options for `Ali to do something for the sake of Allah, he would choose the harder. O people of Kufah, you all know that when he was ruling in this city, he used his income in Medina for living. He would put the roasted flour he ate in a bag and seal it not be mixed with anything else. Who was more pious than `Ali in the world![^26]

Dry Bread And Sour Yoghurt

`Aqabah ibn `Alqamah is reported by Na¨r ibn Mansur as saying: I went to `Ali’s house in Kufah, finding before him a bowl of sour yoghurt which harmed me as well as several pieces of dry bread. I said, “O Amir al-Mu’minin! Are you eating such a food?” He said, “Allah’s Messenger ate from bread drier than this.” Referring to his garment, `Ali said, “Allah’s Messenger would wear a garment with a more rough texture. If I do not follow his example, I fear not to join him.”[^27]

Self-Sacrifice and Generosity

In the Battle of the Camel, the soldiers who fought along with him were twelve thousand in number. When the fighting came to an end with the defeat of the enemies, Amir al-Mu’minin had the public fund divided with each person having five hundred Dirhams as a share. `Ali took the same amount of dirham for himself. Addressing the public fund, he said,

“Deceive anyone but me.”

After the division of the public fund, a man came about saying, “O Amir al Mu’minin! My heart was with you though I could no take part in the battle. Do me a favor by giving something to me.” The Imam gave his share to him, going back home empty-handed.”[^28]

Pardon

One day, Amir al-Mu’minin was in the gathering of his companions. While a biased man of Kharijites was present, the Imam was admonishing his friends. His heavenly words were so charming which impressed that blind-hearted man but because of his inner enmity to `Ali, he impudently said, “May Allah kill him for his unbelief. How knowledgeable he is!”

Hearing such insolence, the companions of the Imam made an attempt to kill him but Imam `Ali said, “Grant a respite; calm down; either curse against curse or pardon against sin.”[^29]

A Model Of Generosity

An indigent man came to Imam `Ali saying, “I am suffering from three diseases: body, poverty, and ignorance.” The Imam said, “O Arab brother! You should see a physician for your physical disease, a wise man for ignorance and a generous person for poverty.” The Arab said, “You are a physician, a wise man, and a generous man at the same time.” Amir al-Mu’minin ordered to give three thousand Dirhams from the public fund, saying, “Spend one thousand Dirhams on your physical disease, one thousand Dirhams on your poverty and one thousand Dirhams on your ignorance.”[^30]

Favoring A Servant

When Amir al-Mu’minin ruled over the vast Islamic territories, he along with Qanbar (his servant) went to a draper, asking, “Do you have two shirts for five Dirhams?” The young draper said, “Yes, but one is better than the other; one costs three Dirhams and the other costs two Dirhams.” Imam `Ali said, “Bring both of them.” When the young man brought the two shirts, the Imam said to Qanbar, “Take the shirt which costs three Dirhams.” Qanbar said, “O Amir al-Mu’minin! You go up the pulpit and deliver sermons for people. You take the better one.” The Imam said, “Qanbar! You are young and have the desires of a young man. I am ashamed before Allah to count myself superior to you! I heard Allah’s Messenger saying:

Whatever you wear, let your servant wear too and whatever you eat let your servants eat too.” Then, the Imam put on the shirt which cost two Dirhams realizing that the sleeves were too long so he said to the draper, “Cut the sleeve short a little bit.” He did so and said, “Let me fold it, old man!” The Imam said, “Let it be as it is. There is no time for such a thing.”[^31]