Imam Ali (a.s.) A Beacon of Courage
By Sulaiman Kattani, translated by I. K. A. Howard

(Continued)
The Personality of Ali b. Abi Talib
It was in that excellent metal that the personality of Imam Ali was clothed, completing all the values of such a personality. It was a personality in which reason stood out as the absolute master. Indeed it was related to reason in the same way as rain is related to the clouds; it sought reason and reason poured down upon it in complete harmony with it. Thus the flag of reason was stretched above this personality and it made its leadership subject to reason. Each absorbed the other, force for force, colour for colour . . . until it was as if her strong structure was like the steel which only gathered all its elements together so that they should be a formidable base for a formidable leader.

Sword in hand and flashing in attack, he had two edges - an attacking edge which strikes against the shield and an edge which marked his ideas on paper - both of which were operating in one eternally pure way of giving help which had two principal aspects: towards struggle and towards guidance.

The dual nature of his acts of heroism was because the divine unity brought them together. Thus they coursed along in the field just like the currents course along the streams while still keeping to them. Yet it was streams of gifts which were clothed in virtues and qualities like the leaves of spring clothe the trees. These were closely interrelated in their harmony and mutual relationship like the beams of the sun, which is alone the source and like the furnace in which the minerals are melted.
Thus in this personality the sum of gifts, the sum of qualities and the sum of virtues have been fused, value with value, weight with weight, ability with ability. One is interwoven with another just like colours are interwoven on the canvas of an artist. These gifts are like a flood; they dart along as if in a race and they support one another like partners.

Integrity and truth are two gentle qualities which have great power with him through the support of his shield and his sword. Asceticism and generosity were two gentle qualities which he gave shelter to.

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