Islam Guidance

The commander of the faithful, Imam Ali (A.S) is the first perfect example of the education and training of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P).
Ali (A.S) was educated by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) from the period of his infancy. Ali (A.S) was always with the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) like a shadow until the last moment of the Prophet's life. Like a butterfly which sacrifices its life for the candle, Ali (A.S) also was with the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P). Ali (A.S) parted with the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) when he took the sacred body of the Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) in his arms and buried him.
According to history, from among all rulers who have come to power since the demise of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) until the present time, Ali (A.S) is the only person who fully complied with the sirah (Tradition) of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) and who never deviated from the policies of the Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) in the period of his rule over the Islamic society. Ali (A.S) implemented the laws and religious precepts of Islam without any misinterpretation or distortion just as they were executed in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P).
Upon first entrance into the social environment, Ali (A.S) had a very simple life. During the lifetime of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P), after the Prophet's demise, and even during his own glorious caliph period, he lived like the poor and in the most humble condition. He had no superiority over the needy insofar as food, clothing, and housing were concerned and used to: "The ruler of a society should live in such a way so as to be the source of consolation for the needy and the distressed and not the cause of their regret and disappointment." Although the ruler of the entire Islamic State, he had only seven hundred dirhams on the day of his martyrdom with which he wanted to hire a servant for his house.
Ali (A.S) used to work to meet the needs of life. Particularly he was interested in agriculture and spent his time in planting trees and digging water canals. Whatever he earned in this manner or through the war-booty, he distributed among the needy. He endowed the properties which he had cultivated for the needy or distributed among them the money received as sale proceeds of such properties. Once, during the period of his own caliph, Ali (A.S) ordered to those concerned to bring the revenues of his endowments to him and then spend them. When these revenues were collected, the amount reached 24000 gold dinars.
In the period of his caliph, Ali (A.S) welcomed everyone without having chamberlains and doorkeepers, walked on foot. All alone, and walked in the alleys and the bazaars. He ordered the people to fear Allah and guard against evil and protected them against injustice of one another. Ali (A.S) helped the poverty-stricken people and widows kindly and humbly and kept the shelter less orphans in his own house, personally providing their requirements and educating them.
Ali (A.S) had a special regard for knowledge and learning and gave particular attention towards promotion of knowledge and education and used to say: "There is no suffering like ignorance." While Ali (A.S) was arraying his troops in the bloody Battle of Jamal, an Arab went forward and asked him the meaning of Tawhid. The people rushed toward the Arab from every direction and confronted him by saying that such a moment is not an appropriate time for asking such questions and for discussion. Ali (A.S) asked them to disperse away from the Arab and said: "We are fighting the people in order to revive such truths." Then, while arraying the troops, Ali (A.S) called forth the Arab and clarified the matter for him with an eloquent statement.
In short, the prominent personality of Ali (A.S) is beyond description and his infinite virtues are countless. History has never witnessed a personality attracting as much the attention and the views of the scholars and philosophers of the world as he has.

Derived from: Shia.es

Imam Ali (A.S) and Fatima (S.A): The best of marriages - the Marriage & Family Life of Ali (A.S)

Abu Sa'id Mansur bin Hussein Abi (422 A.H.) writes thus in his book entitled Nathrud Durar that Ahnaf bin Qays says: "One day I went to see Muawiyah. He had on a wonderful dinner carpet. He brought all sorts of hot, cold, sweet, and sour foods for me. I was wonderstruck. Later, as ordered by him, another dish of a different kind of food was brought in.
I tried my best to find out what it was but did not succeed. I, therefore, enquired about it from Muawiyah. He replied that it consisted of the intestines of a duck which had been filled with the marrow of the sheep and had then been fried in pistachio oil and finally sugar had been sprinkled on it.
I began to weep. He asked me: "Why are you weeping?"
I replied: "I have been reminded of the life of Ali (A.S). I remember that one day I was with him. When the time for dinner and breaking the fast drew near, he asked me to remain with him. A sealed leather case was brought to him.
I asked him what it contained and he told me that there was barley flour in it.
I asked him: "Why have you sealed it? Are you afraid that others may take some of it or do you not wish that anyone else should eat it?"
He replied: "Who else? As a matter of fact I am afraid that my sons Hassan and Hussein may not taint it with butter or olive oil."
I said: "O Commander of the Faithful! Is it prohibited?"
He replied: "No. It is not prohibited. However, it is necessary for the true administrators and rulers to consider themselves to be the most deprived persons so that poverty and distress may not press and squeeze the indigent".
When I had said this, Muawiyah interrupted and said: "You have mentioned a man whose excellence cannot be denied by anyone".

Taken from: Islam Portal.Net