Islam Guidance

“O Spirit of Allah, I have come to ask for the hand of the daughter of your successor Simon in marriage for this son of mine…” (The words of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P) addressing Prophet Jesus (A.S))
Bishr ibn Sulayman was one of the lovers of Imam Hadi (A.S) and Imam al-Askari (A.S). He was the neighbor of these two Imams in Samarra. He has narrated that:
One day Imam Hadi (A.S) called me. He then wrote a letter in Roman, stamped it with his ring, gave the letter to me along with two hundred and twenty gold coins and said,” Take these to Baghdad, and get to a specific location. Some boats which carry a group of captives will arrive there in the morning”. Then he described one of the captives for me, and ordered me to give her the letter, and to say that I was the representative of the owner of the letter, so that she would follow me.
I acted as Imam Hadi (A.S) had ordered me. I found the captive the Imam (A.S) had described, and gave her the letter. When she saw the letter, she was driven to tears, and agreed to follow me. When we reached a resting area in Baghdad, she took the letter of Imam Hadi (A.S) out, started kissing it and wiping it over her eyes. I asked her in shock,” You are kissing a letter whose writer you do not know?”
She said,” You cannot understand the greatness of the children and successors of the Prophets. Listen to me so that I narrate my story. I am “Malakah”, daughter of “Yashu’a” (son of the Roman Emperor). My mother is a descendant of Simon, the successor of Prophet Jesus (A.S).
One night, I saw Prophet Jesus (A.S) and his disciples in my dream making a pulpit of light. Then, the Prophet of Islam, Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P) and his successor and son-in-law, Ali ibn Abi Talib (A.S) and a number of the Imams among his children blessed the palace with their presence.
Then, Prophet Jesus (A.S) received Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P). Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P) said,” O Spirit of Allah, I have come to ask for the hand of the daughter of your successor Simon in marriage for this son of mine”, and he pointed to Imam al-Askari (A.S).
Prophet Jesus (A.S) then said to Simon,” The glory of the two worlds has turned to you. Connect your progeny with that of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P)”.
Simon accepted the offer, so all of them went on top of the pulpit. Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P) recited a sermon, and he and Prophet Jesus (A.S) married me to Imam al-Askari (A.S), while children of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P) and the disciples were witnessing.
Later, Imam al-Askari (A.S) came to my dream and informed me that:” Your grandfather will send an army to the Muslim territories. You have to join them while wearing the clothes of the maids so that you would not be recognized”. I followed the instructions. The Muslim army fought ours and achieved victory, so we were caught as captives, and you saw how it ended. No one other than you knows that I am the daughter of the Roman Emperor. I introduced myself to the old man who made ma captive as “Narjis”.
Bishr ibn Sulayman narrates that:
“When I took her to Imam Hadi (A.S) in Samarra, he asked her,” How did Allah (S.W.T) show you the glory of Islam and the honor of Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P) and his family?
She replied,” How can I describe to you something which you know better than me?”
Imam Hadi (A.S) said,” Glad tidings to you for a son that shall become the king of the east and the west of world. He shall fill the earth with justice and equity after it will be filled with injustice and oppression. He is the son of the person whom the Messenger of Allah (S.W.T) married you to”.
Then, he said to his sister, Hakimah Khatun,” Take her home and teach her the obligatory and recommended acts, as she is the wife of Imam al-Askari (A.S) and the mother of the Saahib al-Zaman (Owner of Time, referring to Imam Mahdi(A.S))”.
Indeed Narjis had the best social status and the best means of joy and comfort in the Roman Empire at that time; however, she manifested purity and sincerity in herself in a way that the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H&H.P) married her to Imam al-Askari (A.S), and she was honored to become the mother of unique savior of the world. Nevertheless, Imam Hadi (A.S) has taught is that besides all the qualifications, the best and most fundamental foundation for a family is based on knowing the commands of Allah (S.W.T) and fulfilling them. Therefore, when such a family, which will create the destiny of mankind, was about to form, the first step was to learn the Divine commands.
So on what basis do we form our lives?
(The above is a selection taken from “Al-Abqari al-Hisan fi Ahwal Maulana Sahib al-Zaman”, by Ayatullah Shaykh Ali Akbar Nahawandi (with some changes and additions))

Taken from: Roshd Islamic Shia Website

Narrated from Abdul Rahman bin Kaseer:

عن عبد الرحمن بن كثير عن أبى عبد الله عليه السلام في قوله:” حافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَواتِ وَ الصَّلاةِ الْوُسْطى‏ وَ قُومُوا لِلَّهِ قانِتِينَ”
 قال الصلوات رسول الله و أمير المؤمنين و فاطمة و الحسن و الحسين عليهم السلام، و الوسطى، أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام و قُومُوا لِلَّهِ قانِتِينَ طائعين للائمة.

Imam Sadiq (A.S) said regarding the verse of Quran;
"Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers, especially the Middle Prayer; and stand before Allah in a devout" [2:238]
"Prayers" is (refers to) the Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P), the commander of the faithful (A.S), Fatima (S.A), Hassan (A.S) and Hussein (A.S). And the "Middle Prayer" is (refers to) the commander of the faithful (A.S). And "Stand before Allah in devout" is obedient to the Imam's (A.S).
[Source: Tafseer Noor us Saqlain Vol.1 Pg.237-238]

Ref: Marefate AhleBait (AS).com

No one in the history of Islam shares the words of praise that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H&H.P) used for Imam Ali (A.S). For example he said:
“If all the trees were pens, if all the seas were ink, if all the jinn and men wrote them down, even then the merits of Ali ibn Abi Talib (A.S) could not be counted.”
“Ali and I are from the same Light”
“Ali is from me and I am from Ali.”
“Ali is the first person to believe in my Prophet hood and will be the first person to meet me on the Day of Judgment.”
“I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its door. He who wants to gain knowledge should come through the door.”
“I am the store-house of wisdom and Ali is its door.”
“Whoever wishes to see Adam in his knowledge, Noah in his piety, Abraham in his patience, Moses in his strength, and Jesus in his worship and devotion should look at Ali ibn Abi Talib.”
“He who loves Ali loves me and he who hates Ali hates me.”
“O Ali! You are the leader in this world and the hereafter.”
“Ali is with the Truth and Truth is with Ali.”

Ref: Shia Books for Children

Abu Bakr Muhammad b. Umar al-Je'abi reported from Abu Abdullah Muhammad b. al-Qasim al-Muharibi, who reports from Ismail b. Ishaq al-Rashidi, who reported from Muhammad b. al-Harith, who reported from Ibrahim b. Muhammad, from Muslim al-A'awar, from Habbah al-Arni, from Abu al-Haytham b. al-Teehan al-Ansari, who reported that:
The Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) said: "Allah, Most High, created the souls two thousand years earlier than the bodies attached it to the Throne and ordered them to greet me and obey me. So the first one among men who greeted me and expressed his obedience to me was the soul of Ali Ibn Abi Talib, peace be upon him."

Ref: Al Hassanain.com

A man from amongst the crowd shouted, "O Ali! You relate to Yazid - for his mother Layla was daughter of Maymoona daughter of Abi Sufyan - and we want to respect this relationship.
We may grant you an amnesty and a refuge if you wish".
He said "The kinship of the Apostle of God should be second to none." He pressed on proclaiming who he was.
Imam Hussein could not hold back his tears and shouted at Omar bin Sa'ad, "What has become of you? May Allah bereave you of your kindred as you have made me bereft of mine, and did not respect my relationship of the Prophet. May Allah set on you an adversary who will slay you in your bed." He then raised his hands to the sky and said:
"O Lord! Bear witness on those people for he who emerged to them is bearing a strong likeness to Your Prophet in all departments - resemblance of disposition, complexion, and logic. Hence we look at him when we crave to see Your Apostle."
Ali al-Akbar continued fighting. He killed all those who had the guts to meet him in duel. He killed scores of combatants.
He killed many well-known warriors. No one dared to come close to him in a single combat. Umar Sa'ad ordered his soldiers to kill him, saying, "When he dies, Hussein will not want to live! Ali Akbar is the life of Hussein."
Since thirst greatly contributed to his overstraining, he returned to his father to rest and state of what thirst had done to him. Hussein cried, appealed for help and said, "You will soon meet your grandfather who will water you from his tumbler that you will never be thirsty again".
Ali Akbar returned to the battlefield happy to be told by his father that be would meet his grandfather, the Prophet. He delved into their ranks dispersing them. It seemed as though it were his grandfather, Imam Ali roaring in the battle ground fighting them. He killed more Kufans.
When the death toll mounted, Murra bin Munqidh al-Abdi made a pledge saying, "I shall bear all the sins of the Arabs, if I do not bereave his father." He ran his lance into his back and dealt him a blow on his head causing it to split.
As Ali Akbar fell from his horse, he said, "O Father, my last salaams to you! Here is my grandfather, the Messenger of Allah, giving me my water. He says yours is here waiting for you".
When Hussein ibn Ali went to Akbar, Akbar placed his right hand on his wounded chest and his left arm over the shoulder of his father. Hussein ibn Ali asked, "Akbar, why do you embrace me with only one arm?"
Akbar did not reply. Hussein ibn Ali tried to move Akbar's right hand, but Akbar resisted. Hussein ibn Ali forcefully moved the hand. Then he saw the blade of the spear. Hussein ibn Ali laid Ali Akbar on the ground and sat on his knees, he placed both of his hands on the blade of the spear. He looked at Najaf, and said,
"Father, I too have come to my Khaybar!" He pulled out the blade. Ali Akbar sighed and died.
While lifting the spear from the chest of Ali Akbar, Hussein faced towards the direction of Najaf, where his father Ali ibn Abi Talib's grave was, and shouted out:
"O father, you lifted the gates of Khaybar, yet you never had to lift a spear from the chest of your own son. Come to Karbala and see me lifting the spear from the chest of my son, Ali Akbar."

Source: qul.org

Ibn Abi al-Hadeed said the best thing about this aspect:
The virtues of Imam Ali (A.S) had reached a high standard of greatness, majesty, to extent that it is ugly to account it and explain it. What can I say about a man whose enemies and opponents admitted his merit? They could not deny his attributes nor conceal his virtues. I knew that Umayyad seized the authorities of Islam in east and west of the earth and they worked hard all the tricks to extinguish his light, incite him, claim defects, and disadvantages to him and curse him on all platforms. They threatened his eulogists, locked, and killed them. They prevented narrating any Hadiths about his virtue to the extent that they banned naming anyone after his name. Nevertheless, that raised his status and name. Imam was like musk when it was covered, its perfume spread, like the sun that cannot be covered with hands, and like day. What can I say about a man to whom all virtues were ascribed and he is the peak and fountain of virtues. All those who came after him followed his style and took advantage of his knowledge.
The most honorable knowledge is the divine science, because the honor knowledge is linked to the topic and the topic is the most honorable in existence. From the words of Allah: Holy Quran, Imam Ali quoted, narrated, to Imam Ali ended, and from him began the Mu'tazila. Mu'tazilites are the masters of monotheism, justice and thinking deeply. People – from them – learnt this art because their master is Wasil bin Ata'a who learned from Abu Hashim Ibn Abdul Allah bin Mohammad bin al-Hanafiya.
Abu Hashim is the student of his father and his father is the student of Imam Ali (A.S). While Ash'arism are belong to Abu al-Hassan who is Ali bin Ismail Ibn Abi Bashar al-Ash'ari, a disciple of Abi Ali al-Jebaee and Abu Ali is one of the masters of Mu'tazila. Therefore, Ash'ari – at the end – belongs to the master and teacher of Mu'tazila: Ali Ibn Abi Talib (A.S). The Imami and Zaidi belong clearly to Imam Ali.
What can I say about a man preceded people in faith? He believed in Allah and his prophet, while all people were worshiping stones and denying Allah. No one preceded him in faith. It was narrated that Imam Ali is the first person who believed in Allah and a very few people contradicted that.
If we want to explain his merits and virtue, we shall need volumes to cover them all.

Derived from: Imam Ali Network

In the book Kashful-Ghummah, as narrated by Faidh al-Kashani, from Umar that when the Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) was asked as to what voice did Allah (S.W.T) speak to him during the Journey (Ascension), the Prophet replied:
My Lord spoke to me with the voice of Ali Ibn Abi Talib and said, O Ahmad! I am an Entity that is not like anything else. I cannot be compared to anything else and I know all the secrets of your heart. With the exception of Ali Ibn Abu Talib, you have no other close friend. Thus, I speak to you with the voice of Ali Ibn Abi Talib so that your heart will be at ease.

Ref: duas.org

Ibn Abbas has commented on the above-mentioned event, saying about the following holy verse:
“Men whom neither merchandise nor selling diverts from the remembrance of Allah and the keeping up of prayer and the giving of poor-rate; they fear a day in which the hearts and eyes shall turnabout; That Allah may give them the best reward of what they have done, and give them more out of His grace; and Allah gives sustenance to whom He pleases without measure” (24:37-38).
He says: The occasion of the revelation was that one day the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) gave Ali (A.S) three hundred dinars, which they had given to him as gift. Ali (A.S) said: I took the money and said to myself by Allah, I will give such a charity with these dinars that Allah will accept. When I completed the night prayer with Allah’s Messenger, I took a hundred dinars and left the mosque. On my way, I came across a woman to whom I gave one hundred dinars. The following day, people said, “Ali (A.S) has given charity to a corrupt woman!” It was a great sorrow for me.
The night of that day, I performed the night prayer, took a hundred dinars in my hand, left the mosque and said to myself, “By Allah! I will give a charity, which will be accepted by my Lord. I saw a man and gave away the one hundred dinars to him.” The following day, the people of Medina said, “Ali (A.S) has given away a hundred dinars to a thief.” Again a great sorrow came to me but said to myself, “By Allah! I will give a charity tonight that Allah will accept from me.”
So, I performed my night prayer with Allah’s Messenger and then left the mosque having a hundred dinars with me. I saw a man to whom I gave the money. The next day, the people Medina said, “Last night, Ali (A.S) gave a hundred dinars to a rich man.” Again, a great sorrow came to me.
I went to Allah’s Messenger and told him the event. The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) said: O Ali (A.S)! Gabriel says to you: Allah has accepted your charity and purified your acts: The one hundred Dinars you gave as charity was put at the disposal of a corrupt woman who repented to Allah and used the money as earnings for her living. She also intends to get married with this money.
The charity of the second night went to a thief who repented thereafter and used the money for running a business. The charity of the third night went to a rich man who had not paid alms (Zakat) for years. He went home and blamed himself saying, “How miser I am! This is Ali ibn Abi Talib (A.S) who gave away a hundred Dinars to me while he has nothing whereas I am a rich man who has not paid his obligatory alms (Zakat)!” So, he reckoned his alms (Zakat) and put it aside. It was for this reason that Allah revealed the above-mentioned verses.
(Al-Manaqib: 74/2)

Taken from: Imam Reza.Network

The infant who was martyred before his Birth…or He was no more than six months fetus at the time of the attack…..!!!!
The demise of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) triggered a chain of events that caught the Muslims unaware. Worse, they accepted these events as if that was the most natural thing to do and remained unmindful of the far-reaching consequences of their submission.
One such incident that stands out in the aftermath of the Holy Prophet’s (P.B.U.H&H.P) demise is the siege on Hazrat Fatimah’s (S.A) house and the eventual attack that claimed two lives in its wake, one of them being Hazrat Fatimah (S.A) herself. The other one being the martyrdom of Hazrat Muhsin Ibn Ali (A.S), the subject of this article.

Unbelievably True …………
Muhsin Ibn Ali’s (A.S) martyrdom is so unsettling and incredible that some Muslims have even gone to the extent of denying it.
To think of it, indeed the incident is unbelievably true. Not just the martyrdom of Hazrat Muhsin Ibn Ali (A.S), the entire chain of incidents, the oppressors and oppressed ones, everything about the attack on Hazrat Fatimah’s (S.A) house is unbelievable.
It is unbelievable that the slightest harm would come on Fatimah (S.A), let alone her being inflicted with a fatal body blow. Especially, when the Muslims were served a crystal clear warning by the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) in this regard when he (P.B.U.H&H.P) informed them that Fatimah’s displeasure was the cause of his (P.B.U.H&H.P) displeasure, which in turn was Allah’s displeasure and finally, driving one to Hell.
It is unbelievable that Ali Ibn Abi Talib (A.S) who was anointed the commander of the faithful (A.S) publicly by the Messenger of Allah(P.B.U.H&H.P) on divine command less than three months before his (P.B.U.H&H.P) demise in Ghadir Khumm and was the unmatched choice of Allah and His Messenger (P.B.U.H&H.P) as highlighted by every notable incident in Islam’s history should be subjugated by individuals who could not even compare to the dust of his horse’s hooves which incidentally Allah swears by in Surah Al-Adiyat.
It is unbelievable that the perpetrators of this crime were none other than the so-called companions of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) and his so-called successors who claimed proximity and brotherhood with the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) and after whose names the Muslims invoke Allah’s satisfaction and mercy.
It is unbelievable that the atrocities meted out to Fatimah (S.A) would eventually claim her life inducing the commander of the faithful Ali (A.S) to declare that she was like a flower nipped in the bud and expressing to the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) his helplessness in safeguarding his (P.B.U.H&H.P) trust. All this within a few days of the Holy Prophet’s (P.B.U.H&H.P) demise and revelation of the Verse of Purification (Surah Ahzaab, Verse: 33) and Incident of the Cloak testified to by all the Muslims as being related to Fatimah (S.A) along with her husband and sons.
It is unbelievable that Fatimah (S.A) willed her burial to be carried out in the dead of the night deeming the companions in question unworthy to attend her funeral and in this way categorically refuting their claim to caliphate and so-called proximity to her father (P.B.U.H&H.P) and inflicting a slap so hard on her oppressors that its reverberations will always be felt by her oppressors and their partisans.
Finally, it is unbelievable that the struggle launched by a few individuals for worldly power and status would mercilessly uproot the existence of a six-month unborn infant from the comfort of his mother’s womb.
Over here, the martyrdom of Hazrat Muhsin Ibn Ali (A.S), the third son of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (A.S) and Fatimah (S.A) after Hassan (A.S) and Hussain (A.S) has been analyzed in detail. Other events before and after the martyrdom, although very significant from the viewpoint of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (A.S) and Fatimah (S.A) in particular and Muslims in general, are referred to in lesser detail.
Despite claims to the contrary by misinformed and uninformed Muslims, it is well-documented by scores of scholars from both the sects Sunnis and Shias that there was a full-scale attack on Fatimah’s (S.A) house only a few days after the Prophet’s (P.B.U.H&H.P) demise. The objective of the companions who assaulted Fatimah (S.A) and Ali Ibn Abi Talib (A.S) was to extract Ali’s (A.S) allegiance for Abu Bakr, without which they knew Abu Bakr’s caliphate would lack any form of legitimacy.

Derived from: Serat online

From the second half of 658, MUAWIYA, the governor of Syria, had been steadily escalating violence against the dominions of Ali. Some of his inroads reached Ain-at-Tamar and Anbar, only 170 miles north of Kufa. The men of Kufa were so unwilling to fight against the Syrians that Ali found it impossible to take effective punitive action. Muawiya himself led a raid right across the Jazira from Raqqa to Mosul, and met no resistance anywhere. At last, Ali declared in the mosque of Kufa that he would leave the city with the few of his faithful followers in an attempt to halt the Syrian aggression against Iraq, even if it cost him his life. This threat awakened the citizens of Kufa to the specter of being left leaderless if Ali was killed fighting against the Syrians. They were stung into action and they began to mobilize for defense.
The battle of Siffin had been the first trial of strength between Ali and Muawiya. Militarily, the battle had been a near-victory for Ali, but politically, it had become a stalemate. After some time, it began to appear that Ali would take up the challenge of Muawiya. But just then Ali was assassinated in the mosque of Kufa, and the second trial of strength never took place.
According to the historical accounts some of which are quite plausible, three Kharijis met in Kufa (some say in Mecca) to hatch a conspiracy. Each of them volunteered to kill each of the three leading political figures of the Dar-ul-Islam – Ali, Muawiya and Amr bin Aas. By killing them, it is alleged; they hoped to put an end to civil wars in Islam, and to restore peace to the Muslim umma.
One of the three conspirators was a certain Abdur Rahman bin Muljam. He stayed in Kufa to kill Ali, and the other two went to Syria and Egypt to kill Muawiya and Amr bin Aas. The plans of the would-be assassins of Muawiya and Amr bin Aas, according to the stories in circulation, went awry, and they were captured and were executed.
The Kharijis had been defeated at Nehrwan, and most of them had perished in the battle but a few had escaped. Abdur Rahman bin Muljam was one of those who had escaped. He was consumed with the desire to kill Ali, and was in quest of an opportunity to do so. By a coincidence, he met a Khariji woman, one Qattama, whose father and brothers had also been killed in Nehrwan, and she too had nursed an undying hatred of Ali.
Abdur Rahman fell in love with Qattama, and proposed marriage to her. She told him that the price of her hand was the head of Ali ibn Abi Talib. This only strengthened Abdur Rahman in his resolution. He promised his inamorata the moon if she asked for it, but she said that nothing was of interest to her if she could not get the head of Ali ibn Abi Talib!
Abdur Rahman bin Muljam carefully worked out his plans to kill Ali. A few other trusted Kharijis also volunteered their services to him, and together they rehearsed the assassination. Abdur Rahman bin Muljam took one extra precaution – he put his sword in deadly poison, and let it soak in it for three days.
On the morning of the 19th of Ramadan of the year 40 A.H., Ali came into the Great Mosque of Kufa, and called Adhan (the call to prayer). He took his place in the alcove, and moments later, the worshippers began to arrive. They stood behind him in serried ranks, and the prayer began. Standing in the front row, with other worshippers, were Abdur Rahman bin Muljam and his confederates. They were watching Ali's movements. In the folds of their cloaks, they were carrying swords burnished to a high sheen, and soaked in poison.
Just when Ali touched the ground with his forehead for Prostration (sajda), Abdur Rahman bin Muljam stepped out of his row, and crept into the alcove. And just when Ali lifted his head from the ground, ibn Muljam struck the fatal blow at his forehead with such deadly force that it split open.
Blood squirted from Ali's forehead in several jets, and he exclaimed:
"By the Lord of the Kaaba, I am successful!"
("Fuztu wa rabbil Ka'ba")

Source: Imam Ali Network

It’s narrated that the commander of the faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (A.S) was seated in Mosque with a group of his followers sitting around him.
They said to Him, "Narrate to us, O the commander of the faithful".
Imam Ali (A.S) said, "Woe to you. My word is difficult and intolerable. None can understand it except for the knowledgeable."
They said, "No problem that you narrate something for us".
Imam Ali (A.S) said, “I am the one who became elevated and did overcome. I am the one who gives life and death. I am the first one and the last one. I am the apparent one and the hidden one.
Then the people became angry and said, "He has done Kufr and the people got up (to take the exit)."
Imam Ali (A.S) then said to the door, "O' the door, close upon them. So the door closed upon them".
Then Imam Ali (A.S) said, "Did I not tell you that my word is difficult and intolerable and none can understand it except for the knowledgeable? Come I will explain it to you.
As for my saying that, 'I am the one who became elevated and did overcome'. Then it means that I became elevated (above you) with this sword and overcame you until you believed in Allah (S.W.T) and His Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P).
As for my saying that, 'I am the one who gives life and death'. Then it means that I give life to the tradition (Sunnah) and give death of Bid'ah.
As for my saying that, 'I am the first one'. Then it means that I am the first one to believe in Allah (S.W.T) and to submit to Him.
As for my saying that, 'I am the last one'. Then it means that I am the last one in terms of giving shroud to the Prophet and burying Him.
As for my saying that, 'I am the apparent one and the hidden one'. Then it means that with me is the apparent and hidden knowledge.
The people then said, "You have delighted us. May Allah (S.W.T) delight you'.
[Source: al-Ikhtesaas, Shaikh Mufeed, Pg. 163]

Ref: Marefate AhleBait (A.S).com

I. Imam Mahdi’s (A.S) Occultation
Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (A.S) has brought up the subject of Imam Mahdi (A.S)’s occultation in different occasions within the limits of his audience intellectual and understanding abilities and according to the natural trend of events in the future.
On an occasion he points to the necessity of the existence of a divine Hujjah on the earth, even more, in the entire universe. Then he notes that this Hujjah may be present and apparent and may be hidden from the people’s sight because of the situation not being suitable. The Imam (A.S) declared that during the time of occultation, even though his body cannot be sighted and is not present, his knowledge will be known to the people. [Kulaini, Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, P. 139]
On the second occasion, Imam Ali (A.S) emphasized that the Mahdi (A.S) is one of us, the Ahlul-Bait, and he will fill the earth with justice and equity after it is filled with oppression. [Allameh Majlesi, Bihar ul-Anwar, Vol. 51, P. 118]
Finally, on the third occasion, he mentions the hardships and problems of the time of occultation and the characteristics of the people of that time saying at the end that many people will go astray or lose hope and start denying His Eminence. [Ibid. Vol. 38, P. 70; Vol. 51, P. 119]

II. The Causes and Philosophies behind the Occultation
Even though some traditions clearly state that the actual philosophy of occultation is not known for mankind, some of Imam Ali’s (A.S) sayings point out a few. Some of these are: the Imam (A.S) not having to pledge allegiance to the oppressors, the distinction of the deceived, the oppression of people and the children of Imam Ali (A.S) by people themselves, and the perseverance of the signs of guidance.

III. The Signs of the Era of Occultation
There are interesting face that can be found in Imam Ali (A.S)’s sayings about the signs and dangers for the intellect and belief in the era of occultation. Some of these are the wonderment of the people and their being lost; having difficulties in being religious and, hesitance in the existence of the Imam (A.S).

Taken from: The universal center of imam Mahdi (A.S)

Many of us consider spending of Sadaqah on relatives as wrong and believe that such an act is disgraceful. Contrary to our belief and thinking, Islam encourages us to do the same.
It is reported from Imam ‘Ali bin al-Hussein (A.S) that the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) has said, “Begin your charity at home. By this I mean that you spend on your father, on your mother, on your sister and on your brother. Thereafter, follow the sequence of those who are nearer, and then nearer.” (Bihar al-Anwar)
He (P.B.U.H&H.P) has also said, “If the near ones are needy then the Sadaqah cannot be given to anyone else.” (Bihar al-Anwar)
He (P.B.U.H&H.P) has also said, “The best Sadaqah is the one which you spend on your sister, or on your daughter who has been returned to you (divorced), and she has no one save you who can support her.” (Bihar al-Anwar)
There are two advantages of giving Sadaqah to one’s poor relatives:
Firstly, it will increase in the weight of good deeds when the deeds shall be put on the weighing scale in the Hereafter. Imam ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (A.S) has said, “The first thing that shall be put in the weighing scale of a servant (on the Day of Judgment) will be his charity on his relatives.” (Bihar al-Anwar)
And secondly, the rewards of whatever one spends on his poor relatives shall be doubled. The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H&H.P) has said, “Verily the reward of every Sadaqah that is spent on poor relatives shall be doubled.” (Kanzul-Ummaal)

Ref: Almujtaba Islamic Articles Page

The commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (A.S) was returning from a journey with a string of camels fully laden with goods. On the way a beggar asked for a piece of bread. Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (A.S) ordered his beloved servant Qambar to give some bread to the beggar. Qambar started searching for bread. After a few moments Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (A.S) asked about the delay. Qambar said, "I am looking for the bread."
The commander of the faithful, Imam Ali (A.S) said, "Give the bagger the camel which carries the food." After a while Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (A.S) again inquired about the delay. Qambar replied, "I am searching for the camel carrying the food." "Give the whole caravan," Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (A.S) ordered.
Qambar hurriedly jumped off from the camel and handed the reins of the whole caravan to the fortunate beggar.
The commander of the faithful, Imam Ali (A.S) smiled at the agility of Qambar and asked him, "Why did you jump so quickly and hand over the reins in such haste?" Qambar replied, "Master, you are in such a mood that on account of a little delay, you gave away the whole caravan. I was afraid if there was some more delay, you might give me away also with the caravan. You will get a thousand slaves like me, but where will I get a master like you?"

Ref: islamicoccasions.com

Once on the eve of Ramadan, towards the end of a memorable sermon on the blessings of the month of fasting, the Prophet burst into tears. Asked by his dear cousin and son-in-law, the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (A.S), the reason for his weeping, the Almighty’s Last Messenger to mankind, replied:
"O Ali, I weep for that which will befall you in this month. (Imagining myself) to be in your place when you will be praying to your Lord, and the most wicked person of all times, like the one who chopped off the feet of the camel of Thamoud (that was the divine proof of Prophet Saleh's mission), will strike you on your head and your beard will be dyed by it (blood)."
"O Ali whoever kills you has (in fact) killed me, whoever annoys you has annoyed me and whoever slanders you has slandered me, because you are to me like my soul. Your spirit is my spirit and your nature is my nature. Surely, Allah the Praised and the Glorious created me then you, chose me then you. Selected me for Prophet Hood and selected you for Imamate. And whoever denies your Imamate has (in fact) denied my Prophet Hood. O Ali, you are my legatee and father of my (grand) children, and husband of my daughter, and my Caliph (vicegerent) over my ummah both in my lifetime and after my death. Your bidding is my bidding, and your forbidding is my forbidding. I swear by the Power that granted me Prophet Hood and made me the most excellent of creation, you are the Hujjat-Allah (Proof of Allah) over His creatures, and His Trustee over mysteries and His Caliph over His creatures.”
What the Prophet had predicted occurred over three decades later on the 21st of Ramadan in Iraq. The Imam of the Pious, on being struck the fatal blow in the Grand Mosque of Kufa while engrossed in the morning prayer of 19th Ramadan in the year 40 AH expressed that immortal phrase: By the Lord of the Ka’ba I have succeeded.”
And what a grand success did the Icon of Justice achieve! Till this day, Imam Ali (A.S), whose ideal administration of justice has yet to be emulated, is remembered as the Martyr for the Cause of Freedom and Liberties. As the most nearest and dearest person to the Prophet, he had stood beside his cousin through every thick and thin, frustrating the bloodcurdling plots of the hypocrites in order to free human societies from the fetters of ignorance, superstition and polytheism.
In short, Imam Ali (A.S) was the supreme example of social justice the world has ever seen. Even non-Muslim scholars have praised his dynamic personality. The Christian scholar George Jordaq has written a series of excellent books titled: Imam Ali (A.S) and Socrates; Imam Ali and Aristotle; Imam Ali and the French Revolution; and Imam Ali the Voice of Human Justice. Jordaq has shown that Imam Ali (A.S) excels all comparisons, and the freedom and liberties that he enshrined are still beyond the reach of human societies despite the bragging of democracy and human rights by western governments, whose practice is nothing but outright hypocrisy.
We thus pay our sincere tribute to this Icon of Justice, whose model government has been the source of inspiration in every age and era for those striving for justice in society. We pray to God to hasten the reappearance of the Lord of the Age, Imam Mahdi (A.S) to cleanse the world of all vestiges of corruption and oppression by establishing the global government of peace, prosperity and justice.

Derived From: Shia.es

The Imami scholar and biographer Shaykh al-Najashi (d 450 AH/1058 AD) has recorded the lineage of Abd al-Azim at the beginning of his biography as: Abd al-Azim bin Abdullah bin Ali bin al-Hassan bin Zayd bin al-Hassan bin Ali ibn Abi Talib (A.S) and this is his correct lineage. However, he then writes at the end of the biography: He (i.e. Abd al-Azim) died and when he was undressed so that the funeral bath could be given to him, a small piece of paper was found in one of his pockets in which was written his lineage, as follows: “I am Abu al-Qasim Abd al-Azim bin Abdullah ibn Ali bin al-Hassan bin Zayd bin Ali bin al-Hassan bin Ali ibn Abi Talib (A.S).” But the first rendering of his lineage is correct for Imam al-Hassan’s progeny continued through the agency of two sons, who were:
1) Zayd bin al-Hassan, and
2) Al-Hassan al-Muthanna.
Thus it is apparent that Imam Hassan (A.S) did not have a son by the name of Ali through whom he may have had grandchildren (as the second version of Sayyid Abd al- Azim’s lineage above implies).
Therefore on the basis of the above, Sayyid Abd al-Azim was separated from Imam Hassan (A.S) by four generations only.

Ref: Al-Islam.org

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