Hazrat Ali (r.a.) The 4th caliph of Muslim Ummah

Hazrat Ali a versatile genius, an elevated soul, an exalted personality and a perfect human  being. This is the brief description of Hazrat Ali's personality,which cannot be described in One Book. He was a eloquent speaker having richest course of wisdom. He was firmest in maintaining Justice. He was a distinguished theologian and a unique scholar. No one can come to him in generosity, in bravery, in knowledge and in all human deeds. His pledge had been taken from the Prophets,his traits of character were well reputed and his birth was honourable in an honourable family.
     In his philosophy of religion Hazrat Ali (r.a) says "religion is a vital and positive force of life if there is an ardent love for knowledge, devotion to the cause of humanity and desire to improve the lot of man." He further says that religion is baseless without knowledge.  He defined knowledge : " Enlightenment of heart is its essence, Truth is its principal object,Inspiration is its guide, Reason is its acceptor, Allah(God) is its Inspirer and words of man its utterances".
    Further, according to Hazrat Ali evolution of mind is the essence of life and religion is the essence of the evolution of mind. How correctly Hazrat Ali taught us that a man without mind is not a man and a mind without religion is worst than the instinct of a beast more harmful and more dangerous. Devotion without understanding will not bring blessings of Allah(God), it is useless.
    Hazrat Ali (r.a) attaches so much value to mind and its correct ways of grasping Truth. He further says "your first leader and guide is your mind".  At another place he says that nothing is useful to man than his intelligence or there is nothing wealthier than wisdom or there is no greater bounty of the Lord than the intellect granted to you".
          According to traditions Hazrat Ali (r.a) was born under unusual circumstances in Holy Kaabah (the House of Allah) on the 13th of Rajab in the 28th year of The Elephant Era (Aaamul Feel), which corresponds to 599 or 600 C.E/A.D.  Some scholars have mentioned his birth on 21st March, 599 A.D. The Christian Viceroy of Yemen, Abraha, along with a huge army consisting of elephants,l invaded Mecca with the intention of destroying the Kaaba, and shifting the centre of pilgrimage from Kabba to Yemen. The invasion failed and the Christian army had to be at a retreat without achieving its object. That marked the retreat of Christianity from the heartland of Arabia and
paved the way for the rise of Islam. Anyhow Hazrat Ali was at the juncture of the two centuries,the sixth and the seventh.
       Hazrat Ali was the son of Abu Talib, custodian of the Holy Kaaba and a prominent Quraish Chief. The mother of Ali  was Fatima, daughter of Asad who was a son of Hashim. Fatima was cousin of Abu Talib. Both the father and mother of Ali wee Hashimites and that  was a great honor. He was martyred at Kufa at the age of 62 years on 21st Ramadan 40 A.H.( 28th February, 661 A.D.)