Al-Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (peace be on him), Seal of Prophets Muhammad bin Abdullah (peace be on him and his pure progeny)’s first infallible descendant, son-in-law and cousin, was born in the House of Allah, the Ka'ba, on Rajab 13 and martyred in the House of Allah, Kufa Mosque, on Ramadan 21.

His high level of intellect is demonstrated in a series of sermons, letters and sayings in a book titled "Nahjul-balaghah" which is available in English under the translated title of "Peak of Eloquence". There are many stories told of Ali (peace be on him)’s justice, kindness to the lowly, compassion for the needy and the poor, and generosity and munificence toward those in misery and poverty. The prophet (peace be on him and his pure progeny) had said of Ali (peace be on him): "I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate” and "if you want to see the knowledge of Adam, the piety of Noah, the devotion of Abraham, the awe of Moses, and the service of the abstinence of Christ, look at the face of Ali".

Here are some words of the Gate of City of Knowledge about heart:

* I am amazed at the heart of man: It possesses the substance of wisdom as well as the opposites contrary to it ... for if hope arises in it, it is brought low by covetousness: and if covetousness is aroused in it, greed destroys it. If despair possesses it, self-piety kills it: and if it is seized by anger, this is intensified by rage. If it is blessed with contentment, then it forgets to be careful; and if it is filled with fear, then it becomes preoccupied with being cautious. If it feels secure, then it is overcome by vain hopes; and if it is given wealth, then its independence makes it extravagant. If want strikes it, then it is smitten by anxiety. If it is weakened by hunger, then it gives way to exhaustion; and if it goes too far in satisfying its appetites, then its inner becomes clogged up. So all its shortcomings are harmful to it, and all its excesses corrupt it.

*There are four things that make the heart die: wrong action followed by wrong action, playing around with foolish people, spending a lot of time with women, and sitting with the dead. Then they asked Imam Ali: 'And who are the dead, O Commander of the believers?' He replied: 'Every slave who follows his desires.'

*Surely want is a trial, and having sickness of the body is more difficult to bear than indigence, and having a sickness of the heart is more difficult to bear than having a sickness of the body. Surely being very wealthy is a blessing, and having a healthy body is better than being very wealthy, and having awe of Allah in your heart is better than having a healthy body.