Imam Ali (peace be upon him): The Immortal Love
Luminous Words from the Supreme Leader, Sayyed Ali Khamenei

Perhaps we can't find among the well-known personalities in the world -and especially among Islamic personalities- an individual who is loved as much as the Commander of Believers (peace be upon him) by nations and followers of different religions.

Consider the Commander of Believers (peace be upon him) as a youth between the age of 16 and 19 when he was in Mecca, or in the outset of his arrival in Medina when he was 20 and so years old. Consider the different phases in the life of this great individual and you will see that this youth truly represents the best role model for youths in all eras. He was not attracted by the lusts of youth, the pleasures of the worldly life, or the charms which youths hold value for. He was only drawn to the great and sublime goals which the Messenger (peace be upon him and his Household) was sent for. His entire existence was for the sake of these objectives, and the other matters were only a secondary matter to him.

It is a very great thing for a youth not to heed the worldly life, its pleasures, and its charms even for a single instant, and to spend the prime of his youth and his energy, activity, and enthusiasm in the way of Allah. This is the peak of sincerity, and there is truly nothing which is more sublime than this.

Notice this man when he reached the age of perfection and maturation. He was considered one of the [prominent] individuals in his society and he was respected by everyone. Perhaps thousands of people heard the Messenger (peace be upon him and his Household) praising and commending him. I don't believe that any Muslim narrators transmitted praise -in quantity or content- concerning another figure [in a manner which] matches what has been transmitted from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his Household) concerning the Commander of the Believers (peace be upon him).

Consider this same person when he was at the head of the Islamic World [and] when he became the leader of the Muslims.

Do you know what [was] the Islamic world at that time? It extended from the borders of India to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. This was the Islamic World at that time. It included Iraq, Egypt, the Levant, Palestine, Iran and other [areas]. Perhaps he was at the head of half of the populated world at that time and had complete authority.

The way of life and the asceticism of the Commander of Believers (peace be upon him) which you have heard of are connected to this stage. The beautiful life and its pleasures, ease, attractiveness, and other matters were all together combined not able to plunge the Commander of Believers (peace be upon him) in the pits of doubt and turbulence for even a single moment!