We are the followers of Shiite Imams, and we know the guardianship of Ali (PBUH) as a great honor. We know love for Ali (PBUH) as a way of becoming closer to God and believe that if we are able to follow His example in personality and behavior, and perceive His high ideals, we can claim to be His real Shiites. It is so that Shiism becomes the manifestation of innocence of all times, just as our first Imam and leader is known to be the first innocent in all the world of creation.

Imam Ali (PBUH) is a man we must primarily get to know and understand. He puts us in the path to gaining real knowledge of our God and His messenger. If we are able to truly move in line with the Imam’s perception, insight, and wisdom, the world would be envious of our intellect and rationality, and all those who seek peace, justice, and freedom throughout the world will become one with us in our cry since the excellent ideals of that Imam is the greatest guide for all humanity in their private and social lives.

During the five years of His leadership, He brought us the great gift of freedom and democracy; a gift that humanity, today, is still not capable of perceiving. Nor is man still capable of applying all that glory to his path towards gaining Ali’s (PBUH) version of justice and democracy.

Part of that gift can be read in the treaty with Malek Ashtar, a treaty that even acting upon one of its sentences can administer the safeguarding of people’s lives and property, and democracy in its true meaning shall be realized: “Indeed, people are two groups; they are either your religious brothers or those who are equal with you in the Creation” (Nahj al-Belaghah, 3:84).