Ali b Abi Talib, son-in-law and cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, first Shi'i imam and fourth caliph, is a monumental figure within the Islamic tradition. Divided into three parts, this book introduces the person of Ali, and focuses on the spiritual and ethical content of his teachings. It also evaluates Ali's 'sacred conception of justice'. Acknowledgements ix Prologue: The Sources of Imam `Ali's Intellectual Legacy 1(10) Introducing Imam `Ali and his Spiritual Ethos 11(62) Biographical Sketch 13(9) The Spirit of the Intellect 22(14) The Discourse to Kumayl 36(37) A Sacred Conception of Justice in Imam `Ali's Letter to Malik al-Ashtar 73(61) Contemporary Ethics and the Ihsani Tradition 73(12) Justice versus Tyranny 85(10) Moral Conscience and Spiritual Consciousness 95(19) The Virtue of Worship 114(20) Realization through Remembrance: Imam `Ali and the Mystical Tradition of Islam 134(103) Dhikru'Llah as a Polish for Hearts 141(15) Remembrance as the Quintessence of Worship 156(5) The Reality of Remembrance 161(47) Appendices The First Sermon of Nahj al-balagha 208(11) The Letter of Imam `Ali to Malik al-Ashtar 219(18) Bibliography 237(9) General Index 246(6) Index of Qur'anic Verses 252