Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 1 of 2

90 'Ali ibn Abi Tdlib in Makkah
was first created from clay, when he was formed and the soul was
breathed into him, and the recent origin when they were created from
a drop of spenn.'17 AUah (a) says:
@Who made everythmg He has created good and He began the
creation of man from clay. Then He made his offspring from semen
of despised water [male and female sexual discharge]. Then He
fashioned him in due proportion, and breathed into him the soul
[created by Allah for that person]; and He gave you hearing [ears],
sight [eyes] and hearts. Little is the thanks you give!# (Qur'an 32: 7-9)
He understood that Allah (&) has created humans with His
own hand, and honoured them with a beautiful form and an upright
posture. He has blessed them with wisdom, logic and discernment,
and subjugated to them all that is in the heavens and on earth. Allah
(iB) favoured human beings over much of His creation, and
honoured them by sending the Messengers to them. The most
wondrous manifestation of this divine honour towards humankind
was that He made them qualified to receive His love and good
pleasure, which could he attained by following the Prophet (&), who
called people to Islam so that they might live a good life in this world
and attain eternal bliss in the hereafter. Allah (B) says:
{Whoever works righteousness - whether male or female - while
he [or she] is a true believer [of Islamic Monotheism] verily, to him
We will give a good life [in this world with respect, contentment and
lawful provision], and We shall pay them certainly a reward in
proportion to the best of what they used to do [i.e. paradise in the
hereafter] .% (Qur'an 16: 97)
Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) unde~stood the true nature of
the struggle between humans and'satan. He knew that this enemy
comes to them from before and behind, from their right and from
their left, and whispers to them, tempting them to commit sin and
stining up their desires. He used to seek the help of AUah (g)