'Ali b. Abi Talib, son-in-law and cousin of the Prophet, first Shi'i Imam and fourth caliph of the nascent Islamic community, is arguably the single most important spiritual and intellectual authority in Islam after the Prophet himself. This work, the first in English to engage seriously with his worldview, introduces some of the most salient intellectual and moral principles for which 'Ali is chiefly renowned in Islam. The book consists of three parts. The first introduces the person of 'Ali and his spirituality in a general manner, with a particular focus on spiritual and ethical concomitants of the intellect in his teachings. The second evaluates 'Ali's sacred conception of justice, using his famous letter to Malik al-Ashtar as the point of departure. The third addresses the theme of spiritual realization through the remembrance of God, dhikru'llah, the central mystical practice of the Sufis. The book is not only an important introduction to the thought of one of the seminal figures of the Islamic faith, it is also a valuable and timely elucidation of the spirituality underlying ethical discourse and practice in Islam.

Book jacket.