Many signs of courage and bravery had been realized throughout his life...

Many signs of courage and bravery had been realized throughout his life, whether through his deeds or speeches. He slept in the Prophet's bed in the night of emigration to save the prophet’s life when the polytheists decided to assassinate him. In spite of that he might face great dangers; he did it at risk of losing his life.

Since the first war between the Muslims and the idolaters until his last fight against the Kharijites in Nahrawan, all the combatants, who fought him, were killed or ran away for saving their lives. He attacked his enemy so fearlessly that it seemed as if he went to meet death or that death fled away fearing his greatness. The story of ‘Ali’s man-to-man combat with Amr ibn Abd Widd when ‘Ali was just a very young man and Amr was a very brave experienced warrior was not fiction.

When ‘Ali knocked Amr down and sat on his chest to cut his head, Amr spat at him. Imam ‘Ali suppressed his anger, got up and began to walk some steps about the field before killing Amr. When he was asked about what made him do so, he replied: “I got angry from his immodest act and if I had killed him at that moment, I would have avenged myself on him, but I quenched my anger so that my killing him would be purely for the sake of God.” It was suggestive of his immaculate feelings towards God.

He always suggested making peace before beginning the war, but when he became despaired of peace, he started out to fight, because in his opinion that one, who started the fight would be really an oppressor and standing up to him would be lawful. For this purpose he came forward unarmed in the battle of al- Jamal and called for Talhah and Al-Zubayr, who were armed, to negotiate with them.

In this battle he overcame his most obstinate enemies and then he remitted their offences and let them go wherever they wished. They had attacked the wali of Basra at night and had put him to torture and they also had killed many innocent people. When Imam ‘Ali (as) went to comfort A’ishah, at the end of the battle, the housekeeper, named Saffiyyah, came and abused Imam ‘Ali because she was bereaved of her husband in the battle.

Some of his men wanted to punish her, but Imam ‘Ali prevented them and said: “She abused me and it is up to me whether to punish her or to forgive her.” Instead of blaming A’ishah for what she had committed against him, Imam ‘Ali sent her back to Medina respectfully.