Ali's (ra) Forbearance

Bismillahir'Rahmanir'Rahim

‘Ali (r.a), the “Lion of God,” was once engaged in conflict with a Magian chief, and in the midst of the struggle the Magian spat in his face. ‘Ali (r.a), instead of taking vengeance on him, at once dropped his sword, to the Magian’s great astonishment. On his inquiring the reason such forbearance, ‘Ali (r.a) informed him that the “Lion of God” did not destroy life for the satisfaction of his own vengeance, but simply to carry out God’s will, and whenever he saw just cause, he held his hand even in the midst of the strife, and spared the foe. The Prophet, ‘Ali (r.a) continued, had long since he informed him that he will die by the hands of his own stirrup-bearer (Ibn Maljun), and the stirrup-bearer had frequently implored ‘Ali (r.a) to kill him, and thous save him from the commission of that great crime; but ‘Ali (r.a) said he always refused to do so, as to him death was as sweet as life, and he felt no anger against his destined assassin, who was only the instrument of God’s eternal purpose. The Magian chief, on hearing ‘Ali’s (r.a) discourse, was so much affected that he embraced Islam, together with all his family, to the number of fifty souls.

taken from: Masnavi-i-Ma'navi by Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi