About whom the famous Christian historians, like Thomas Carlyle, Polos Salmah, George Gordon, John J. Pool, Oelsnar, Osborn, Gibbon, Gabriel Enkiri, Khalil Jibran, Michael Naimi, George Jurdaq, Washington Irving, Macdonald Ebron, Macolme and others, and Muslim historians like Zaid Ibne Waheb Johney, (1st century A.H.), Abdul Hameed Bin Yahya (132 A.H.), Ibnul Moqufa (142 A.H.), Jahiz-e-Usmani, Ibne Nadeem Husham Ibne Saeed Kalbee (146 A.H.), Abu Usman, Omari Bin Baharul Jahiz (255 A.H.), Ibne Qotayba-e-Dayanoori (280 A.H.), Abul Abbas Almobard (286 A.H.), Ibne Jurair Tabari (310 A.H.), Abu Mohammad Hasan Ibne Ali Ibne Shobae Halbi (320 A.H.), Ibne Wareed (321 A.H.), Ibne Abd Rabbeh (328 A.H.), Siqatul Islam Kulayni (329 A.H.), Ali Ibne Mohammad Ibn Abdullah-e-Madani (356 A.H.), Masoodi (346 A.H.), Abul Faraj Isfahani (356 A.H.), Abul Ali Qauli (356 A.H.), Sheikh Sadooq (381 A.H.), Sheikh Mufeed (413 A.H.), Syed Razi (420 A.H.), Sheikhul Taifa Abu Jafar Mohammad Ibne Hasan-e-Toosi (460 A.H.), Abu Sadaat Mubarak Majoddin, Ibne Aseer (606 A.H.), Allama Sheikh Kamaluddin Ibne Talha Shafaee (652 A.H.), Ibne Abil Hadeed Motazali (655 A.H.), Imam Bukhari, Allama Salahuddin Taftazanee (791 A.H.), Allama Alauddin Quoshjee (875 A.H.), Sheikh Mohammad Abdoh (132 A.H.), Sheikh Mustafa Ghala, Ustad Mohammad Moiuddin, Ustad Abdul Wahab Hamodah (1351 A.H.), Abdul Maseeh Anthakee, Fawad Afrun Basthani, Imam Noodi, Ibnul Arbi, Sibte Ibne Jozi, Imam Hakim Neshapoori, Ibne Aseer, Abdul Birr, Allama Tabrani, Hafiz Abu Noaim, Imam Soyooti, Allama Tirmizi, Allama Mohammad Mustafa Beg, Najeeb Mohammad Kaamil Katha, Imam Ahmed Meelani, Tabari, Alliul Muttaqi, Imam Abu Umar, Yusuf Ibne Abdul Barwaqudi, Shah Ismail Hameini, Shah Waliullah Dehlavi, Abul Fide, Imam Hanbal, Imam Ghazali, Ibne Shehabal Zohari, Mohammad Ibne Ishaque Ibne Rahooya, Ibne Sabbagh-e-Maliki, Sheikh Abdul Haq Mohaddis Dehlavi, Allama Mohammad Moin, Imam Fakhruddin Raazi, Imam Nisai, Allama Ibne Hajar-e-Makki, Shahristani, Shibli Nomani, Allama Zamakhshari, Justice Ameer Ali, Nawab Siddiq Hasan Khan and so many others. It is also said that a scholar of 13th century A.D. Ibn Shahrashub-al-Mazoarani had a thousand books with the title "Munaqib" (Noble virtues) in his library all written about Ali (A.S.).

It is significant to note that the sources from which the material has been collected on Ali (A.S.) or about Ali (A.S.) and his family and friends has been the sources that were too far from them. They did not have any direct or close relations with Ali (A.S.) or his relatives, descendants friends and their relations. The government had so terrorized the people that nobody dared to go near the descendants of the Prophet (S.A.W) or Ali (A.S.). Imam Bukhari who had the privilege of living at a time when four of the greatest descendants of the Prophet (S.A.W) viz, Imam Ali Ibne Moosa Ar Reza, Imam Mohammad Taqi, Imam Ali Naqi and Imam Hasan Askari (peace be on them all) were living but he did not consult them or even see them. Though it is said that he travelled throughout the world and met each and every person who could give him some material on the life and activities of the Prophet (S.A.W), his relatives and friends. Even the friends of Ali (A.S.) and their descendants were prevented from taking any information from them [Al-Fiqah by Maulana Umar Kareem]. The same attitude was adopted by other traditionalists like Muslim, Abi Dawood, Tirmizi, Nisai and Ibne Majah who too lived during the same period but never referred to the Prophet (S.A.W)’s descendants. Hafiz Bin Asaakir has mentioned a list of all such great writers who avoided meeting the family members of the Prophet (S.A.W) and their descendants. [Minhajus Sunnah of Ibne Taimia, page 121). Even then so much has been said of him and yet so little. His pragmatic personality presents a fresh hue to every one who wants to see at him and find him. Let us also search for this serene soul, this moving spirit of Islam, this bright star in the sky of humanity.