section_path: Character
section_name: Character
paragraph_text: Character
  
  Often praised for his piety and courage, Ali fought to uphold his beliefs, but was also magnanimous in victory, even risking the ire of some supporters to prevent the enslavement of women. He also showed his grief, wept for the dead, and reportedly prayed over his enemies. Yet Ali has also been criticized for his idealism and political inflexibility, for his egalitarian policies and strict justice antagonized many. Or perhaps these qualities were also present in Muhammad, whom the Quran addresses as, "They wish that thou might compromise and that they might compromise." At any rate, these qualities of Ali, rooted in his religious beliefs, contributed to his image today for his followers as a paragon of Islamic virtues, particularly justice. Ali is also viewed as the model par excellence for Islamic chivalry (futuwwa).
  
  Historical accounts about Ali are often tendentious. For instance, in person, Ali is described in some Sunni sources as bald, heavy-built, short-legged, with broad shoulders, hairy body, long white beard, and affected by eye inflammation. Shia accounts about the appearance of Ali are markedly different. Those perhaps better match his reputation as a capable warrior. Likewise, in manner, Ali is presented in some Sunni sources as rough, brusque, and unsociable. By contrast, Shia sources describe him as generous, gentle, and cheerful, to the point that the Syrian war propaganda accused him of frivolity. Shia and Sufi sources are also replete with reports about his acts of kindness, especially to the poor. The necessary qualities in a commander, described in a letter attributed to Ali, may have well been a portrait of himself: slow to anger, happy to pardon, kind to the weak, and severe with the strong. His companion, Sa'sa'a ibn Suhan, described him similarly, "He was amongst us as one of us, of gentle disposition, intense humility, leading with a light touch, even though we were in awe of him with the kind of awe that a bound prisoner has before one who holds a sword over his head."