Imam Ali (A.S.) and the Holy Quran

"(Remember) the day when We will summon every people with their Imam (guide); then whosoever is given his book in his right hand, then these shall read their book (joyfully) and they shall not be dealt with unjustly". (17:71)
In explaining the above verse, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said, "(On that day) every people will be summoned with the Imam of their time, Book of their Lord and the Sunnah (tradition) of their prophet". (Tafseer-e-Namoona)
Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (A.S.) said (to his followers): "Why don't you praise and extol Allah. On the day of Judgement, every people will be summoned with the person whose Wilayah i.e. guardianship they had accepted. We will be summoned with the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) and you with us! Do you wonder where then shall you be taken to?" The Imam (A.S.) said thrice: "To paradise-by the Lord of Ka’bah". (Tafseer-e-Namoona)
Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (A.S.)'s only aim of life was to earn the eternal pleasure of Allah (SWT) in everything he said and did in his noble life. In his praise, Quran says: "And among men is he who sells his Nafs (self) in exchange for the pleasure of Allah" (2:207) According to Tha'labi, Ghazali and all the Shia'h commentators, this verse was revealed in praise of Ali (A.S.) on the night of Hijrah when he volunteered to sleep in the bed of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.). And in order to achieve this aim, Ali (A.S.) adopted such principles, which either strongly attracted people towards him or repelled them.
The foremost principle of Ali (A.S.)'s life was: Having firm belief and faith in Allah (SWT). He (A.S.) therefore based his entire life upon the teachings and guidance from the Holy Quran. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Ali (A.S.) is with Quran and Quran is with Ali (A.S.)". (Quran-o- 'Itrat)
Ali (A.S.) began his life with Quran and ended with Quran: All the 12 Imams (A.S.) recited some or the other verses from the Quran after birth and Ali (A.S.) was not an exception. However, the only difference between him and other Imams was that Ali (A.S.) recited verses from Quran long before Quran was revealed. He (A.S.) recited: "In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Successful indeed are the believers". (23:1) The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) who was present said, "Indeed through you people will attain success....." And on that fateful morning of 19th Holy Ramadhan, when he was struck with a sword on his head and blood was oozing from his wound, he (A.S.) putting soil over his head, recited: "We created you (from the earth) and into it We will return you, and We will bring you forth from it a second time" (20:55) (Manaqib of ibn Shahr Aashoob)
Ali (A.S.) compiled and possessed knowledge of the Holy Quran: When 'Umar ibn al-Khattab became the caliph of the Muslims, he asked Imam Ali (A.S.) to hand over the Holy Quran which he had compiled so that it could be altered according to the compilation of caliph's Quran. He said, "O Abul-Hasan! The Quran which you have compiled and you had brought it to Abu Bakr, bring it again so that we come to mutual agreement between us regarding it". Imam (A.S.) rejected this proposal and said, "This will never happen! I had brought that Quran to Abu Bakr to discharge my duty upon you and so that, you do not claim on the day of Judgement that you were unaware of that Quran or say (to me): O Ali! You never brought that Quran to us. Now the Quran I have shall be passed to the successors from my progeny". 'Umar asked, "Has any time been appointed for this Quran to become apparent (on the people)?" Imam (A.S.) said, "Of course, when al-Qaim from my progeny will make his appearance, he will enjoin people to that Quran". (Quran-o-'Itrat)
Imam Ali (A.S.) said, "Ask me (anything) about the Book of Allah. By Allah! There is not a single verse which was revealed during night or day, during travel or at home, but the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) read it to me and taught me its meanings..." (Aamaali of Shaykh al-Toosi)
He (A.S.) also said, "If authority is given to me and I have to act as a judge, I will judge the followers of Tawrat from Tawrat, the followers of Injeel from Injeel, the followers of Zaboor from Zaboor and followers of Furqaan (Quran) from Furqaan. By Allah! There is not a single verse which has been revealed during night or day, in the field or in the mountains but that, I possess its knowledge as to where it was revealed and for whom it was revealed". (Quran-o- 'Itrat)
Ali (A.S.) gave importance to reciting, understanding and applying Quran in life: One day, ibn Sa'sa'a came to visit Imam Ali (A.S.) with his son. Imam (A.S.) asked, "Who are you?" He said, "I am Ghalib ibn Sa'sa'a". Imam (A.S.) asked, "The one with many camels?" He said, "Yes" Imam (A.S.) asked, "What have you done with your camels?" He said, "I have slaughtered them and fed them to people" Imam (A.S.) said, "That was the best way of making use of them". Then the Imam (A.S.) asked, "O Aba Akhtal! Who is this young man with you?" He said, "He is my son and he is also a poet". Imam (A.S.) said, "Teach him Quran, it will be better for him than poetries!" The young man was so affected by these words that he imprisoned himself at home and vowed not to come out until he had memorised the Quran and he stuck by his words. (Sharh of Nahjul Balaghah by ibn Abil Hadeed)
Imam Ali (A.S.) also gave importance to understanding and applying Quran in life. He (A.S.) would just walk to places where people were gathered and engrossed in worldly affairs and recite appropriate verses to draw them to obedience of Allah (SWT). Hasan Basri reports that when Imam Ali (A.S.) arrived in Basra and entered the market, he (A.S.) addressed one of the traders and said, "O servant of Allah! Know that whoever works in this world for the hereafter, he will most certainly be paid his wages in the hereafter. And whosoever works in this world for this world only, his reward in the hereafter shall be hell-fire". Then he (A.S.) recited the following verse: "Then as for him who transgressed all bounds, and who prefers the life of this world, verily hell shall be his abode" (79:37-39) (Aamaali of Shaykh Mufeed)
The Imam (A.S.) would visit the market alone to guide the ignorant and those led astray. Whenever he (A.S.) came across people selling and buying vegetables, he would recite the following verse: "As for the abode of the hereafter, We assign it those who do not want to impose their supremacy over others in the land, nor spread corruption. The end is best for those who safeguard themselves against evil". (28:83) (Manaqib of ibn Shahr Aashoob)