Search results
Ali ibn Abi Talib (Arabic: عَلِيُّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب, romanized: ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib; c. 600–661 CE) was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from 656 CE to 661, as well as the first Shia imam.
Abī Ṭālib (Arabic: علي بن أبي طالب) known as Imam ʿAlī (a) (b. 23 BH / 600 - d. 40 / 661) is the first Imam of all the branches of the Shi'a, a companion, a narrator, and a scribe of the Qur'an. He is the fourth caliph of the Rightly Guided Caliphs in Sunni Islam. Ali (a) is the cousin, and son-in-law of the Prophet (s), the ...
- Overview
- Names and sources
- Early years
- From Mecca to Medina
ʿAlī, Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law, was the fourth caliph and first imam (in Shiʿism) of the Muslim ummah (community). A faction of the ummah asserted that he and his descendants (known as Ahl al-Bayt) were the only rightful successors to Muhammad. This faction is known as the Shiʿah, short for shīʿat ʿAlī (”ʿAlī’s faction”).
What was ʿAlī’s early life like?
ʿAlī was the son of Abū Ṭālib, Muhammad’s uncle and adopted guardian. After Abū Ṭālib became impoverished, young ʿAlī was taken in by Muhammad. At age 10, ʿAlī became the second person to accept Islam, after Khadījah, according to tradition. From then, he was a dedicated servant of the early Muslim ummah (community).
How did ʿAlī die?
After ʿAlī became caliph, some of his erstwhile supporters resented his willingness to negotiate his status with Muʿāwiyah and his forces, believing such concession to be a repudiation of his duty to fight against rebels. ʿAlī was struck in the head with a poisoned sword by a member of this movement (known as the Khārijites).
What was ʿAlī’s legacy?
ʿAlī is known within the Islamic tradition by a number of titles, some reflecting his personal qualities and others derived from particular episodes of his life. They include Abū al-Ḥasan (“Father of Ḥasan” [the name of his eldest son]), Abū Turāb (“Father of Dust”), Murtaḍā (“One Who Is Chosen and Contented”), Asad Allāh (“Lion of God”), Ḥaydar (“Lion”), and—specifically among the Shiʿah—Amīr al-Muʾminīn (“Prince of the Faithful”) and Mawlāy-i Muttaqiyān (“Master of the God-Fearing”). The title Abū Turāb, for example, recalls the time when, according to tradition, Muhammad entered a mosque and, seeing ʿAlī sleeping there full of dust, said to him, “O father of dust, get up.”
Except for Muhammad, there is no one in Islamic history about whom as much has been written in Islamic languages as ʿAlī. The primary sources for scholarship on the life of ʿAlī are the Hadith and the sīrah literature (accounts of the Prophet Muhammad’s life), as well as other biographical sources and texts of early Islamic history. The extensive secondary sources include, in addition to works by Sunni and Shiʿi Muslims, writings by Christian Arabs, Hindus, and other non-Muslims from the Middle East and Asia and a few works by modern Western scholars. However, many of the early Islamic sources are coloured to some extent by a bias, whether positive or negative, toward ʿAlī.
ʿAlī’s life, as recorded especially in the Sunni and Shiʿi texts, can be divided into several distinct periods separated by major events. The son of Abū Ṭālib and his wife Fāṭimah bint Asad, ʿAlī was born, according to most older historical sources, on the 13th day of the lunar month of Rajab, about the year 600, in Mecca. Many sources, especially ...
The second period of ʿAlī’s life, lasting slightly more than a decade, begins in 610, when Muhammad received the first of his revelations, and ends with the migration of the Prophet to Medina in 622. During this period ʿAlī was Muhammad’s constant companion. Along with Zayd ibn Ḥāritha, who was like a son to the Prophet, Abū Bakr, a respected member of the ruling Quraysh tribe of Mecca, and Khadījah, he helped to form the nucleus of the earliest Meccan Islamic community. From 610 to 622 ʿAlī spent much of his time providing for the needs of believers in Mecca, especially the poor, by distributing what he had among them and helping them with their daily chores.
Both Sunni and Shiʿi sources confirm the occurrence in 622 of the most important episode of this period. Muhammad, knowing that his enemies were plotting to assassinate him, asked ʿAlī to take his place and sleep in his bed; Muhammad then left Mecca secretly with Abū Bakr and reached Medina safely several days later (his arrival marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar). When the plotters entered Muhammad’s house with drawn daggers, they were deeply surprised to find ʿAlī, whom they did not harm. ʿAlī waited for instructions and left sometime later with Muhammad’s family. He arrived safely in Qubā on the outskirts of Yathrib, which soon became known as Mādinat al-Nabi (“City of the Prophet”) or simply Medina, on the instructions of the Prophet. According to some sources, he was one of the first of the Meccan followers of Muhammad to arrive in Medina.
Exclusive academic rate for students! Save 67% on Britannica Premium.
Learn More
Administrative policies of Ali ibn Abi Talib highlights the policies of Ali, the son-in-law and cousin of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (d. 632). Ali is recognized as the first Shia imam and the fourth Rashidun caliph. He was acclaimed as the caliph in 656 CE after the assassination of his predecessor Uthman, who was killed by Egyptian rebels ...
Ali belonged to the clan of banu hashim, the most distinguished clan in all Arabia; and in Banu Hashim, he belonged to the most distinguished family – the family of Abdul Muttalib. Abdul Muttalib had ten sons. Two of them were Abdullah, the father of Muhammad Mustafa, and Abu Talib, the father of Ali. Abdullah and Abu Talib were the children of the same mother whereas their other brothers ...
May 25, 2020 · Petermaleh (CC BY-SA) Ali ibn Abi Talib, or simply Ali, (l. 601-661 CE) was among the first Muslims, a cousin and son-in- law of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad (l. 570-632 CE), and later reigned as the fourth Caliph of Islam from 656 CE to 661 CE, when he was murdered. Much of his tenure was spent bringing the empire to order during the first ...
People also ask
Who is Ali ibn Abi Talib?
Who was Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib?
When did Ali ibn Abi Talib enter the mosque?
Who was the 3rd Khalifa?
How did Ibn Muljam kill Imam Ali (a)?
Who were Abdullah and Abu Talib?
The Life of Ali Ibn Abi Talib By Baqir Shareef Al-Qurashi Translated by Badr Shahin. Publisher: Ansariyan Publications - Qum, 2010. ISBN: 978-964-219-117-8 ISBN-10: 9642191172 ISBN-13: 978-9642191178. This text is an extensive biography of the life of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (‘a) and the history of the early days of Islam; a section is ...
