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←Replaced page with 'ALIBALIBUMBALIBANANARAMASTUMBALI HE HE ALI THIS IS JUST FOR YOU I LOVE YOU EVEN IF YOU ARE A STINKER!!!!!!!! ...AND YOU ARE....LOL....A STINKER THAT IS......'
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ALIBALIBUMBALIBANANARAMASTUMBALI HE HE ALI THIS IS JUST FOR YOU I LOVE YOU EVEN IF YOU ARE A STINKER!!!!!!!!
{{otheruses}}
...AND YOU ARE....LOL....A STINKER THAT IS......
{{Cleanup|date=April 2007}}
{{Infobox Monarch
| name =Ali
| title ='''Commander of the Faithful''' (Arabic: ''[[Amir al-Mu'minin]]'')
| image =[[Image:Meshed ali usnavy (PD).jpg|200px|caption]]
| caption =This mosque near [[Al Najaf]], [[Iraq]], is believed by [[Shias]] to house the tombstone of Ali
| reign =[[656]] – [[661]]<ref name="Britannica">{{cite encyclopedia | title=Ali | encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Britannica Online | accessdate=2007-10-12}}</ref>
| othertitles = <small>Father of Hasan(Arabic: ''Abu Al-Hasan'')<br /> Father of Dust/Soil (Arabic: ''[[Abu Turab]]'')<br /> Murtada(“One Who Is Chosen and Contented”) <br />Lion of God (Arabic: ''[[Asad (name)|Asad]]-[[Allah|ullah]]'')<br/> Lion(Arabic: ''Heydar'') <ref name="Britannica"/><small/>
| full name =‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib
| predecessor =[[Uthman]]
| successor =[[Muawiyah I]]
| spouse 1 =[[Fatimah]]<ref name="Britannica"/>
| issue =[[Hasan ibn Ali|Hassan]] <br /> [[Husayn ibn Ali|Husayn]]<br /><small> (See:[[Descendants of Ali ibn Abi Talib]] )<small/>
| royal house =[[Ahl al-Bayt]]<br />[[Banu Hashim]]
| father =[[Abu Talib]]
| mother =[[Fatima bint Asad]]
| date of birth ={{birth date|599|3|17|mf=y}} <ref name="Shaheed">[http://www.shaheedfoundation.org/2.htm Shaheed Foundation]</ref> or {{birth date|600|3|17|mf=y}}<ref name="Britannica"/>
| place of birth =[[Mecca]]<ref name="Britannica"/><ref name="Shaheed" />
| date of death ={{death date and age|661|2|28|599|3|17|mf=y}}
| place of death =[[Kufa]]<ref name="Britannica"/><ref name="Shaheed" />
| place of burial =[[Imam Ali Mosque]], [[Najaf]], [[Iraq]]
|}}

'''Ali ibn Abi Talib''' ('''‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib''') ({{lang-ar|علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب}}) (Thirteenth of [[Rajab]], 24 [[Islamic calendar#Numbering the years|BH]] – Twenty-first of [[Ramadan (calendar month)|Ramadan]], 40 AH) (approximately: [[March 17]] [[599]]<ref name="Shaheed" /> or [[600]]<ref name="Britannica"/> - [[February 28]] [[661]])<ref name="Shaheed">[http://www.shaheedfoundation.org/2.htm Shaheed Foundation]</ref> was the cousin, son-in-law and one of the [[Ahl al-Bayt]] of the [[Islamic prophet]] [[Muhammad]]. [[Shia Islam|Shi'a]] Muslims glorify him as the first [[Imamah (Shia doctrine)|Imam]] and consider him and his descendants as [[Succession to Muhammad|the rightful successors to Muhammad]] who are the only legitimate religious and political leaders of the Muslim community and [[Sunni]] Muslims revere him as the fourth and final [[Rashidun|Rightly Guided]] [[Caliph]], reigning from 656 to 661. This disagreement resulted in the only major split in Islam, into the Sunni and Shi'ite branches.<ref name="Britannica"/> <ref name="firstfourcaliphs"> [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/politics/firstfourcaliphs.html#ali Sunni view of Ali]</ref>

Ali was born in [[Mecca]]. His father was [[Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib]] and his mother was [[Fatima bint Asad]] <ref name="Britannica"/> but he was raised in the household of [[Muhammad]]. When Muhammad reported that he had received a [[Wahy|divine revelation]], Ali, then only about ten years old, believed him and professed [[Islam]]. He was the first male to accept Islam.<ref name="Tabatabae191"/><ref>Ashraf, (2005) p.14</ref> Ali stood firmly in support of Muhammad during the years of [[Persecution of Muslims by the Meccans|persecution of Muslims]] in [[Mecca]]. <ref>Ashraf, (2005) p.16</ref>

Ali [[Hijra (Islam)|migrated]] to [[Medina]] shortly after [[Muhammad]]. There [[Muhammad]] told Ali that he had been ordered by God to give his daughter, [[Fatimah]], to Ali in marriage.<ref name="Britannica"/> For the ten years that Muhammad led the community in [[Medina]], Ali was extremely active in his service, leading parties of warriors on raids, and carrying messages and orders. With the exception of [[Battle of Tabuk|Tabuk]], Ali took part in all the battles fought for Islam during this time.

After the assassination of the third Caliph, [[Uthman Ibn Affan]], the Companions of Muhammad in Medina selected Ali to be the new Caliph.
<ref>See:
* Ashraf, (2005) pp. 119-120
* Madelung, (1997) pp. 141-145 </ref>
He encountered defiance and civil war ([[First Fitna]]) during his reign. Finally while Ali was praying in the [[mosque]] of [[Kufa]], a [[Khawarij]] assassinated him with a strike of a poison-coated sword. Ali died on the 21st of Ramadan in the city of Kufa in 661 CE.
<ref>See:
* Lapidus (2002), p.47
* Holt (1977a), p.70 - 72
* Tabatabaei (1979), p.50 - 57 and 192</ref>

Muslims greatly respect Ali for his knowledge, belief, honesty, his unbending devotion to Islam, his deep loyalty to Muhammad, his equal treatment of all Muslims and his generosity in forgiving his defeated enemies. In addition, Ali retains his stature as the foremost authority on the [[Tafsir]] ([[Quran]]ic [[exegesis]]), [[Fiqh]] ([[Islam]]ic jurisprudence) and religious thought.<ref>Madelung (1997), 309-310</ref><ref name="firstfourcaliphs"/> Ali also holds a high position in almost all [[Sufism|Sufi]] Muslim orders which trace their [[Tariqah|lineage]] to Muhammad through him.<ref name="Britannica"/> In this way, his influence continued throughout [[Muslim history|Islamic history]].

The compilation of sermonsو, lectures and quotations attributed to Ali are compiled in the form of several books. "[[Nahj al-Balagha]]" is the most famous one of them. This book is considered by historians and scholars as an important literary work in Islam.<ref>[http://www.al-shia.com/html/eng/books/nahjulbalaga/sources.htm Sources of Nahj al Balaghah]</ref><ref>Mutahhari, 1997 [http://www.al-islam.org/al-tawhid/glimpses/1.htm]</ref><ref name="Britannica"/>

==Ali in Mecca==
===Birth and childhood===
{{Ali}}
[[Image:92110.jpg|left|thumb|Muhammad and Ali, written in a single word - in its 180 degree inverted form, shows both the words. This is called an [[ambigram]].]]
{{main|Family tree of Ali|Birthplace of Ali ibn Abi Talib}}

Ali's father, [[Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib]], was custodian of [[Kaaba]] and a [[Sheikh]] of [[Banu Hashim]] , an important branch of the powerful tribe of the [[Quraysh]], and an uncle to the young Muhammad. His mother was [[Fatima binte Asad]] who was also from Banu Hashim and this was a great honor for Ali that both of his parents were belong to Banu Hashim in Arab culture. Also he was one of descendants of [[Ismael]] the son of [[Ibrahim]]. <ref>Ashraf, (2005) p.5</ref>

Muhammad had close relationship with them. When Muhammad was orphaned and then lost his grandfather [[Shaiba ibn Hashim]] (Abdul Muttalib), Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib took Muhammad into his house. <ref name="Britannica"/> Later Muhammad set out and married [[Khadijah bint Khuwaylid]]. Ali was born two or three years later.<ref>Ashraf, (2005) pp.6-7</ref>

Ali was born in [[Mecca]], inside the [[Kaaba]] as Shia believe or beside it, where he stayed with his mother for three days. His father was [[Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib]] and Muhammad was the first person whom Ali saw. Muhammad took the newborn in his hands and named him Ali, meaning "exalted one".<ref name="Britannica"/>
<ref>See also:
*Ashraf, (2005) p.6
*[http://www.irib.com/Special/imam%20ali/html/en/book/THE%20RISING%20OF%20THE%20DAWN.htm THE OMMANDER OF THE FAITHFUL: ALI IBN ABI TALIB PRESENTED BY AL-BALAGH FOUNDATION]
*[http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/companion/00_ali_bin_talib.htm Beyt Al-Hikama, Virtual library of witness pioneer]</ref>

When Ali was five or six years old, as a result of [[famine]] in and around Mecca, Muhammad requested to become his guardian.<ref name="Tabatabae191"> [http://www.balagh.net/english/shia/shia/10.htm#00011 Tabatabae (1979) page 191] </ref><ref>*Ashraf, (2005) p.7</ref><ref name="Britannica"/>

===Conversion to Islam===
{{Mainarticle|Identity of first male Muslim}}
The second period of Ali's life, lasting slightly more than a decade, begins in 610, when Muhammad received the first of [[Qur'an|his revelations]], and ends with the [[Hijra (Islam)|Hijra]] (withdrawal) of Muhammad to [[Medina]] in 622.<ref name="Britannica"/> When Muhammad reported that he had received a [[Revelation#Divine Revelation in Islam|divine revelation]], Ali, then only about nine years old, believed him and professed to Islam. Ali was the first male to [[Religious conversion#Conversion to Islam|enter Islam]]. <ref name="Britannica"/><ref name="Tabatabae191"/><ref>Ashraf, (2005) p.14</ref> Some historians and scholars believe Ali's conversion isn't worthy enough to consider as the first male due to the fact that he was child at that time. <ref>Watt 1953, p. 86</ref>

The Shi'a believe that in keeping with Ali's divine mission, he converted to Islam before he had ever taken part in any of the rites of the [[Pre-Islamic Arabia|pre-Islamic]] Meccan [[Arabian mythology|traditional religion]], which Muslims regard as [[polytheism]] (see [[Shirk (polytheism)|shirk]]) or [[paganism]]. Hence the Shi'a say of Ali that his face is honored - that is, it was never sullied by prostrations before idols.<ref name="Tabatabae191"/> <!--This part needs reliable source:No Sunni historians make such claims for Ali. The matter is passed over in complete silence. None of the earliest sources (Muslim chroniclers such as [[Ibn Ishaq]] and [[Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari]]) mention such a claim.{{Fact|date=September 2007}}-->

===After conversion to Islam===
{{Islam}}
Until three years Muhammad invited people to Islam in secret. Then he started inviting people publicly. When according to [[Quran]] he was commanded to invite his closer relatives to come to Islam<ref>{{cite quran|26|214|style=ref}}</ref>, gathered [[Banu Hashim]] in a ceremony and told them clearly that whoever would be the first to accept his invitation would become his successor and inheritor. Ali who had 13 or 14 years old at that time was the one who step forth and embrace Islam. This invitation repeated for three times but only Ali answer to Muhammad. Muhammad accepted Ali's submission to the faith and thus fulfilled his promise. Others laughed at them and dispersed. <ref>See:
*Tabatabae, (1979) p.39
*Ashraf, (2005) p.15</ref> This event is known as [[Hadith]] [[Yawm Al-Dar]] or [[Yawm Al-Enzar]] among Muslim historians and scholars.

Then Muhammad made a public declaration and the struggle between Muslims and pagans started. As the ranks of Muhammad's followers swelled, he became a threat to the local tribes and the rulers of the city. Muhammad’s denunciation of the Meccan traditional religion was especially offensive to his own tribe, the [[Quraysh]], as they were the guardians of the [[Ka'aba]]. So they persecuted Muslims. According to the tradition, the leaders of Makhzum and Abd Shams, two important clans of Quraysh, declared a public boycott against the clan of Banu Hashim, their commercial rival in order to put pressure on the clan. At this time, Muhammad arranged for some of his followers to emigrate to Ethiopia. The boycott lasted for three years. Ali stood firmly in support of Muhammad during the years of [[Persecution of Muslims by the Meccans|persecution of Muslims]] and [[Meccan boycott of the Hashemites|boycott of Banu Hashim]] in Mecca.<ref>See:
* Ashraf, (2005) pp.16-26
* Holt, (1977), p.36
* Francis, (2003) p.96
</ref>

===Migration to Medina===
{{Seealso|Hijra (Islam)}}
In 622 CE, the year of Muhammad's [[Hijra (Islam)|migration]] to [[Yathrib]] (now Medina), Ali risked his life by sleeping in Muhammad's bed to impersonate him and thwart an assassination plot, so that Muhammad could escape in safety.<ref name="Britannica"/><ref name="Tabatabae191"/><ref>Ashraf, (2005) pp.28-29</ref> This night is called "Laylat Al-mabit". According to some [[hadith]] a verse was revealed about Ali concerning his sacrifice on the night of [[Hijra (Islam)|hijrah]] which says "And among men is he who sells his NAFS (self) in exchange for the pleasure of Allah"<ref>{{cite quran|2|207|style=ref}}</ref> <ref>[http://www.almizan.org/Tafseer/Volume3/Baqarah50.asp Tabatabae, Tafsir Al-Mizan]</ref>

Ali survived the plot, but risked his life again by staying in Mecca to carry out Muhammad's instructions: to restore to their owners all the goods and properties that had been entrusted to Muhammad for safekeeping. Then he went to Medina with Fatima binte Asad (his mother), [[Fatimah]] (the daughter of Muhammad), and two other women. <ref name="Tabatabae191"/>

==Ali in Medina==
===During Muhammad's era===
{{seealso|Muhammad in Medina|Ali the Warrior}}
Ali was 22 or 23 years old when he [[Hijra (Islam)|migrated]] to Medina.
When Muhammad was creating bonds of [[Brotherhood in Islam|brotherhood]] among his [[Sahaba]] (companions) he selected Ali as his brother.<ref>Ashraf, (2005) pp.30-32</ref><ref name="Tabatabae191"/><ref name=" Fatima"> [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/history/biographies/sahaabah/bio.FATIMAH_BINT_MUHAMMAD.html Fatima Bint Muhammad]</ref>

For the ten years that Muhammad led the community in Medina, Ali was extremely active in his service, serving in his armies, the bearer of his banner in every battle, leading parties of warriors on raids, and carrying messages and orders.
<ref>See:
*Al Hakim, al Mustadrak, vol 3 p 111
*Ashraf, 2005
</ref> As one of Muhammad’s lieutenants, and later his son-in-law, Ali was a person of authority and standing in the Muslim community.

====Family life====
{{Seealso|Ahl al-Bayt}}
In [[623]] the second year after [[Hijra]], Muhammad told Ali that he had been ordered by God to give his daughter Fatimah to Ali in marriage.<ref name="Britannica"/> Muhammad said to Fatima:
"I have married you to the dearest of my family to me."<ref name=" Fatima"/> This family is glorified by Muhammad frequently and he declared them as his [[Ahl al-Bayt]] in events such as [[Mubahala]] and hadith like [[Hadith of the Event of the Cloak]]. They were also glorified in Quran in several cases such as "[[the verse of purification]]".<ref>{{cite quran|33|33|style=ref}}</ref><ref>Madelung, 1997, pp. 14 and 15</ref>
Ali had four children born to Fatimah. It was only through Fatimah that the progeny of Muhammad was perpetuated.(See [[Ali#descendants]]) In fact, so far as material comforts were concerned, it was a life of hardship and deprivation. Throughout their life together, Ali remained poor because he did not set great store by material wealth. Fatimah was the only one of her sisters who was not married to a wealthy man. To relieve their extreme poverty, Ali worked as a drawer and carrier of water and she as a grinder of corn. Even often there was no food in her house. One day she said to Ali: "I have ground until my hands are blistered." and Ali answered "I have drawn water until I have pains in my chest," <ref name=" Fatima"/><ref>[[Sahih Muslim]] Book 031, Number 5955</ref>

Their marriage took about ten years and ended when Fatima died. Although polygyny was permitted, Ali did not marry another woman while Fatimah was alive, and his marriage to her possesses a special spiritual significance for all Muslims because it is seen as the marriage between the greatest saintly figures surrounding Muhammad. After Fatimah's death, Ali married other wives and fathered many other children.<ref name="Britannica"/>

====Ali in the Battles====
{{Campaignbox Campaigns of Ali‎ }}
{{mainarticle|Ali the Warrior}}
With the exception of the [[Battle of Tabouk]], Ali took part in all the battles and expeditions fought for Islam.<ref name="Tabatabae191"/> He was the [[standard-bearer]] in every battle that he partook in. He also led parties of warriors on raids into enemy lands.

[[Image:The Message - Muslim Warriors.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Scene of [[Battle of Badr]] from the film ''[[Mohammad, Messenger of God (film)|The Message]]'': The Muslim army sends out its champions including [[Ali]]. [[Zulfiqar]] is in the foreground.]]<!-- FAIR USE of THE MESSAGE - MUSLIM WARRIORS.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:The Message - Muslim Warriors.jpg for rationale -->

Ali first distinguished himself as a warrior in [[624]], at the [[Battle of Badr]]. He defeated the [[Umayyad]] champion [[Walid ibn Utba]] as well as many other Meccan soldiers. ''Al Seerah'' of [[Ibn Hisham]] narrates how he killed 20 of the pagans<ref>Abdul Malik Ibn Husham, Al Seerah Al Nabaweyah (Biography of the Prophet), Published by Mustafa Al Babi Al Halabi, Egypt, 1955 A.D, Part 2 page. 708-713</ref> and ''Al Maghazi'' put the number at 22.<ref>Waghedi, Al Maghazi (The Invasions) published by Oxford Printing.
Part 1 page. 152</ref>

Ali was also prominent at the [[Battle of Uhud]], as well as many other battles where he wielded a bifurcated sword known as [[Zulfiqar]].<ref name ="Battles-of-Badr-and-Uhud">{{cite book
| last = Khatab| first = Amal| title = Battles of Badr and Uhud| publisher = Ta-Ha Publishers| date = May 1, 1996| id = ISBN 1-897940-39-4 }}</ref> Muslim historians reported that Ali, alone, destroyed all the standard bearers.<ref>[[Ali ibn al-Athir]], [[The Complete History]] (Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh), vol 3 p 107</ref>He also had the special role of protecting Muhammad when most of the Muslims' army escaped at the battles of Uhud<ref name="Britannica"/> and it was said "La fata illa Ali, La saifa illa Zulfiqar" (There is no brave man except Ali and there is no sword which renders service except Zulfiqar)."<ref>Ibn Al Atheer, In his Biography, vol 2 p 107</ref> He also defended Prophet in [[Battle of Hunayn]] in 630.<ref name="Britannica"/>
[[Image:Dhulfiqar.png|thumb|right|Zulfiqar, a fictional representation of the sword of Ali.]]

====Ali's missions for Islam====
The Prophet also designated him as one of the scribes who would write down the text of the Qur'an, which had been revealed to Muhammad during the previous two decades. As Islam began to spread throughout Arabia, Ali helped to establish the new Islamic order. He was instructed to write down the [[Treaty of Hudaybiyyah]], the peace treaty between the Prophet and the [[Quraysh]] in 628. Ali was so reliable and trustworthy that Muhammad asked him to carry the messages and declare the orders. In 630 he recited to a large gathering of pilgrims in Mecca [[At-Tawba|a portion of the Qur'an]] that declared that Muhammad and the Islamic community were no longer bound by agreements made earlier with Arab polytheists. During [[Conquest of Mecca]] in 630, Prophet asked Ali to guarantee that the conquest would be bloodless. He ordered Ali to break all the idols in the [[Ka'bah]] and to purify it after its defilement by the polytheism of the [[Jahiliyah|pre-Islamic era]](the age of ignorance). One year later Ali was sent to [[Yemen]] to spread the teachings of Islam. Ali also was charged with settling several disputes and putting down the uprisings of various tribes.<ref name="Britannica"/>

====The Incident of Mubahala====
{{mainarticle|Mubahala|Hadith of Mubahela}}
{{Seealso|Ahl al-Bayt}}
According to [[hadith]] collections, it is narrated that during the 9th - 10th year after [[Hijri year|hijra]] an Arab Christian envoy from [[Najran]] (currently in northern [[Yemen]] and partly in [[Saudi Arabia]]) came to Muhammad to argue which of the two parties erred in its doctrine concerning [[Jesus]] <ref>{{cite quran|3|61|style=ref}}</ref>. After likening Jesus' miraculous birth to Adam's creation <ref>{{cite quran|3|59|style=ref}}</ref>, Muhammad called them to Mubahala(Cursing), where each party should ask God to destroy the lying party and their families. Muhammad, to prove to them that he is a prophet, brought his daughter Fatimah and his surviving grandchildren, [[Hasan ibn Ali]] and [[Husayn ibn Ali]], and Ali ibn Abi Talib and came back to the Christians and said this is my family ([[Ahl al-Bayt]]) and covered himself and his family with a cloak.<ref>See:
* [[Sahih Muslim]], Chapter of virtues of companions, section of virtues of Ali, 1980 Edition Pub. in Saudi Arabia, Arabic version, v4, p1871, the end of tradition #32
* Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v5, p654
* Madelung, 1997, pp. 15 and 16
</ref> The Christian envoy, the traditions add, declined to take part in Mubahala and chose instead to pay tribute.

====[[Ghadir Khumm]]====
{{Main|Hadith of the pond of Khumm|Hadith of the two weighty things}}
At [[Ghadir Khumm]] in 632, while Prophet returning to [[Medina]] from [[The Farewell Pilgrimage|his last pilgrimage]], the Prophet made certain statements about Ali that have been interpreted in very different ways by Sunnis and Shias.<ref name="Britannica"/>

There is another quote from Muhammad about the rightness of Ali ibn Abi Talib to succeed him which is:
<blockquote> "O people, I am a human being. I am about to receive a message from my Lord and I, in response to [[Allah]]'s call, (would bid good-bye to you), but I am leaving among you two weighty things: the one being the Book of Allah in which there is right guidance and light, so hold fast to the Book of Allah and adhere to it. He exhorted (us) (to hold fast) to the Book of Allah and then said: The second are the [[Ahl al-Bayt|members of my household]] I remind you (of your duties) to the members of my family.<ref>Sahih Muslim [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/031.smt.html#031.5920 031.5920] The Book Pertaining to the Merits of the Companions (Allah Be Pleased With Them) of the Holy Prophet (May Peace Be Upon Him) (Kitab Al-Fada'il Al-Sahabah)</ref>." </blockquote>

This quote is confirmed by both Shi’a and Sunni everywhere, but Sunni and Shi'a take different meanings of the quote.

Also some of Sunni and all of Shi'a resources report that Muhammad then proclaimed:
<blockquote>"For whoever I am a [[Mawla]] of, then Ali is his Mawla<ref name="ms">Ibn Taymiyyah, Minhaaj as-Sunnah 7/319</ref><ref name="aighadir">[http://www.al-islam.org/ghadir/incident.htm Event of Ghadir Khumm]</ref>."
</blockquote>

The Shi'ites regard these statements as constituting the investiture of Ali as the successor of the Prophet and as the first Imam; the Sunnis, by contrast, take them only as an expression of the Prophet's closeness to Ali and of his wish that Ali, as his cousin and son-in-law, inherit his family responsibilities upon his death.

This statement is seen by Sunnis as a recommendation of Ali's good qualities and a refutation to prevailing rumors about him<ref>[http://www.allaahuakbar.net/ahaadeeth/27.htm allaahuakbar.net]</ref>, although Shia see it as a confirmation of Ali's [[succession to Muhammad]] and [[Imamah (Shia doctrine)|Imamah]]<ref>[http://www.balagh.net/english/shia/shia/03.htm#015 Tabatabae (1979), page 40]</ref> Many [[Sufism|Sufis]] also interpret the episode as the transfer of the Prophet's spiritual power and authority to Ali, whom they regard as the [[wali]] par excellence.<ref name="Britannica"/>

On the basis of this hadith Ali later insisted on his religious authority superior to that of [[Abu Bakr]] and [[Umar]].<ref>Madelong, 1997 p.253</ref>

===Succession to Muhammad ===
{{Shia Islam}}
{{seealso|Succession to Muhammad|saqifah|Rashidun}}
Muhammad united the [[tribes of Arabia]] into a singular Arab Muslim religious polity in the last years of his life. With Muhammad's death in 632, disagreement broke out over who would succeed him as leader of the Muslim community. While Ali, his cousin and son-in-law, and the rest of Muhammad's close family were washing his body for burial, at a gathering attended by a small group of Muslims at [[Saqifah]], [[Umar]] (Umar ibn al-Khattab), a prominent companion of Muhammad, nominated [[Abu Bakr]], who was Muhammad's father in-law and collaborator. Others added their support and Abu Bakr was made the first caliph. This choice was disputed by some of Muhammad's companions, who held that Ali had been designated his successor.<ref name ="Brother">{{cite book| last = Chirri| first = Mohamad | title = The Brother of the Prophet Mohammad | publisher = Islamic Center of America, Detroit, MI| date = 1982| id = Alibris ID 8126171834 }}</ref><ref>See:
* Holt (1977a), p.57
* Lapidus (2002), p.32
* Madelung (1996), p.38-43
* Tabatabaei (1979), p.39–50</ref>

Ali himself was firmly convinced of his legitimacy for caliphate based on his close kinship with Muhammad, his intimate association and his knowledge of Islam and his merits in serving its cause. He told Abu Bakr that his delay in pledging allegiance([[bay'ah]]) as caliph is based on his belief of his own prior title. He had not changed his mind when he finally gave his pledge to Abu Bakr and then to Umar and to Uthman but had done so for the sake of the unity of Islam, at at time when it was clear that the Muslims had turned away from him.<ref name="Sermon 3">[http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/SermonDetail.php?Sermon=3 Nahj Al-Balagha Sermon 3]</ref><ref> Madelung (1996), p.141 See also:
* [[Nahj Al-Balagha]],
[http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/sermons.php 3, 5, 66, 143, 171 and 216]
* Ashraf (2005), 99 and 100</ref>

According to [[Nahj al-Balagha]] Ali believed that the [[caliphate]] was his right and told:
<blockquote>"By Allah the son of Abu Quhafah (Abu Bakr) dressed himself with it (the caliphate) and he certainly knew that my position in relation to it was the same as the position of the axis in relation to the hand-mill...I put a curtain against the caliphate and kept myself detached from it... I watched the plundering of my inheritance till the first one went his way but handed over the Caliphate to Ibn al-Khattab after himself.<ref>"أما والله لقد تقمصها ابن أبي قحافة وإنه ليعلم أن محلي منها محل القطب من الرحى ... فسدلت دونها ثوبا وطويت عنها كشحا... أرى تراثي نهبا، حتى مضى الأول لسبيله فأدلى بها إلى ابن الخطاب بعد ...(في بعض من النسخ كتب فلان بدل ابن أبي قحافة و ابن الخطاب)ز
[http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/SermonDetail.php?Sermon=3 Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 3]</ref></blockquote>

According to Sunni accounts, Muhammad died without having appointed a successor, and with a need for leadership, they gathered and voted for the position of caliph. Shi'a accounts differ by asserting that Muhammad had designated Ali as his successor on a number of occasions, including on his death bed. Ali had many friends, followers and supporters who believed that he should have succeeded Muhammad. This did not create an immediate division, however, because Ali did not fight against the elected caliphs.<ref>{{cite book| last = Chirri| first = Mohamad | title = The Brother of the Prophet Mohammad | publisher = Islamic Center of America, Detroit, MI| date = 1982| id = Alibris ID 8126171834 }}</ref>

The succession to Muhammad is an extremely contentious issue. Muslims ultimately divided into two branches based on their political attitude towards this issue, which forms the primary [[Theology|theological]] barrier between the two major divisions of Muslims: Sunni and Shi'a, with the latter following Ali as the successor to Muhammad. The two groups also disagree on Ali's attitude towards Abu Bakr, and the two caliphs who succeeded him: [[Umar]] (or `Umar ibn al-Khattāb) and [[Uthman Ibn Affan]] or (‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān). Sunnis tend to stress Ali's acceptance and support of their rule, while the Shi'a claims that he distanced himself from them, and that he was being kept from fulfilling the religious duty that Muhammad had appointed to him. The Sunni Muslims say that if Ali was the rightful successor as ordained by God Himself, then it would have been his duty as the leader of the Muslim nation to make war with these people (Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman) until Ali established the decree. The Shia claim, however, that Ali did not fight Abu Bakr, Umar or Uthman, because firstly he did not have the military strength and if he decided to, it would have caused a civil war amongst the Muslims, which was still a nascent community throughout the Arab world.<ref>Sahih Bukhari [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/057.sbt.html#005.057.050 5.57.50]</ref>

===Inheritance===
{{Mainarticle|Fadak}}
After Muhammad had died his daughter, [[Fatimah]], asked Abu Bakr to deliver her lands of [[Fadak]] and [[Khaybar]] but he refused and told her that [[Prophets of Islam|prophets]] didn't have any legacy and Fadak belonged to the Muslim community.<ref> *{{Bukhari|4|53|325}}</ref> The new caliph argued that Muhammad's considerable landed property had been held by Muhammad in trust for the community, and was rightfully the property of the state, despite Ali's rejoinder that Muhammad's revelations included accounts of prophetic inheritance (Qur'an 27:16, 21:89). Fatimah became angry and stopped speaking to Abu Bakr, and continued assuming that attitude till she died.<ref>See:
*{{Bukhari|4|53|325}}
*{{Bukhari|5|59|546}}
*{{muslim|19|4352}}
* Madelung 50 and 51</ref> After Fatima's death Ali again claimed her inheritance, but was denied with the same argument.

However, Umar, the caliph who succeeded Abu Bakr, did restore the estates in Medina to [[`Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib]] and Ali, as representatives of Muhammad's clan, the [[Banu Hashim]]. The properties in [[Khaybar]] and [[Fadak]] were retained as state property (Madelung 1997 p. 62). Shi'a sources regard this as another instance of the persecution of Muhammad's lineage, the ''[[Ahl al-Bayt]]'', at the hands of the caliphs they regard as usurpers.

Ali wrote about it to [[Uthman ibn Hunaif]]:
<blockquote>Verily, under the sky we had only Fadak as our personal property but we were deprived of it, it tempted them, they took it by force and we had to bear the wrench patiently and cheerfully, the best judge is the Lord Almighty.<ref>بَلَى! كَانَتْ في أَيْدِينَا فَدَكٌ مِنْ كلِّ مَا أَظَلَّتْهُ السَّماءُ، فَشَحَّتْ عَلَيْهَا نُفُوسُ قَوْم، وَسَخَتْ عَنْهَا نُفُوسُ آخَرِينَ، وَنِعْمَ الْحَكَمُ اللهُ.[http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/LetterDetail.php?Letter=45 Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 45]</ref></blockquote>

===Ali's life after the death of Muhammad===
Another part of Ali's life started in [[632]] after death of Muhammad and lasted until assassination of [[Uthman Ibn Affan]], the third caliph in [[656]]. During these years Ali didn't take part in any battle or [[Muslim conquests|conquest]]. He also didn't assumes any executive position. He had a few participation a politic affairs especially after death of his wife, [[Fatima Zahra]]. He spent his time for his family and worked as a farmer. He dug a lot of wells and gardens beside Medina and endowed for public usage. These well are known as "Abar Ali"(Ali's wells) today.<ref>[http://www.eurohajjmission.org/Intro/History.htm History of Mecca, Medina and all other Ziyarats]</ref> He also made some gardens for his family and descendants.

===Ali and the [[Rashidun|Rashidun Caliphs]]===
{{Seealso|Rashidun|The election of Uthman|Siege of Uthman}}

Ali did not give his oath of allegiance to [[Abu Bakr]] until some time after the death of his wife, Fatimah. Ali participated in the funeral of Abu Bakr but did not participate in the [[Ridda Wars]].<ref>
See:Ashraf (2005), p. 100 and 101
See also:
*Madelung (1996), p.141
*{{Bukhari|5|59|546}}
*{{Bukhari|8|82|817}}
*{{muslim|19|4352}}
*[[Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari]], vol. 3, p.208; [[Ibn Qutaybah]], vol. 1, p.29; [http://islamichistory.wordpress.com/files/2006/12/the-succession-to-muhammad-web-edition.ppt quoted in Ayoub, 2003, 18]
*[[Sa'id Akhtar Rizvi|Rizvi, Sa'id Akhtar]], Imamate: The Vicegerency of the Prophet by , quoting [[Ibn Qutaybah]][http://www.al-islam.org/imamate/3.htm]
*[http://www.al-islam.org/Organizations/Aalimnetwork/msg00166.html Shi'a encyclopedia] quoting from [[Ibn Qutaybah]], [[Muhammad al-Bukhari]], [[Massudi]], [[Ibn Abu al-Hadid]]
*[[The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire]] by [[Edward Gibbon]], section [http://www.ccel.org/g/gibbon/decline/volume2/chap50.htm Reign of Abubeker; A.D. 632, June 7.]</ref>

He pledged allegiance to the second caliph [[Umar ibn Khattab]] and helped him as a trusted advisor. Caliph Umar particularly relied upon Ali as the Chief Judge of Medina and as his deputy when he traveled outside of Medina.<ref>http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/companion/37_ali_bin_talib.htm</ref>

Umar used Ali's suggestions in political issues as well as religious ones. When he asked Ali if he should personally participate in the battlefields of [[Persian Empire|Persia]] and the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] lands, Ali advised him not to do so.<ref>See:
*[http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/SermonDetail.php?Sermon=133 Sermon 133]
*[http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/SermonDetail.php?Sermon=145 Sermon 145],
</ref>

Ali was one of [[The election of Uthman|the electoral council to choose the third caliph]] and one of the two major candidates but most of the electors supported Uthman and Ali was reluctantly urged to accept him.<ref>Madelung 1997 p. 70 - 72</ref> According to [[Nahj al-Balagha]] Ali told them:
<blockquote>You have certainly known that I am the most rightful of all others for the Caliphate. By Allah, so long as the affairs of Muslims remain intact and there is no oppression in it save on myself I shall keep quiet seeking reward for it (from Allah) and keeping aloof from its attractions and allurements for which you aspire.<ref>لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ أَنَّي أَحَقُّ بِهَا مِنْ غَيْرِي، وَوَاللهِ لاَُسْلِمَنَّ مَاسَلِمَتْ أُمُورُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِا جَوْرٌ إِلاَّ عَلَيَّ خَاصَّةً، الِْتمَاساً لاَِجْرِ ذلِكَ وَفَضْلِهِ، وَزُهْداً فِيَما تَنافَسْتُمُوهُ مِنْ زُخْرُفِهِ وَزِبْرِجِه[http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/SermonDetail.php?Sermon=73 Sermon 73] </ref></blockquote>

There is controversy among historians about the relationship between Ali and [[Uthman Ibn Affan]],the third Caliphs. Although Ali pledged allegiance to him but Ali disagreed with some of his policies. Therefore some of the historians like the writers of [[The Cambridge History of Islam]] consider Ali as one the leading members of Uthman's opposition. [[Madelung]] says Ali didn't support Uthamn when rebels besieged its palace.<ref>See:
* Holt, (1977) pp. 67 and 68
* Madelung, (1997) p. 134</ref> On the other hand Ali himself said in numerous cases that he had done whatever he had been able to defend him but he didn't agree with Uthman's policies.<ref>See:
*[[Nahj al-Balaghah]] [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/sermons.php Sermon 3 and 238]
*[[Nahj al-Balaghah]] [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/letters.php Letter 1, 6, 28 and 54 ]
</ref>

In the beginning of rebellion people demanded that the exiled be returned to their homes, the deprived be provided sustenance, the men of strength and integrity be appointed as governors, and so on.<ref>* Madelung, (1997) p. 129</ref> They requested Ali to speak to Uthman on their behalf and to admonish him for their sake. Ali told Uthman "The people are behind me and they have made me an ambassador between you and themselves." He forewarned Uthman that he should have changed his manner immediately unless he would be killed. Ali told "I swear to you by Allah that you should not be that Imam of the people who will be killed because it has been said that, "An Imam of this people will be killed after which killing and fighting will be made open for them till the Day of Judgment, and he will confuse their matters and spread troubles over them. As a result, they will not discern truth from wrong."<ref>وَ إِنِّي أَنْشُدُكَ اَللَّهَ أَنْ تَكُونَ إِمَامَ هَذِهِ اَلْأُمَّةِ اَلْمَقْتُولَ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ يُقَالُ يُقْتَلُ فِي هَذِهِ اَلْأُمَّةِ إِمَامٌ يَفْتَحُ عَلَيْهَا اَلْقَتْلَ وَ اَلْقِتَالَ إِلَى يَوْمِ اَلْقِيَامَةِ وَ يَلْبِسُ أُمُورَهَا عَلَيْهَا وَ يَبُثُّ اَلْفِتَنَ فِيهَا فَلاَ يُبْصِرُونَ اَلْحَقَّ مِنَ اَلْبَاطِلِ [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/SermonDetail.php?Sermon=163 Sermon 163]</ref> Duo to Ali's mediation and Uthman's commitment rebellion settled down but it had risen again. {{Fact|date=September 2007}} Finally the choices offered by the rebels amounted to abdication of Uthman and selection of another caliph.<ref>* Madelung, (1997) p. 130</ref> Ali even sent his own sons to protect Uthman's house when he was in danger of being attacked.<ref name="Britannica"/> While the situation became hard and dangerous Ali told [[Ibn Abbas]] "By Allah, I continued protecting him till I feared lest I become a sinner."<ref>وَ اَللَّهِ لَقَدْ دَفَعْتُ عَنْهُ حَتَّى خَشِيتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ آثِماً [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/SermonDetail.php?Sermon=238 Sermon 238] </ref>
Later Ali said he had neither helped him nor tried to kill. According to his viewpoint Uthman appropriated wealth and did it badly. Rebels protested against it and committed excess therein.<ref>See:
*[[Nahj al-Balaghah]] [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/sermons.php Sermon 30] </ref>

==Caliphate==
{{seealso|Rashidun Empire}}
[[Image:Imam Ali coin.jpg|thumb|right|A silver [[dirham]] from the reign of Imam Ali]]
===Election of Ali as a Caliph===
This is the last part of Ali's life. He was the [[Caliphate|caliph]] between 656 and 661 CE which was one the hardest periods in [[Muslim history]] and coincided with the [[First Fitna]].

After the assassination of the third Caliph, Uthman Ibn Affan, rebels had to select a new Caliph. But this selection encountered with some difficulties. The rebels were divided into three groups comprising [[Egypt]]ians, [[Kufa]]ns and [[Bassorah|Basntes]]. There were three candidates [[Ali]], [[Talhah]] and [[Al-Zubayr]]. First they referred to Ali and asked him to accept caliphate. Also some [[Sahaba|Companions of Muhammad]] tried to persuade him to accept the office.<ref name="Sermon 3"/><ref>
See:
* Ashraf, (2005) p. 119
* Madelung, (1997) pp. 141-143 </ref> But he refused and answered:
<blockquote>Leave me and seek some one else. We are facing a matter which has (several) faces and colors, which neither hearts can stand nor intelligence can accept. Clouds are hovering over the sky, and faces are not discernible. You should know that if I respond to you I would lead you as I know and would not care about whatever one may say or abuse. If you leave me then I am the same as you are. It is possible I would listen to and obey whomever you make in charge of your affairs. I am better for you as a counselor than as chief.<ref>دَعُونِي وَ اِلْتَمِسُوا غَيْرِي فَإِنَّا مُسْتَقْبِلُونَ أَمْراً لَهُ وُجُوهٌ وَ أَلْوَانٌ لاَ تَقُومُ لَهُ اَلْقُلُوبُ وَ لاَ تَثْبُتُ عَلَيْهِ اَلْعُقُولُ وَ إِنَّ اَلْآفَاقَ قَدْ أَغَامَتْ وَ اَلْمَحَجَّةَ قَدْ تَنَكَّرَتْ وَ اِعْلَمُوا أَنِّي إِنْ أَجَبْتُكُمْ رَكِبْتُ بِكُمْ مَا أَعْلَمُ وَ لَمْ أُصْغِ إِلَى قَوْلِ اَلْقَائِلِ وَ عَتْبِ اَلْعَاتِبِ وَ إِنْ تَرَكْتُمُونِي فَأَنَا كَأَحَدِكُمْ وَ لَعَلِّي أَسْمَعُكُمْ وَ أَطْوَعُكُمْ لِمَنْ وَلَّيْتُمُوهُ أَمْرَكُمْ وَ أَنَا لَكُمْ وَزِيراً خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ مِنِّي أَمِيراً [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/SermonDetail.php?Sermon=91 Sermon 91]</ref></blockquote>

Then rebels offered caliphate to [[Talhah]] and [[Al-Zubayr]] and some other companions but they refused it too. Therefore they threatened that, unless the people of Medina choose a caliph within one day, they would be forced to take some drastic action. In order to resolve the deadlock all of the Muslims gathered in [[Al-Masjid al-Nabawi|Mosque of Prophet]] in 18 June 656CE. (19th [[Dhu al-Hijjah]] 35AH.) to chose the caliph. Ali refused to accept caliphate by the fact that the people who pressed him hardest were the rebels, and he therefore declined at first. When the notable companions of Muhammad as well as people who live in Medina urged him, however, he finally agreed. According to [[Abu Mekhnaf]] narration [[Talhah]] was the first prominent companion who gave his pledge but the other narrations claim they didn't do so or even somebody force them to do so.
However he and [[Al-Zubayr]] later claimed they did so reluctantly. But Ali refused this claim and say they do so voluntarily. [[Wilferd Madelung|Mudelong]] believe that force didn't use to urge people to give their pledge and they pledge in public in the mosque. While overwhelming majority of people who lived in [[Medina]] as well as rebels gave their pledge, some major figures didn't do so. [[Umayyad]]s, kins of Uthman, escaped to [[Levant]] or remained in their houses and later refused Ali's legitimacy. [[Sa`ad ibn Abi Waqqas]] were absent and [[Abdullah ibn Umar]] abstained from offering his allegiance but both of them assured Ali that they wouldn't do anything against Ali.
<ref name="firstfourcaliphs"/><ref>
See:
* Ashraf, (2005) pp. 119-120
* Madelung, (1997) pp. 141-145
* [[Nahj Al-Balagha]] [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/sermons.php Sermon 3, 136, 227, ]
See also:
</ref> Another prominent figure who was in [[Mecca]] at that time and later opposed Ali, was [[A'isha]], Muhammad's widow.

===Reign as a Caliph===
At the beginning Ali told people that Muslim polity had come to be plagued by dissension and discord and he want to purge Islam of all evil from which it had come to suffer. Then warned all concerned that he would tolerate no sedition and all found guilty of subversive activities would be dealt with harshly. He advised people to behave as true Muslims. <ref>Ashraf, (2005) p. 121</ref>

But he soon found that he was helpless and the prisoner of the people who didn't obey him. The caliphate had come to him as the gift of the rebels and he didn't have enough force to control or punish them. <ref>Ashraf, (2005) p. 121</ref> When some people asked Ali to punish who killed Uthamn, Ali answered that "How do I have the power for it while those who assaulted him are in the height of their power. They have superiority over us, not we over them. "<ref>وَلكِنْ كَيْفَ لي بِقُوَّة وَالْقَوْمُ الْـمُجْلبُونَ عَلَى حَدِّ شَوْكَتِهِمْ، يَمْلِكُونَنَا وَلاَ نَمْلِكُهُمْ
[http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/SermonDetail.php?Sermon=167 Nahj Al-Balagha, sermon 167]
</ref> Furthermore [[A'isha]], [[Talhah]], [[Al-Zubayr]] and [[Muawiyah I]] accused him for murder of Uthman and arose civil war, while Ali believe all of them were more deserve to be responsible for it. <ref>See:
[[Nahj Al-Balagha]] [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/sermons.php Sermon 22, 136], [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/LetterDetail.php?Letter=37 Letter 37] </ref>

Soon thereafter Ali became caliph, Ali dismissed provincial governors who were appointed by Uthman, and replaced them with trusted aides. The capital of the province of [[Levant]], [[Damascus]], was held by [[Muawiyah I|Mu‘āwīyah ibn Abī Sufyān]], the only governor not to submit to Ali's orders, who governed Syria and was a kinsman of Uthman, Ali's slain predecessor.
Ali then transferred his capital from Medina to [[Kufa]], the Muslim garrison city in what is now [[Iraq]]. [[Kufa]] was in the middle of Islamic land and had strategic position.<ref>[http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/SHIA/ALI.HTM 'Ali]</ref><ref name="firstfourcaliphs"/>

Ali resumed the land which had been granted by Uthman and sweared to resumed whatever some elites had taken before him. He opposed the centralization of capital control over provincial revenues and favored an equal distribution of [[Islamic tax|taxes]] and booty among the Muslims. When asked him to pay more money to elites he said "Do you command me that I should seek support by oppressing those over whom I have been placed? By Allah, I won't do so as long as the world goes on, and as long as one star leads another in the sky. Even if it were my property, I would have distributed it equally among them, then why not when the property is that of Allah."
<ref>
See:
*Lapidus, (2002) p.46
*[[Nahj al-Balagha]] [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/sermons.php Sermon 15, 125]
لمّا عوتب على تصييره الناس أسوة في العطاء من غير تفضيل إلى السابقات والشرف، قال:
أَتَأْمُرُونِّي أَنْ أَطْلُبَ النَّصْرَ بِالْجَوْرِ فِيمَنْ وُلِّيتُ عَلَيْهِ! وَاللهِ لاَ أَطُورُ بِهِ مَا سَمَرَ سَميرٌ، وَمَا أَمَّ نَجْمٌ فِي السَّمَاءِ نَجْماً! لَوْ كَانَ الْمَالُ لي لَسَوَّيْتُ بَيْنَهُمْ، فَكَيْفَ وَإِنَّمَا الْمَالُ مَالُ اللهِ لَهُمْ.
</ref>

Ali believe that people and governors have rights over each other and God created these rights so as to equate with one another. The greatest of these rights that Allah has made obligatory is the right of the ruler over the ruled and the right of the ruled over the ruler. If the ruled fulfill the rights of the ruler and the ruler fulfills their rights, then right attains the position of honor among them, the ways of religion become established, signs of justice become fixed and the [[sunnah]] gains currency. He wrote directions for his officials which clearly show what form of regime he wanted to introduce. It was not to be a regime whose officers had an upper hand and were fattened on public money. It was to be a regime where the governed and the tax-payers were at premium. It was their convenience for which the State was to function. It was a welfare-state working solely for the welfare of the people living under its rule, a regime where the rich cannot get richer while the poor are made poorer; a regime where canons of religion hold the balance between the governed and the ruler. He asked people not to speak with him as they spoke with cruel governors and be honest with him. <ref>[[Nahj al-Balaghah]] [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/sermons.php Sermon 215]
[http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/letters.php Letter 25, 26, 27, 40, 41, 43, ]</ref>

Ali had decisive beliefs that he shouldn't start the war with other Muslims but when the enemy started it his army wouldn't retreat unless they wanted to attack again. He ordered his soldiers not to kill who would become injured, or not be able to defend himself, or escape from the battlefield and injuries and wanted his warriors not to injure women. <ref>[[Nahj al-Balaghah]] [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/letters.php Letter 14] </ref>

===First Fitna===
{{Campaignbox First Fitna}}
{{Seealso|First Fitna}}
[[Image:Battle of Siffin1.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Battle of Siffin]], illustration from a 19th century manuscript by [[Muhammad Rafi Bazil]]. There are [[Persian language|Persian]] poems on the above and bottom of the picture.]]
The First Fitna, 656&ndash;661 CE, followed the assassination of the caliph [[Uthman Ibn Affan]], continued during the caliphate of Ali, and was ended, on the whole, by [[Muawiyah I]]'s assumption of the caliphate. This civil war is often called the [[Fitna]], and regretted as the end of the early unity of the Islamic [[ummah]] (nation). Ali was first opposed by a faction led by [[Talhah]], [[Al-Zubayr]] and the Muhammad's wife, [[Aisha bint Abu Bakr]]. When Ali asked them for obedience and a pledge of allegiance, they refused. The two parties met at the [[Battle of Bassorah]] (Battle of the Camel) in 656, where Ali emerged victorious.
Later he was challenged by [[Muawiyah I|Mu‘āwīyah ibn Abī Sufyān's]] the ruler of [[Levant]] and cousin of Uthman who refused Ali's demands for allegiance and called for revenge for Uthman. The two armies encamped themselves at [[Siffin]] for more than one hundred days. Although, Ali exchanged several letters with Muawiyah, he was unable to dismiss the latter, nor persuade him to pledge allegiance. Skirmishes between the parties led to the [[Battle of Siffin]] in 657. Finally they intended to use arbitration to choose the caliph. On the other hand some of Ali's supporters, later were known as [[Kharijites]] opposed this decision and rebelled. Ali had to fight with them in [[Battle of Nahrawan]].Ali declared he has removed [[Fitna]] "So now, praise and eulogy be to Allah, O' people, I have put out the eye of fitna. No one except me advanced towards it when its gloom was swelling and its madness was intense." But foresaw the worst fitna which would be the fitna of [[Umayyad]] and forewarned people that it "would come to you like evil eyed fear and [[Pre-Islamic Arabia|pre-Islamic]] fragments, wherein there would be no minaret of guidance nor any sign (of salvation) to be seen."
<ref>See:
*أَمَّا بَعْد، أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ فَإِنِّي فَقَأْتُ عَيْنَ الْفِتْنَةِ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لِيَجْتَرِىءَ عَلَيْهَا أَحَدٌ غَيْرِي بَعْدَ أَنْ مَاجَ غَيْهَبُهَا، وَاشْتَدَّ كَلَبُهَا... أَلاَ وَإِنَّ أَخْوَفَ الْفِتَنِ عِنْدِي عَلَيْكُمْ فَتْنَةُ بَنِي اُمَيَّةَ، فإِنَّهَا فِتْنَةٌ عَمْيَاءُ مُظْلِمَةٌ: عَمَّتْ خُطَّتُهَا، وَخَصَّتْ بَلِيَّتُهَا، وَأَصَابَ الْبَلاَءُ مَنْ أَبْصَرَ فِيهَا، وَأَخْطَأَ الْبَلاَءُ مَنْ عَمِيَ عَنْهَا.
وَايْمُ اللهِ لَتَجِدُنَّ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ لَكُمْ أَرْبَابَ سُوْء بَعْدِي، كَالنَّابِ الضَّرُوسِ: تَعْذِمُ بِفِيهَا، وَتَخْبِطُ بِيَدِهَا، وتَزْبِنُ بِرِجْلِهَا، وَتَمْنَعُ دَرَّهَا، لاَ يَزَالُونَ بِكُمْ حَتَّى لاَ يَتْرُكُوا مَنْكُمْ إِلاَّ نَافِعاً لَهُمْ، أَوْ غَيْرَ ضَائِر بِهِمْ، وَلاَ يَزَالُ بَلاَؤُهُمْ حَتَّى لاَ يَكُونَ انْتِصَارُ أَحَدِكُمْ مِنْهُمْ إِلاَّ مثل انْتِصَارِ الْعَبْدِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ، وَالصَّاحِبِ مِنْ مُسْتَصْحِبِهِ، تَرِدُ عَلَيْكُمْ فِتْنَتُهُمْ شَوْهَاءَ مَخْشَيَّةً، وَقِطَعاً جَاهِلِيَّةً، لَيْسَ فِيهَا مَنَارُ هُدىً، وَلاَ عَلَمٌ يُرَی [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/SermonDetail.php?Sermon=92 Sermon 92]
* Lapidus (2002), p.47
* Holt (1977a), p.70 - 72
* Tabatabaei (1979), p.50 - 57
See also:
* [[Nahj Al-Balagha]] [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/sermons.php Sermon 8, 31, 43, 54, 56, 58, 67, 68, 171, 173, ]

</ref>

Army of [[Muawiyah I]] invaded cities and occupied them or plunder people. But Ali's governors couldn't prevent them and people didn't support him to fight with them. Muawiyah overpowered [[Egypt]], [[Yemen]] and some other areas.<ref>
See: [[Nahj Al-Balagha]]
[[Nahj Al-Balagha]] [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/sermons.php Sermon 25, 27, 29, 39]
* Al-gharat(Plunders) which has written by [[Abi Mikhnaf]] is a detailed report about these raid
</ref>

This civil war created permanent divisions within the Muslim community and Muslims were divided over who had the legitimate right to occupy the caliphate.
<ref>See:
* Lapidus (2002), p.47
* Holt (1977a), p.72
* Tabatabaei (1979), p.57</ref>

===Death===
<!-- I hide this picture until the copyright disputation has been resolved. [[Image:Ali-muljam.jpg|left|thumb|Art depicting [[Ali]] being struck by [[Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam|Ibn Muljam]].Transliteration of left text "[[Ali-on wali-ollah]]", "Ali is God's [chosen] [[Wali]]", right text "[[By Allah|Wa-Allah]] tahad-damat arkan al-hoda", "By God, [[Sirat al-Mustaqim|the Pillar of Guidance]] was destroyed".]]-->
On the nineteenth of Ramadan, while Ali was praying in the [[mosque]] of Kufa, the vigilante [[Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam]] assassinated Ali with a strike of his poison-coated sword. Ali, injured with the wound from the poisonous sword, lived for two days and died on the 21st of Ramadan in the city of Kufa in 661 CE.<ref>[http://www.balagh.net/english/shia/shia/10.htm#00011 Tabatabae (1979), page 192]</ref>

In these two days he dictated his will to his household "My advice to you is that you should not consider anyone as a co-worker of the Lord, be firm in your belief that there is One and only One Allah. Do not waste the knowledge given to you by the Muhammad and do not give up and destroy his [[Sunnah]] (traditions). Keep these two pillars of Islam (monotheism and Sunnah of the Muhammad) aloft. If you act according to my advice then you cannot be blamed for damaging or destroying the religion."
<ref>وَصِيَّتِي لَكُمْ: أَنْ لاَ تُشْرِكُوا بِاللهِ شَيْئاً، وَمُحَمَّدٌ(صلى الله عليه وآله) فَلاَ تُضَيِّعُوا سُنَّتَهُ، أَقِيمُوا هذَيْنِ الْعَمُودَينِ، وَخَلاَ كُمْ ذَمٌّ
[[Nahj Al-Balaghah]] [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/LetterDetail.php?Letter=23 Letter 23]</ref>

===Burial===
Many Shi'a believe that Ali didn’t want his grave to be desecrated by his enemies and because of that he asked his friends and family members to bury him secretly. This secret gravesite is supposed to have been revealed later during the [[Abbasid]] caliphate by [[Ja'far al-Sadiq]], the sixth Shia Imam.<ref>Majlesi, V.97, p. 246-251</ref> Most Shi'as accept that Ali was buried at the [[Holiest sites in Islam#Tomb of Imam Ali, Najaf|Tomb of Imam Ali]] in the [[Imam Ali Mosque]] at what is now the city of [[Najaf]], which grew around the mosque and shrine called Masjid Ali.<ref name ="Imam Ali Ibn Abu Talib">{{cite book| last = Redha| first = Mohammad| coauthors = Mohammad Agha| title = Imam Ali Ibn Abi Taleb (Imam Ali the Fourth Caliph, 1/1 Volume)| publisher = Dar Al Kotob Al ilmiyah| date = 1999| id = ISBN 2-7451-2532-X}}</ref>
[[Image:Mazar-e sharif - Steve Evans.jpg|thumb|right|[[Rawze-e-Sharif]], the Blue Mosque, in [[Mazari Sharif]], [[Afghanistan]] - Where a minority of Muslims believe Ali ibn Abi Talib is buried]]
<!--This part needs reliable source:* One story recounts that the caliph [[Harun al-Rashid]] (ruled from 786 to 809) went hunting and came upon a bit of raised ground which his dogs refused to approach. Local inhabitants told him that this was the grave of Ali ibn Abi Talib. The caliph ordered the building of a [[mausoleum]], which was the nucleus of the city and the shrine.{{Fact|date=August 2007}}-->

However another story, usually maintained by [[Afghanistan|Afghan]]s, notes that his body was taken and buried in the Afghan city of [[Mazari Sharif]] at the famous Blue Mosque or [[Rawze-e-Sharif]].<ref>[http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/cities/afghanistan/balkh.html Balkh and Mazar-e-Sharif]</ref>

==Aftermath==
Upon the death of Ali ibn Abi Talib in [[Kufa]] a new caliph should be chosen. As Ali declared in many occasions that just [[Ahl Al-Bayt]] of [[Muhammad]] were entitled to rule the Muslim community the choices restricted to Hasan and his brother [[Husayn ibn Ali|Husayn]]. Thus Kufi Muslims pledge allegiance([[bay'ah]]) to his eldest son Hasan without dispute.<ref>Madlong, (1997) p. 313 - 314</ref>

At this time Muawiyah held both [[Levant]] and [[Egypt]] and, as commander of the largest force in the Muslim Empire, had the declared himself caliph and marched his army into [[Iraq]], the seat of Hasan's caliphate. War ensued during which Muawiyah gradually subverted the generals and commanders of Hasan's army with large sums of money and deceiving promises until the army rebelled against him. Finally, the Hasan was forced to make peace and to yield the caliphate to Muawiyah. In this way Mu'awiyah captured the Islamic caliphate and in every way possible placed the severest pressure upon Ali's family and his [[Shi'a]]. Muawiyah also established [[Umayyad]] caliphate which was a centralized monarchy.<ref>
* Lapidus (2002), p.47
* Holt (1977a), p.72
* Tabatabaei (1979), p.195</ref>
<ref name="firstfourcaliphs"/>

[[Madelung]] writes:
<blockquote>In face of the fake [[Umayyad]] claim to legitimate sovereignty in Islam as God's Vicegerents on earth, and in view of Umayyad treachery, arbitrary and divisive government, and vindictive retribution, they came to appreciate his [Ali's] honesty, his unbending devotion to the reign of Islam, his deep personal loyalties, his equal treatment of all his supporters, and his generosity in forgiving his defeated enemies.<ref>Madelung (1997), 309-310</ref></blockquote>

==Descendants==
{{main |Descendants of Ali ibn Abi Talib}}
Ali had several wives and [[Fatimah]], daughter of Muhammad, was the most beloved one. He had four children born to Fatimah comprising [[Hasan ibn Ali]], [[Husayn ibn Ali]], [[Zaynab bint Ali]]<ref name="Britannica"/> and [[Umm Kulthum bint Ali]]. His other famous sons were [[Al-Abbas ibn Ali]] born to [[Fatima binte Hizam]] (Um Al-Banin) and [[Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah]].{{Fact|date=October 2007}}

[[Hasan ibn Ali]], born in 625 AD, was the second Shia Imam and he also occupied the outward function of caliph for about six months. During that time Mu'awiayh marched his army into [[Iraq]], the seat of Imam Hasan's caliphate. War ensued during which Mu'awiyah gradually subverted the generals and commanders of Hasan's army with large sums of money and deceiving promises until the army rebelled against Hasan. Finally, he was forced to make peace and to yield the caliphate to Mu'awiyah, provided it would again return to Imam Hasan after Mu'awiyah's death. In the year 50 A.H. he was poisoned and martyred by one of his own household who, as has been accounted by historians, had been motivated by Mu'awiyah.<ref>[http://www.balagh.net/english/shia/shia/10.htm#00012 Tabatabae (1979), page 194]</ref>

[[Husayn ibn Ali]], born in 626 AD, was the third Shia Imam. Husayn lived under the most difficult outward conditions of suppression and persecution by Mu'awiyah. After the death of Mu'awiyah, his son, [[Yazid I]], captured the caliphate and wanted the [[Bay'ah]] (allegiance) of Husayn ibn Ali. Yazid was openly going against the teachings of Islam in public and changing the sunnah of Muhammad. Husayn was determined not to give his allegiance to Yazid and knew full well that he would be killed as death was inevitable in the face of the military power of the [[Umayyad]]s. On the tenth day of [[Muharram]] of the year 680 the he lined up before the army of caliph with his small band of follower and finally almost all of them were killed in [[Battle of Karbala]]. The anniversary of his death is called the [[Day of Ashura]] and it is a day of mourning and religious observance for Shi'a Muslims.<ref>[http://www.balagh.net/english/shia/shia/10.htm#00012 Tabatabae (1979), page 196 - 201]</ref> In this battle some of Ali's other sons were killed, including the four sons born to [[Fatima binte Hizam]] among whom was [[Al-Abbas ibn Ali]], famous due to his pure love of Husayn ibn Ali, the holder of Husayn's standard.<ref>See:
*Lohouf ({{lang-ar|اللهوف}}), by Sayyid ibn Tawoos ({{lang-ar|سید ابن طاووس}})., Tradition No. 174 and 175
*[http://aashura.tripod.com/martyrs.htm list of Martyrs of Karbala]</ref>

His daughter [[Zaynab bint Ali]] who was in Karbala was captured by Yazid's army and later played a great role in revealing what had happened to Husayn ibn Ali and his followers. Her sermons in Kufa provoked the people into avenging Hussein's martyrdom. She also delivered a furious sermon in the court of the caliph that made his authority and despotic rule feel undermined.<ref>See:
*Lohouf ({{lang-ar|اللهوف}}), By Sayyid ibn Tawoos ({{lang-ar|سید ابن طاووس}})., Tradition No. 227 to 230 and 233 to 241
*[http://www.al-islam.org/ashura/33.htm Sermon of Lady Zaynab in the court of Yazid]
*[http://www.shiacode.com/sayedazainab.html Biography of Zaynab bint Ali]
</ref>

Ali's descendants by Fatimah are known as [[sharif]]s, syeds or [[sayyid]]s. These are honorific titles in Arabic, sharif meaning 'noble' and sayed/sayid meaning 'lord' or 'sir'. As Muhammad's only descendants, they are respected by both Sunni and Shi'a, though the Shi'as place much more emphasis and value on the distinction.<ref name="Britannica"/>

The [[Idrisid dynasty|Idrisid]] and [[Fatimid]] dynasties are descended from Ali and many Muslim notables claim to be descendents of Muhammad via his daughter Fatimah and Imam Ali. The late [[Ayatollah]] [[Ruhollah Khomeini]] and [[Ali Khamenei]],{{Fact|date=October 2007}} [[supreme leader of Iran|supreme leaders of Iran]], [[Muammar al-Gaddafi]] president of [[Libya]],{{Fact|date=October 2007}} [[Zine El Abidine Ben Ali]] president of [[Tunis]],{{Fact|date=October 2007}} The [[Hashemite]] royal families of [[Jordan]] and [[Iraq]],{{Fact|date=October 2007}} the [[Alaouite dynasty|Alaouite]] royal family of [[Morocco]],{{Fact|date=October 2007}} the Husseini family of Lebanon,{{Fact|date=October 2007}} and the [[Aga Khan]]s of the [[Ismaili]] community claim direct descent from Muhammad through Ali and Fatimah.{{Fact|date=October 2007}}
Descendents of Ali with documented family trees (about 42 generations of an unbroken chain of descent) are often identified by their family trees leading to one of the 12 Shi'a Imams, most notably Imam [[Musa al-Kazim]], Imam [[Ali al-Rida]], and Imam [[Ali al-Hadi]]. Most syeds tend to cross-reference their own particular family trees with those of others in order to maintain accuracy and to weed out impostors.{{Fact|date=October 2007}}

==Legacy==
{{seealso|Nahj al-Balagha}}
{{Wikiquote}}
Ali is respected not only as a warrior and leader, but as a writer and religious authority. All Shia and many Sunnis believe that Muhammad told about him "I'm the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate..." <ref> «قال رسول الله: انا مدینة العلم و علی بابها فمن اراد المدینة فلیأت الباب»
See:
*«حدیث متواتر عن النبی نقله العامة و الخاصة»
شیخ آغابزرگ تهرانی، تاریخ حصر الاجتهاد، تحقیق محمد علی انصاری، قم، موسسة الامام المهدی، 1401 ه‍ ، ص 53.*
10. حاكم نیشابوری، المستدرك علی الصحیحین، تحقیق دكتر یوسف مرعشلی، بیروت، دار المعرفه، 1406ه‍ ، ج 3، ص 126.
*«رواه احمد‌‌ من ثمانیة طرق و ابراهیم الثقفی من سبعة الطرق و ابن‌بطه من ستة طرق و القاضی الجعانی من خمسة طرق و ابن‌شاهین من اربعة طرق و الخطیب التاریخی من ثلاثة طرق و یحیی بن معین من طریقین و قد رواه السمعانی و القاضی الماوردی و ابو‌منصور السکری و ابو‌الصلت الهروی و عبدالرزاق و شریک عن ابن‌عباس و مجاهد و جابر»
ابن‌ شهر‌ آشوب، مناقب آل ابی‌ طالب، تحقیق گروهی از اساتید نجف، مطبعه الحیدریه، 1376 ه‍ ، ج 11، ص 314.
</ref> Ali told people about himself "Ask me before you miss me."<ref>"سلوني قبل ان تفقدوني"
See: * [[Nahj Al-Balagha]] [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/sermons.php Sermon Sermon 92 and 188]</ref>
Muslims consider him as a foremost authority on the [[Tafsir]] ([[Quran]]ic [[exegesis]]), [[Fiqh]] ([[Islam]]ic jurisprudence) and religious thought. Ali was also a great scholar of Arabic literature and pioneered in the field of grammar and rhetoric. His speeches, sermons and letters served for generations afterward as models of literary expression. <ref name="firstfourcaliphs"/>
He also has a high rank position in almost all [[Sufism|Sufi]] orders which trace their [[Tariqah|lineage]] to Muhammad through him.<ref name="Britannica"/> Therefor various groups of Muslims have attempted to collect his quotations , narrate his life and recite his sermons. Historians have paid attention to his government, religious scholars tried to learn his knowledge and the men of literate collected his speeches. Sunnis have narrated many [[hadith]] trough him from Muhammad in their authentic books. Shias have narrated his quotations in specific books such as "Ghorar Alhakam". In the 7th century [[Sulaym ibn Qays]] and [[`Abd Allah ibn `Abbas]] narrated his speeches and manners as well as the events which had happened in his life in their works. In the 8th century his descendants such as [[Muhammad al Baqir]] and [[Jafar as Sadiq]] narrated his quotations which had learnt from their fathers. Some historians such as [[Abu Mikhnaf]] narrated the story of major events of Ali's life in his books like Kitab al Jamal, Kitab al-gharat and so on.{{Fact|date=September 2007}}

Numerous short sayings of Ali have become part of general Islamic culture and are quoted as aphorisms and proverbs in daily life. They also have become the basis of literary works or have been integrated into poetic verse in many languages. Already in the 8th century, literary authorities such as 'Abd al-Hamid ibn Yahya al-'Amiri pointed to the unparalleled eloquence of Ali's sermons and sayings, as did [[al-Jahiz]] in the following century.<ref name="Britannica"/>
Even who works in the [[Divan]] of [[Umayyad]] recited Ali's sermons to improve their eloquence.<ref>"حفظت سبعين خطبة من خطب الاصلع ففاضت ثم فاضت ) ويعني بالاصلع أمير المؤمنين عليا عليه السلام"[http://www.rafed.net/books/turathona/5/ts2.html مقدمة في مصادر نهج البلاغة] </ref> Of course ''Peak of Eloquence''([[Nahj al-Balagha]]) is an extract of Ali's quotations from literal viewpoint as its compiler mentioned in its preface. While there are many other quotations, prays([[Du'a]]s), sermons and letters in other literal, historic and religious books.<ref>See:
* [http://www.al-shia.com/html/eng/books/nahjulbalaga/sources.htm Sources of Nahj Al-Balagha]
* [http://www.al-shia.com/html/eng/books/nahjulbalaga/bibg.htm Other sources of Ali's quotations]
</ref>

In later [[Islamic philosophy]], especially in the teachings of [[Mulla Sadra]] and his followers like [[Allameh Tabatabaei]] Ali's sayings and sermons were increasingly regarded as central sources of metaphysical knowledge, or divine philosophy. Members of Sadra's school regard Ali as the supreme metaphysician of Islam.<ref name="Britannica"/>

[[Image:Nahj3.jpg|200px|left]]

=== Works related to Ali ===
* [[Nahj al-Balagha]](Peak of Eloquence) contains eloquent sermons, letters and quotations attributed to Ali which is compiled by [[ash-Sharif ar-Radi]]. This book has a prominent position i [[Arabic literature]]. "Masadir Nahj al-Balagha wa asaniduh" written by "al-Sayyid `Abd al-Zahra' al-Husayni al-Khatib" introduces some of these sources.<ref>[http://www.al-shia.com/html/eng/books/nahjulbalaga/altsourc.htm Quarterly Journal of Islamic Thought and Culture, Vol. VII, No. 1 issue of Al-Tawhid]</ref> Also "Nahj al-sa'adah fi mustadrak Nahj al-balaghah" by "Muhammad Baqir al-Mahmudi" represents all of Ali's extant speeches, sermons, decrees, epistles, prayers, and sayings have been collected. It includes the Nahj al-balaghah and other discourses which were not incorporated by ash-Sharif ar-Radi or were not available to him. Apparently, except for some of the aphorisms, the original sources of all the contents of the Nahj al-balaghah have been determined.<ref>Mutahhari, 1997 [http://www.al-islam.org/al-tawhid/glimpses/1.htm]</ref> Ther are several [[Comments on the Peak of Eloquence]] such as [[Comments on the Peak of Eloquence (Ibn Abu al-Hadid)|Comments of Ibn Abu al-Hadid]] and [[Peak of Eloquence with comments (Muhammad Abduh)|comments of Muhammad Abduh]].
* Divan-i Ali ibn Abi Talib (poems of Ali ibn Abi Talib)<ref>[http://ia350631.us.archive.org/1/items/alidw/ali.pdf Collection of Ali's poems](I Arabic)</ref>
* Nuzhat al-Absar va Mahasin al_Asar, Ali's sermons which has compiled by Ali ibn Muhammad Tabari Mamtiri<ref>[http://www.erfan.ir/farsi/news/news.php?id=453 پیدا شدن مجموعه نفیس کلمات امام علی(ع) در واتیكان]</ref>

==Views==
===Muslim view===
[[Image:Imam Ali.jpg|thumb|19th century [[Iran]]ian painting depicting [[Imam Ali]].]]
Except for Muhammad, there is no one in Islamic history about whom as much has been written in Islamic languages as Ali. <ref name="Britannica"/>
Ali is revered and honored by all Muslims. Having been one of the first Muslims and foremost [[Ulema]] (Islamic scholars), he was extremely knowledgeable in matters of religious belief and Islamic jurisprudence, as well as in the history of the Muslim community. He was known for his bravery and courage. Muslims honor Muhammad, Ali, and other pious Muslims and add pious interjections after their names.

====Shia Muslim view of Ali====
{{Mainarticle|Shi'a view of Ali}}
The Shias regards Ali as the most important figure after Muhammad. According to them Muhammad in his life time suggested on various occasions, that Ali would be the leader of Muslims after his demise like [[Hadith of the pond of Khumm]], [[Hadith of the two weighty things]], [[Hadith of the pen and paper]], [[Hadith of the Twelve Successors]] and so on.

According to this view, Ali as the successor of Muhammad not only rules over the community in justice but also interprets the [[Sharia]] Law and its [[Esoteric interpretation of the Qur'an|esoteric meaning]]. Hence he was free from error and sin ([[Infallible#Islamic Beliefs|infallible]]) and he was appointed by God by divine decree ([[nass]]) through Muhammad.<ref> [http://www.balagh.net/english/shia/shia/01.htm#0012 Nasr, Shi'ite Islam, preface, p. 10]</ref> Ali is known as "perfect man"([[Al-insan al-kamil]]) similar to [[Muhammad]] according to Shia viewpoint.<ref> [http://www.irib.ir/occasions/ImamAli/en/book/chapter_1.htm Motahhari, Perfect man, Chapter 1]</ref>

Shia pilgrims usually go to [[Mashad Ali]] in [[Najaf]] for [[Ziyarat]], pray there and read "Ziyarat Amin Allah"<ref>Trust, p. 695</ref> or other [[Ziyaratname]]s.<ref>Trust, p. 681</ref>

====Sunni Muslim view of Ali====
{{Mainarticle|Sunni view of Ali}}
The Sunni Muslims regard Ali as one of the [[Ahl al-Bayt]] and the last of the [[Rashidun]] and one of the most influential and respected figures in Islam. Ali is held with the utmost respect along with the [[Abu Bakr]], [[Umar]], and [[Uthman Ibn Affan]]. <ref name="firstfourcaliphs"/>

====Sufi Muslim view of Ali====
Almost all [[Sufism|Sufi]] orders trace their lineage to Muhammad through Ali, an exception being [[Naqshbandi]], who go through [[Abu Bakr]]. Even in this order, there is [[Ja'far al-Sadiq]], the great great grandson of Ali. Sufis, whether Sunni or Shi'ite, believe that Ali inherited from the Prophet the saintly power [[Wali|wilayah]] that makes the [[Sulook|spiritual journey]] to God possible.<ref name="Britannica"/> Imam Ali represents the essence of the teachings of the School of Islamic Sufism.

Sufis have glorified Ali in their works<ref>See:
* [[Attar]] in [[The Conference of the Birds]][http://rira.ir/rira/php/?page=view&mod=classicpoems&obj=poem&id=6598]
* [[Sanai]] [http://rira.ir/rira/php/?page=view&mod=classicpoems&obj=poem&id=9505&q=%D8%B9%D9%84%DB%8C]
</ref>. For example [[Rumi]] says in [[Masnavi]]:
<blockquote>The man spat in Ali's pure face
of every [[Wali|saint]] and [[Prophets of Islam|prophet]] far and wide
The [[Sujud|prostrates]] itself before this face...
<ref>"و خدو انداخت در روی علی افتخار هر نبی و هر ولی
آن خدو زد بر رخی که روی ماه سجده آرد پیش او در سجده‌گاه"
ُSee:Rumi, 2004, p.227
</ref></blockquote>

Sufis recite [[Manqabat]] Ali in the praise of Ali (Maula Ali), after [[Hamd]] and [[Naat]] in their [[Qawwali]].

===Non-Muslim view===
{{Mainarticle|Non-Muslim view of Ali}}
Some of the prominent non-Muslim [[Islamic scholars]] and politicians like [[Edward Gibbon]]<ref>[[The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire]], London, 1911, (originally published 1776-88) volume 5, pp. 381-2]</ref>, [[Thomas Carlyle]]<ref>[http://www.al-shia.com/html/eng/articles/mahdi/almahdi/04.htm May 8, 1840]</ref> and [[Kofi Annan]]<ref>[http://www.alferdaows.com/EnglishWebsite/the-un.asp The United Nation and Imam Ali’s Constitution]</ref> praised Ali while a few of them, like [[Lammens]]<ref>''[[Henri Lammens]], [[Fatima and the Daughters of Muhammad]]'', Rome and paris: [[Scripta Pontificii Instituti Biblici]], 1912. Translation by [[Ibn Warraq]].</ref>, have held a negative view of Ali.

Some Islamic Scholars do not accept [[hadith]]s collected in later periods, and only study the early collections of narrations. This leads them to regard certain reported events as inauthentic or irrelevant.
[[Wilferd Madelung]] has rejected the stance of indiscriminately dismissing everything not included in "early sources". <ref>Madelong, (1997) p.xi</ref></blockquote>

UN Legal Committee, member states voted that the order of Ali to [[Malik al-Ashtar]] ([[Nahj Al-Balagha]] letter 53) should be considered as one of the sources of International Law. The United Nations urged the Arab nations to use that letter as a model. <ref>[http://www.alferdaows.com/EnglishWebsite/the-un.asp The United Nation and Imam Ali’s Constitution]</ref> The UNDP in its 2002 Arab Human Development listed six sayings of Imam Ali about the importance of knowledge and establishment of ideal governance.<ref>[http://www.miftah.org/Doc/Reports/CompleteEnglish.pdf Arab human development report 2002 pp. 82 and 107]</ref>

===Muslim veneration of Ali===
[[Image:Imam Ali Series.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The picture of [[Malik al-Ashtar]](left) and [[Muawiyah I]](right) in the Imam Ali Series which was shown in [[IRIB|Iran TV]] in 1990s.]]<!-- FAIR USE of Imam Ali Series.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Imam Ali Series.jpg for rationale -->
Ali has high position in the mind of Muslims and they made a lot of pictures, poems and myths about him. For example "Ali Guyam, Ali Juyam" (I call Ali, I seek Ali) is a famous rhyme in [[Iran]].

His birthday is celebrated on 13th of Rajab by Muslims all over the world and is a special occasion for Shia Muslims to remember their first Imam who was born in the House of Allah/Kaaba. His death is remembered and mourned from the 19 to 21st of [[Ramadan]] which is the anniversary of his assassination and martyrdom.

At the [[Ali Masjid]] in [[Pakistan]] is a huge boulder which carries the marks of a hand believed to be that of [[Hadrat]] (Hazrat) Ali.

Many Muslims (mostly [[Shia]]) and some non-muslims (like Hindus in Uttar Pradesh, India) say "Ya Ali Madad" or "Ya Ali", to seek help from Ali in times of difficulty or to seek strength in manual and strenous work, getting relief from pain, etc. This is frowned upon by [[Sunni Muslims]], as it means invoking Ali as if he is [[God]] or equal to God.

===Ali as deity===
{{Mainarticle|Ghulat}}
Several groups of people has recognized Ali as deity. They are known as 'Nusairi' They're described as [[Ghulat]] (exaggerators) by Muslims. These groups have gone too far in ascribing divinity to a person, to the (forbidden) point of associating them with God. Almost all of the Muslims don't consider them as Muslim. They were forbidden to practice their own formed religion by Ali himself who commanded them to stop worshiping him as a God and only to follow to teachings of Allah and Muhammad.

==Hstoriography of Ali's life==
The [[primary sources]] for scholarship on the life of Ali are the [[Qur'an]] and the [[Hadith]], as well as other texts of [[early Islamic history]]. The extensive [[secondary sources]] include, in addition to works by [[Sunni]] and [[Shia]] 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 Ali. <ref name="Britannica"/>

== See also ==
* [[Historiography of early Islam]]
* [[List of Muslim reports]]
* [[Succession to Muhammad]]
* [[Rashidun]]
* [[Imamah (Shia doctrine)]]
* [[Family tree of Ali]]
* [[Imam Ali Mosque]]
* [[Shia Islam]]
* [[Ismaili]]
* [[Fatimid]]
* [[Banu Hashim]]
* [[Alawism]]
* [[Alevi]]
* [[Wali]]
* [[Ahl al-Bayt]]
* [[Nahj al-Balagha]]
* [[Zulfiqar]]
* [[Non-Muslim view of Ali]]

==Notes==
<div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;">
<references /></div>

==References==
;Books
* {{cite book | last=[[Muhammad al-Bukhari|Al-Bukhari]] |first=Muhammad | title=[[Sahih Bukhari]], Book 4, 5, 8 | year= | publisher= |id=}}
* {{cite book | last=Ali ibn Abi Talib | title=[[Nahj al-Balagha]](Peak of Eloquence), compiled by [[ash-Sharif ar-Radi]] | year= | publisher= |id=}}
* {{cite book | last=[[Ali ibn al-Athir]] | title= In his Biography, vol 2 | year= | publisher= |id=}}
* {{cite book | last=[[Ali ibn al-Athir]] | title= [[The Complete History]] (Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh), vol 3 | year= | publisher= |id=}}
* {{cite book | last=[[Al-Waqidi]] | title=[[Al-maghazi]](The Invasions) Part 1| year= | publisher=Oxford Printing |id=}}
* {{cite book | last=Ashraf | first=Shahid | title=Encyclopedia of Holy Prophet and Companions | year=2005 | publisher=Anmol Publications PVT. LTD. | id=ISBN 8126119403}}
* {{cite book | last=Chirri | first=Mohammad | title=The Brother of the Prophet Mohammad | year=1982 | publisher=Islamic Center of America, Detroit, MI. Alibris | id=ISBN 8126171834}}
* {{cite book | last=Holt | first=P. M. | coauthors=[[Bernard Lewis]] | title=Cambridge History of Islam, Vol. 1 | year=1977 | publisher=Cambridge University Press | id=ISBN 0521291364}}
* {{cite book | last=[[Ibn Hisham]] | first=Abdul Malik | title=Al Seerah Al Nabaweyah (Biography of the Prophet) | year=1955 | publisher=Mustafa Al Babi Al Halabi(Egypt) | id= }}(In Arabic)
* {{cite book | last=[[Ibn Taymiyyah]] | first=Taqi ad-Din Ahmad | title=[[Minhaj as-Sunnah an-Nabawiyyah]] | year= | publisher= | id= }}(In Arabic)
* {{cite book | last=Khatab| first=Amal | title=Battles of Badr and Uhud | publisher=Ta-Ha Publishers | year=1996 | id=ISBN ISBN 1-897940-39-4}}
* {{cite book | last=Lapidus| first=Ira | title=A History of Islamic Societies | publisher=Cambridge University Press | year=2002 | edition=2nd | id=ISBN 978-0521779333}}
* {{cite book | last=Madelung | first=Wilferd | authorlink=Wilferd Madelung | title=The Succession to Muhammad: A Study of the Early Caliphate | publisher=Cambridge University Press | year=1997 | id=ISBN 0521646960}}
* {{cite book | last=[[Allamah al-Majlisi|Majlisi]] | first=Mohammad Baqer | title=[[Bihar al-Anwar]] V.97 | year= | publisher= | id= }}(In Arabic)
* {{cite book | last=Motahhari | first=Morteza |authorlink=Morteza Motahhari | title= Ensane Kamel (Perfect Man), translated by Aladdin Pazargadi, edited by Shah Tariq Kamal| publisher=Foreign Department Of Bonyad Be'that| year= | id=}}
* {{cite book | last=Motahhari | first=Morteza |authorlink=Morteza Motahhari | title= Glimpses of the Nahj Al-Balaghah, translated by Ali Quli Qara'i| publisher=Islamic Culture and Relations Organizati| year=1997 | id=978-9644720710}}
* {{cite book | last=[[Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj]] | first= | title= [[Sahih Muslim]], Book 19, 31| publisher=| year= | id=}}
* {{cite book | last=Peters | first=F. E. | title=The Monotheists: Jews, Christians, and Muslims in Conflict and Competition | publisher=Princeton University Press | year=2003 | id=ISBN 0691114617}}
* {{cite book | last=Redha | first=Mohammad | coauthors=Mohammad Agha | title= Imam Ali Ibn Abi Taleb (Imam Ali the Fourth Caliph, 1/1 Volume) | publisher=Dar Al Kotob Al ilmiyah| year=1999 | id=ISBN 2-7451-2532-X}}
* {{cite book | last=Rumi | first=Jalal ad-Din Muhammad | authorlink=Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi | title= [[Masnavi|The Masnavi]], Book One , translated by Jawid A. Mojaddedi| publisher=Oxford University Press| year=2004 | id=ISBN 0192804383}}
* {{cite book | last=[[Sayyid ibn Tawoos]] | first= | coauthors= | title= Lohouf (Arabic: اللهوف) | publisher=h| year= | id= }}(in Arabic and Persian)
* {{cite book | last=Tabatabae | first=Sayyid Mohammad Hosayn | coauthors=[[Seyyed Hossein Nasr]] (translator) | authorlink=Allameh Tabatabaei | title= Shi'ite Islam
| publisher=Suny press| year=1979 | id=ISBN 0-87395-272-3}}
* {{cite book | last=Tabatabae | first=Sayyid Mohammad Hosayn | authorlink=Allameh Tabatabaei | title= [[Tafsir al-Mizan]]| publisher=| year= | id=}}
* {{cite book | last=[[Abbas Qommi|Qommi]] | first=Abbas | | coauthors=PearMahumed Ebrahim Trust (translator)|title= The Prayer's AlManac, English version of [[Mafatih al-Jinan]] | publisher=| year= | id= }}
*{{cite book | last=[[William Montgomery Watt|Watt]] | first=William Montgomery |
title=[[Muhammad at Mecca (book)|Muhammad at Mecca]]| publisher=Oxford University Press | year=1953 | id=}}

;Encyclopedia
* {{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica Online|Encyclopaedia Britannica Online]] | publisher=Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.}}

===For further reading===
*{{cite book | last=Abdul Rauf| first=Muhammad |
title=Imam 'Ali ibn Abi Talib: The First Intellectual Muslim Thinker, Contributor Dr Seyyed Hossein Nasr| publisher=Al Saadawi Publications | year=1996 | id= 1881963497}}
*{{cite book | last=[[Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari|Al-Tabari]]| first=Muhammad ibn Jarir |
title=[[History of the Prophets and Kings]] , translation and commentary issued in multiple volumes| publisher=SUNY Press | year=1987 to 1996 | id= }} volumes 6-17 are relevant.
*{{cite book | last=Cleary | first=Thomas |
title=Living and Dying with Grace: Counsels of Hadrat Ali| publisher=Shambhala Publications
, Incorporated | year=1996 | id=1570622116 }}
*{{cite book | last=[[George Gordagh|Gordagh]] | first=George | title=Ali, The Voice of Human Justice | publisher= | year=1956 | id=ISBN 0-941724-24-7}}(in Arabic)
*{{cite book | last=Ibn Ishaq | first= | coauthor=[[Alfred Guillaume|Guillaume, Alfred]], ed. (translator) | title=The Life of Muhammad: A Translation of Ibn Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah | publisher=Oxford University Press | year=2002 | id=ISBN 978-0196360331}}
*{{cite book | last=[[Ibn Qutaybah]] | first= | coauthor= | title=[[Al-Imama wa al-Siyasa]] | publisher=| year= | id=}}(In Arabic)
*{{cite book | last=[[Ibn Sa'd al-Baghdadi]] | first= | coauthor= | title=[[The Book of the Major Classes]] (scattered volumes of English translation as issued by Kitab Bhavan)| publisher=Ta-Ha Publishers, London | year=1997 | id=}}
*{{cite book | last=Kattani| first=Sulayman |
title=Imam 'Ali: Source of Light, Wisdom and Might , translation by I.K.A. Howard| publisher=Muhammadi Trust of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | year=1983 | id= 0950698660}}
*{{cite book | last=Kazemi | first=Reza Shah |
title=Justice and Remembrance: Introducing the Spirituality of Imam 'Ali| publisher=I. B. Tauris | year=2007 | id=1845115260 }}
*{{cite book | last=Lakhani| first=M. Ali. | coauthors= Reza Shah-Kazemi and Leonard Lewisohn|
title=The Sacred Foundations of Justice in Islam: The Teachings of Ali Ibn Abi Talib, Contributor Dr Seyyed Hossein Nasr| publisher=World Wisdom, Inc | year=2007 | id=1933316268 }}
*{{cite book | last=[[Morteza Motahhari|Motahhari]] | first= Murtaza | title=Polarization Around the Character of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib| publisher=World Organization for Islamic Services, Tehran | year= 1981| id=}}
[http://www.alseraj.net/maktaba/kotob/english/FourteenInfallibles/Polarization/polarization/]
*{{cite book | last=[[Sa'id Akhtar Rizvi|Rizvi ]] | first=Sa'id Akhtar |
title=Imamate: The Vicegerency of the Prophet| publisher= | year=1956 | id=}}

==External links==
* [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/v1f8/v1f8a043.html Ali ibn Abi Talib] by I. K. Poonawala and E. Kohlberg in [[Encyclopedia Iranica]]
* [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9005712/Ali Ali], article at ''Enyclopaedia Britannica Online''
* [http://www.imamalislib.com/ Specific library for Amir Al-Momenin] The list of Shia and Sunni books about Ali which are available in [[Iran]] (In [[Persian]] and [[Arabic]])

===Some of the Ali's most famous sermons and letters===
* [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/LetterDetail.php?Letter=53 Order to Maalik al-Ashtar, governor of Egypt](UN Legal Committee, member states voted that the document should be considered as one of the sources of International Law.)[http://www.alferdaows.com/EnglishWebsite/the-un.asp]
* [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/LetterDetail.php?Letter=31 A advice ti his son Hasan ib Ali] (This letter contains ethical advisement)
* [http://www.nahjulbalagha.org/SermonDetail.php?Sermon=185 Sermon about the Oneness of Allah]

===Sunni biography===
* [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/politics/firstfourcaliphs.html#ali Biography from USC's MSA website]

===Shi'a biography===
* [http://al-islam.org/masoom/bios/1stimam.html The Life of the Commander of the Faithful Ali b. Abu Talib] by [[Shaykh Mufid]] in Kitab al-Irshad
* [http://www.irib.com/Special/imam%20ali/html/en/book/commander.htm The Commander of the Faithful: ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib]
* [http://www.imamalinet.net/ Website devoted to the Life of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib]
* [http://al-islam.org/nahj/ Sayings of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib]
* [http://www.aljaafaria.com/aljaafaria-old/imamali.html Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib]
* [http://www.najaf.org/english/ Imam Ali foundation]
* [http://www.al-islam.org/nahjul/index.htm Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib] Nahjul Balagha
* [http://www.islamfrominside.com/Pages/Articles/ImamAliWiladat.html Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib's status]
* [http://www.askshia.com/ Imam Ali]
* [http://www.al-shia.com/html/eng/books/last-will-of-ali-ibn-abi-talib/last-will-of-ali-ibn-abi-talib.htm The Last Will of Ali ibn Abi Talib]

{{start}}
{{s-hou|[[Banu Hashim]]|March 17|599|February 28|661|[[Banu Quraish]]}}
{{s-rel|sh}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Muhammad]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Imamah (Shia doctrine)|Imam]]|years=[[632]] – [[661]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Hasan ibn Ali]]<br>''Disputed by [[Nizari]]''<small>'''</small>}}
{{s-rel|su}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Uthman]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Caliphate|Rashidun Caliph]]|years=[[656]] – [[661]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Muawiyah I]]}}
{{end}}

{{sahaba}}
{{Ali's companions}}

[[Category:Ali]]
[[Category:Converts to Islam]]
[[Category:Sahaba]]
[[Category:Imams]]
[[Category:Shi'a Imams]]
[[Category:Rashidun]]
[[Category:Assassinated people]]
[[Category:599 births]]
[[Category:661 deaths]]
[[Category:Turkish given names]]
[[Category:Ismailism]]

{{Link FA|hu}}
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[[id:Ali bin Abi Thalib]]
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[[he:עלי בן אבי טאלב]]
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[[ru:Али ибн Абу Талиб]]
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[[uk:Алі ібн Абі Таліб]]
[[ur:علی علیہ السلام]]
[[wa:Ali (calife)]]
[[zh:阿里·伊本·艾比·塔里卜]]

Revision as of 18:40, 15 October 2007

ALIBALIBUMBALIBANANARAMASTUMBALI HE HE ALI THIS IS JUST FOR YOU I LOVE YOU EVEN IF YOU ARE A STINKER!!!!!!!! ...AND YOU ARE....LOL....A STINKER THAT IS......

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