Shia view of Ali

Ali is regarded as the first Imam and is considered, along with his descendants, to be one of the divinely appointed successors of Muhammad who are considered the only legitimate religious and political leaders of the Muslim community . Although Ali was regarded, during the lifetime of Muhammad, as his initial successor, it would be 25 years before he was recognized with the title of Caliph (successor) . Like the rest of his household, Ali is considered infallible and sinless and is one of The Fourteen Infallibles of the household of Muhammed. Tradition states that Ali was born inside the Kaaba in Mecca , and was a member of the Quraysh tribe . Ali's father and Muhammad's uncle, Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib , was custodian of the Kaaba and a sheikh of the Banu Hashim ; an important branch of the powerful tribe of the Quraysh. His mother, Fatimah bint Asad , was also from the Banu Hashim. In Arab culture it was a great honor for Ali that both of his parents belonged to the Banu Hashim. Ali was also one of descendants of Ishmael ( Isma'il ) the son of Abraham ( Ibrahim ). During his childhood, Ali spent his first six years under his father's roof. Then, as a result of famine in and around Mecca, Muhammad asked his uncle, Abu Talib, to allow Ali to come and live in the house of his cousin. It would be another four years until Muhammad would announce his Prophethood . When the divine command came for Muhammad to begin to preach, Ali, only a child of ten years, was the first male to publicly announce his support for his cousin. Over the coming years, Ali stood firmly in his support of Muhammad during the persecution of Muslims by the Meccans . Ali 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. With the exception of the Battle of Tabouk , Ali took part in all the battles fought for Islam during this time. After the assassination of the third Caliph, Uthman ibn Affan , the Sahabah (Companions of Muhammad) in Medina selected Ali to be the new Caliph. He encountered defiance and civil war ( First Fitna ) during his reign. Tragically, while Ali was praying and bowing to God in the Great Mosque of Kufa , Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam , a Kharijite assassin, struck him with a poison-coated sword. Ali died on the 21st of Ramadan in the city of Kufa in 661 CE. Ali is highly regarded for his knowledge, belief, honesty, devotion to Islam, loyalty to Muhammad, his equal treatment of all Muslims , and his generosity in forgiving his defeated enemies. In addition, he is respected as the rightful successor of Muhammad. Ali retains his stature as the foremost authority on the Tafsir ( Quranic exegesis ), Fiqh ( Islamic jurisprudence) and religious thought. The compilation of sermons, lectures, and quotations attributed to Ali are compiled in the form of several books. Nahj al-Balagha is the most revered of them. It is considered by historians and scholars to be an important work in Islamic literature . Kitab Maqtal Ali (144 AH / 761 CE). Kitab Maqtal Amir Al-Muminin (183 AH / 799 CE). Maqtal Amir ul-Muminin (201 AH / 817 CE). Who is the successor of the Prophet Birth of Ali (a) in Ka’ba – A unique distinction "The birth of Ali ibn Abi Talib" . Restatement of History of Islam . The First Imam On The Way to Marriage Designation of Ali as successor to the Prophet The Glimpses of Nahj al Balaghah

Shias regard Ali as the first Imam and consider him, along with his descendants, to be one of the divinely appointed successors of Muhammad who are claimed by the Shia the only legitimate religious and political leaders of the Muslim community . Although Ali was regarded, during the lifetime of Muhammad, as his initial successor, it would be 25 years before he was recognized with the title of Caliph (successor) . Like the rest of his household, Shias claim that Ali is infallible and sinless and is one of The Fourteen Infallibles of the household of Muhammed. Tradition states that Ali was born inside the Kaaba in Mecca , and was a member of the Quraysh tribe . Ali's father and Muhammad's uncle, Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib , was custodian of the Kaaba and a sheikh of the Banu Hashim , an important branch of the powerful tribe of the Quraysh. His mother, Fatimah bint Asad , was also from the Banu Hashim. In Arab culture it was a great honor for Ali that both of his parents belonged to the Banu Hashim. Ali was also one of descendants of Ishmael ( Isma'il ) the son of Abraham ( Ibrahim ). During his childhood, Ali spent his first six years under his father's roof. Then, as a result of famine in and around Mecca, Muhammad asked his uncle, Abu Talib, to allow Ali to come and live in the house of his cousin. It would be another four years until Muhammad would announce his Prophethood . When the divine command came for Muhammad to begin to preach, Ali, only a child of ten years, was the first male to publicly announce his support for his cousin. Over the coming years, Ali stood firmly in his support of Muhammad during the persecution of Muslims by the Meccans . Ali 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. With the exception of the Battle of Tabouk , Ali took part in all the battles fought for Islam during this time. After the assassination of the third Caliph, Uthman ibn Affan , the Sahabah (Companions of Muhammad) in Medina selected Ali to be the new Caliph. He encountered defiance and civil war ( First Fitna ) during his reign. Tragically, while Ali was praying and bowing to God in the Great Mosque of Kufa , Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam , a Kharijite assassin, struck him with a poison-coated sword. Ali died on the 21st of Ramadan in the city of Kufa in 661 CE. Ali is highly regarded for his knowledge, belief, honesty, devotion to Islam, loyalty to Muhammad, his equal treatment of all Muslims , and his generosity in forgiving his defeated enemies. In addition, he is respected as the rightful successor of Muhammad. Ali retains his stature as the foremost authority on the Tafsir ( Quranic exegesis ), Fiqh ( Islamic jurisprudence) and religious thought. The compilation of sermons, lectures, and quotations attributed to Ali are compiled in the form of several books. Nahj al-Balagha is the most revered of them. It is considered by historians and scholars to be an important work in Islamic literature . books books "I am the city of knowledge and 'Ali is its gate" . Kitab Maqtal Ali (144 AH / 761 CE). Kitab Maqtal Amir Al-Muminin (183 AH / 799 CE). Maqtal Amir ul-Muminin (201 AH / 817 CE). Restatement of History of Islam .

Ali was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad , and a member of the Ahl al-Bayt . According to Shias, Ali was the first Imam who is believed to be the rightful successor to Muhammad, divinely appointed successors of Muhammad who are claimed by the Shias. Although Ali was regarded, during the lifetime of Muhammad, as his initial successor, it would be 25 years before he was recognized with the title of Caliph (successor) . According to the status of Ali, it is believed he is infallible and sinless and is one of The Fourteen Infallibles of the household of Muhammed. Tradition states that Ali was born inside the Kaaba in Mecca , and was a member of the Quraysh tribe . Ali's father and Muhammad's uncle, Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib , was custodian of the Kaaba and a sheikh of the Banu Hashim , an important branch of the powerful tribe of the Quraysh. His mother, Fatimah bint Asad , was also from the Banu Hashim. In Arab culture it was a great honor for Ali that both of his parents belonged to the Banu Hashim. Ali was also one of descendants of Ishmael ( Isma'il ) the son of Abraham ( Ibrahim ). During his childhood, Ali spent his first six years under his father's roof. Then, as a result of famine in and around Mecca, Muhammad asked his uncle, Abu Talib, to allow Ali to come and live in the house of his cousin. It would be another four years until Muhammad would announce his Prophethood . When the divine command came for Muhammad to begin to preach, Ali, only a child of ten years, was the first male to publicly announce his support for his cousin. Over the coming years, Ali stood firmly in his support of Muhammad during the persecution of Muslims by the Meccans . Ali 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. With the exception of the Battle of Tabouk , Ali took part in all the battles fought for Islam during this time. After the assassination of the third Caliph, Uthman ibn Affan , the Sahabah (companions of Muhammad) in Medina selected Ali to be the new Caliph. He encountered defiance and civil war ( First Fitna ) during his reign. While Ali was praying on 19 Ramadan, during the first Rak'a of Nafilat al Fajr , while bowing to God in the Great Mosque of Kufa , Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam , a Kharijite assassin, struck him with a poison-coated sword. Ali died on the 21st of Ramadan in the city of Kufa in 661 CE. Ali is highly regarded for his knowledge, belief, honesty, devotion to Islam, loyalty to Muhammad, his equal treatment of all Muslims , and his generosity in forgiving his defeated enemies. In addition, he is respected as the rightful successor of Muhammad. Ali retains his stature as the foremost authority on the Tafsir ( Quranic exegesis ), Fiqh ( Islamic jurisprudence) and religious thought. The compilation of sermons, lectures, and quotations attributed to Ali are compiled in the form of several books. Nahj al-Balagha is the most revered of them. It is considered by historians and scholars to be an important work in Islamic literature . Kitab Maqtal Ali (144 AH / 761 CE). Kitab Maqtal Amir Al-Muminin (183 AH / 799 CE). Maqtal Amir ul-Muminin (201 AH / 817 CE). Restatement of History of Islam .

Status of Ali in Shia Islam Main articles: Shia Islam and Ali Shrine of Ali in Najaf, Iraq Ali ibn Abi Talib was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad . Ali contributed significantly to Islam in its early years and was likely the first male to accept the teachings of Muhammad. Ali is accorded an almost legendary place in Islam as a paragon of virtues, a fount of wisdom, and a fearless but magnanimous warrior. In Shia Islam Ali is regarded as the foremost companion of Muhammad and his rightful successor through divinely-ordained designation at the Ghadir Khumm . When Muhammad died in 632 CE , Ali had his own claims to leadership but eventually accepted the temporal rule of the first three caliphs in the interest of Muslim unity. The three caliphs are viewed in Shia Islam as illegitimate rulers and usurpers of Ali's rights. Ali himself succeeded to the caliphate in 656 but his rule was immediately challenged by multiple pretenders and he was assassinated in 661. In Shia belief, Ali inherited Muhammad's political and religious authority, even before his ascension to the caliphate in 656. In Shia theology, Ali also inherited the esoteric knowledge of Muhammad. Ali is thus viewed, after Muhammad, as the sole authoritative source of (esoteric) guidance and the interpreter, par excellence, of the Quran , the central religious text of Islam. Shia Muslims also believe that Ali, as with Muhammad, was divinely protected from sins. Ali's words and deeds are therefore considered a model for the Shia community and a source for their religious injunctions.