Al Qalam OrganizationThe fourth caliph of Holy Prophet (pbuh)
Hazrat Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (r.z) (Arabic: علي بن أبي طالب, Transliteration: ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, [ʕaliː ibn ʔæbiː t̪ˤɑːlib]; 13th Rajab, 24 BH–21st Ramaḍān, 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600[2] or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661[4]). The son of Abu Talib,[5] Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of Islamic prophet Muhammad, ruling over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661,[5] and was the first male convert to Islam.[6][7] Sunnis consider Ali the fourth and final of the Rashidun (rightly guided Caliphs), while Shias regard Ali as the first Imamand consider him and his descendants the rightful successors to Muhammad, all of which are members of the Ahl al-Bayt, the household of Muhammad. This disagreement split theUmmah (Muslim community) into the Sunni and Shia branches.
Muslim sources, especially Shia ones, state that since Abraham’s time, Ali was the only person born in the Kaaba sanctuary in Mecca, the holiest place in Islam.[1] His father wasAbu Talib and his mother was Fatima bint Asad,[1] but he was raised in the household of Muhammad, who himself was raised by Abu Talib, Muhammad’s uncle, and Ali’s father. When Muhammad reported receiving a divine revelation, Ali was the first male to accept his message, dedicating his life to the cause of Islam.
Ali migrated to Medina shortly after Muhammad did. Once there Muhammad told Ali that God had ordered Muhammad to give his daughter, Fatimah, to Ali in marriage.[1] For the ten years that Muhammad led the community in Medina, Ali was extremely active in his service, leading parties of warriors on battles, and carrying messages and orders. Ali took part in the early caravan raids from Mecca and later in almost all the battles fought by the nascent Muslim community.
Ali was appointed Caliph by the Companions of Muhammad (the Sahaba) in Medina after the assassination of the third caliph, Uthman ibn Affan. He encountered defiance andcivil war during his reign. In 661, Ali was attacked one morning while worshipping in the mosque of Kufa, and died a few days later.
In Muslim culture, Ali is respected for his courage, knowledge, belief, honesty, unbending devotion to Islam, deep loyalty to Muhammad, equal treatment of all Muslims and generosity in forgiving his defeated enemies, and therefore is central to mystical traditions in Islam such as Sufism. Ali retains his stature as an authority on Quranic exegesis,Islamic jurisprudence and religious thought.[16] Ali holds a high position in almost all Sufi orders which trace their lineage through him to Muhammad. Ali’s influence has been important throughout Islamic history
Ghadir Khumm
Main articles:
Hadith of the pond of Khumm and Hadith of the two weighty things
As Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was returning from his last pilgrimage in 632, he made statements about Ali . He halted the caravan at Ghadir Khumm, gathered the returning pilgrims for communal prayer and began to address them.
“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(Quran) 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 members of my household I remind you (of your duties) to the members of my family, For whoever I am a Mawla of, then Ali is his Mawla.”
Muslims regard Ali with great respect as one of the Ahl al-Bayt and the last of the Rashidun
caliphs, as well as one of the most influential and respected leaders in Islam. Also, he is one of
the Al-Asharatu Mubashsharun, the Ten Companions of Muhammad whom the Prophet of Islam
promised Paradise.
Almost all 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 believe that Ali inherited from Muhammad the saintly
powerwilayah that makes the spiritual journey to God possible.[1] Sufis recite Manqabat Ali in the
praise of Ali (Maula Ali), after Hamd andNaat in their Qawwali.