Ali

Ali ibn Abi Talib (Arabic: عليّ بن أبي طالب, romanized: ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib; c. 600 – 661 CE) was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, the first Shia Imam, and the fourth Rashidun caliph, serving from 656 until his assassination in 661. He is a prominent member of the Ahl al-Bayt and Ahl al-Kisa, and a participant in the Event of the mubahala. Born to Abu Talib and Fatima bint Asad, Ali was raised in the house of his cousin Muhammad and was among the first to accept Islam. Both Shia and Sunni sources report that Ali was born inside the Kaaba, the holiest site in Islam. Numerous sayings of Muhammad highly praise Ali, including the Hadith of the Position, in which Muhammad compares the position of Ali to himself with the position of Aaron to Moses. Several verses of the Quran have also been interpreted as referring to Ali. Ali played a pivotal role in the early years of Islam when Muslims were severely persecuted in Mecca. He slept in Muhammad's bed so that the assassins who had gathered outside Muhammad's house would believe that he was still there. This allowed Muhammad to begin his immigration to Medina. The event has been referred to in the Quran, which both Shia and Sunni sources interpret as referring to Ali's willingness to sacrifice himself for Muhammad. Following the migration, Muhammad arranged the marriage of his daughter Fatima to Ali and swore a pact of brotherhood with him. He participated in nearly all of Muhammad's battles against the polytheists and served as Muhammad's secretary and deputy, as well as the flag-bearer of his army. At Ghadir Khumm, Muhammad declared Ali his Mawla, interpreted in Shia Islam as his successor. After Muhammad's death, Abu Bakr was chosen by a...