Ali ibn Abi Talib (Arabic: علي بن
أبي طالب) (c. 21st March 598 – 661) was the fourth caliph
or successor of Muhammad. He was also the Prophet's cousin, and, after marrying Fatima, his son-in-law as well. He is regarded
by majority Sunni Muslims as one of the Khulafa-e-Rashidun, the exemplary first four rightly guided caliphs.
Ali was born at Mecca where his father, Abu Talib, was an uncle of the Prophet. Ali himself was adopted
by Muhammad and educated under his care.
In 622, the year of Muhammad's flight to Medina, Ali risked his life by sleeping in the Prophet's
bed to impersonate him and thwart an assassination plot, so that the Prophet could flee in safety. In addition, Ali delayed
his own departure from Medina to carry out Muhammad's instructions to restore all the goods and properties that had been entrusted
to him as a merchant to their owners in Mecca.
From 622 to Muhammad's death in 632, Ali was one of Muhammad's trusted warriors, active in military
campaigns to protect and extend the Muslim community.
Hazrat Ali Murtuda (Radi Allah Unho)
ELECTIONS
After Sayyiduna 'Uthman
(radi Allahu anhu) passed
away, Sayyiduna Ali (radi Allahu anhu) was elected as the
fourth
Caliph by the Muslims. During the period of the first three Caliphs, Madinatul Munawwarah continued to be the
capital
of the Muslim world, but Sayyiduna Ali
(radi Allahu anhu) transferred the Islamic capital to Kufah in Iraq.
EARLY LIFE
Sayyiduna Ali
(radi Allahu anhu) was the son
of Abu Taalib, an uncle of Sayyiduna Rasulullah (sallal laahu alaihi
wasallam).
Sayyiduna Ali (radi Allahu anhu)
was married to Sayyadah Bibi Fathima (radi Allahu anha), the daughter of
Sayyiduna Rasulullah
(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). They had 3 sons, Sayyiduna Hassan, Sayyiduna Hussain and
Sayyiduna Mohsin
(radi Allahu anhumul ajma'in).
Sayyiduna Ali
(radi Allahu anhu) took part in
the battle of Badr, Khandaq and Khaibar. At Khaibar, it was Sayyiduna Ali
(radi Allahu anhu)
who subdued the Jews with his furious assault. He also held
many important positions during the
time of Sayyiduna Rasulullah
(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) and the first 3 Caliphs before him.
He had a love for learning and was a great and learned person himself. He had been given the title of
"Baabul
I'lm"
or "Gate of Learning" by Sayyiduna Rasulullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). He was also called "Asaadullah"
or
"Lion of Allah."
OPPOSITION
The situation in Madinatul Munawwarah after the murder (Shahaadah) of Sayyiduna 'Uthman
(radi Allahu anhu) was
serious. Sayyiduna Ali (
radi Allahu anhu's) first
task was to rid Madinatul Munawwarah of the rebels and to return the
situation to normal.
Sayyiduna Ali
(radi Allahu anhu) was able to
force the rebels to withdraw from Madinatul Munawwarah and to
establish peace and order in the city. The powerful governor of Syria, Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah
(radi Allahu anhu),
challenged Sayyiduna Ali
(radi Allahu anhu) and
refused to pay homage to him. Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (radi Allahu
anhu)
insisted that Sayyiduna Ali (radi Allahu
anhu) arrest the murderers of Sayyiduna 'Uthman (radi Allahu
anhu) and
hand them over to him.
Sayyiduna Ali
(radi Allahu anhu) was a man with
a deep sense of justice and did not want to accuse the wrong
people. He needed a peaceful period to trace the culprits. But, Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah
(radi Allahu anhu) began
accusing him of protecting the murderers, and in this way the old enmity between the two families were revived.
SAYYIDUNA MU'AWIYAH (RADI ALLAHU ANHU)
Unlike most of Sayyiduna 'Uthman
(radi Allahu anhu's) governors, Sayyiduna Muaawiyah (radi Allahu anhu) displayed
great administrative ability and was very popular. He was a God-fearing man and especially known for his mercy.
Sayyiduna Ali
(radi Allahu anhu) was very strict
in piety and straight forward. Sayyiduna Muaawiyah (radi Allahu anhu)
declared his disobedience to him, because he felt that he was better qualified to lead the Muslim world.
BATTLE OF THE CAMEL
Another serious development took place. Sayyadah Aishah
(radi Allahu anha) and two leading Sahaba, Sayyiduna
Talha and Sayyiduna Zubair
(radi Allahu anhuma) declared
their opposition to the Khilaafat of Sayyiduna Ali (radi
Allahu anhu)
. They left Madinatul Munawwarah for Makkatul Mukarramah and from
there travelled to Basrah where
they rallied men and new supporters.
Sayyiduna Ali
(radi Allahu anhu) had to crush
all opposition. A bloody battle took place near Basrah on the 9th of
December 656 A.C. This battle was sparked off by a third force who were the real troublemakers. Just before
the
battle, both parties had already reached an agreement to settle the dispute. But this third force, the real
assassinators
of Sayyiduna 'Uthman
(radi Allahu anhu), launched
an overnight attack on both camps simultaneously. Each side were
under the impression that the other had attacked. The battle began. Several thousand men were lost including
the
two Sahaba. Sayyadah Aishah
(radi Allahu anha) was
safe. She was riding a camel during the battle-hence the name
"Battle of the Camel."
Sayyiduna Ali (radi
Allahu anhu) treated her in a most noble and dignified manner and
respectfully sent her back to Madinatul Munawwarah. She praised him and deeply regretted opposing Sayyiduna
Ali
(radi Allahu anhu).
Kufa was now made the capital of the Islamic world.
BATTLE OF SIFFIN
Sayyiduna Muaawiyah
(radi Allahu anhu) rallied
an army to face Sayyiduna Ali (radi Allahu anhu). A battle
took place
at Siffin on the Syrian border in the July of 567 A.C. Sayyiduna Muaawiyah
(radi
Allahu anhu) was no match for
Sayyiduna Ali
(radi Allahu anhu) and began to
retreat. By the clever proposal of Sayyiduna Amr bin Al As (radi Allahu
anhu),
the retreating army raised pieces of the Holy Quran on their spears demanding
judgement between the two
parties. Many pious Muslims on the side of Sayyiduna Ali
(radi Allahu anhu)
refused to fight seeing the Holy Quran
displayed in the air.
JUDGEMENT
Two men, one from each side, were appointed to settle the dispute. Sayyiduna Abu Musa
(radi Allahu anhu), a pious
Sahaba from Sayyiduna Ali
(radi Allahu anhu's) side,
and the skilled Sayyiduna Amr (radi Allahu anhu) from Sayyiduna
Muaawiyah
(radi Allahu anhu's) side. Sayyiduna
Musa (radi Allahu anhu) declared in front of the Muslims that
it was
decided to recommend the removal of both Sayyiduna Ali and Sayyiduna Muaawiyah
(radi
Allahu anhuma) and that
the Muslims should select another man for the Khilaafat. Sayyiduna Amr
(radi
Allahu anhu) replied that: "He has
declared the removal of his leader, while I would conform Muaawiyah as the Caliph."
Chaos followed.
KHAARIJEES
Sayyiduna Ali
(radi Allahu anhu) prepared to
meet Sayyiduna Muaawiyah (radi Allahu anhu) again in battle,
but he
was moved from his task by a serious conflict that occurred among his men. Some narrow-minded people accused
Sayyiduna Ali
(radi Allahu anhu) of accepting
a man-made judgement. Their slogan was: "There is no judgment but
with Allah."
They declared that Sayyiduna Ali, Sayyiduna Muaawiyah and Sayyiduna
'Uthman (radi Allahu anhumul
ajma'in)
were unbelievers and that Jihad should be declared against them. Ever
since this event, they have been
known as the
"Khaarijees", which
means, "those who left the fold." They maintained
that the Khilaafat should be
given to the most eligible Muslim, regardless of his origin. The Kharijees are not regarded as Muslims.
ASSASSINATION
On the 17th of July 659 A.C., Sayyiduna Ali
(radi Allahu anhu) overcame the Khaarijees in a battle near Nahrawan, in
which, it is said, that 40 000 lives were lost.
In the early morning of the 24th of January 661 A.C., Abdul Rahman bin Muljim, a Khaariji fanatic lay in ambush
in
the Masjid of Kufah and stabbed Sayyiduna Ali
(radi Allahu anhu) when he entered the musjid. He passed away from
the wound. He was 63 years old.
PERSONAL LIFE
Sayyiduna Ali
(radi allahu anhu) lived a simple
life. He refused any luxury food and wore simple clothes thinking of the
poor. He should sleep on the ground and even sit on the floor. He repaired his own clothes and shoes and even
did
manual labour. He spent nights in Salaah and should fast for three days in a row. Honesty, piety, justice and
love of
truth were the main marks of his character.
