Shia Sunni differences regarding Imam Ali
Alī ibn Abī Tālib (Arabic: علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب) Approximately:
March 17, 599 - February 28, 661[1] was an early Islamic leader, the fourth and last Sunni caliph, and the first Shi'a Imam. Although he had limited political influence during his lifetime, he had vast influence on the developments of events during the time of the early Muslims as a military leader, close companion, cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad. Later, his stature as a foremost authority on the Qur'an, Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and religious thought continues to influence Islamic history. He is among the most influential people in the history of Islam after Muhammad himself, being considered second only to Muhammad in divine guidance by Shi'a Muslims. He is revered by the Sunni Muslims as one of the Four Rightly Guided Caliphs and as a foremost authority in Tafsir (Quranic exegesis) and Islamic jurisprudence.
Main article:
Birthplace of Ali ibn Abi Talib
He was born in the Kaaba, in Mecca. His mother entered the Kaaba through an opening in its southern wall, Rukne Yamani which is clearly visible as a crack or gash to this day. His father was Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib and his mother was Fatima binte Asad. Until this day, Ali is the only person to have been born inside the Kaaba, Islam's holiest and most sacred site.
Early life
Ali's father, Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, was a Sheikh of Banu Hashim, an important branch of the powerful tribe of the Banu Quraish, and an uncle to the young Muhammad. 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. Later Muhammad set out and married Khadijah bint Khuwaylid. Ali was born three years later.[2] When Ali was six years old, as a result of famine in and around Mecca, Muhammad requested to become his guardian.[3]
When Muhammad reported that he had received a divine revelation, Ali, then only about ten years old, believed him and professed Islam. Ali was one of the first males to enter Islam, if not the first Arab male. Ali stood firmly in support of Muhammad during the years of persecution of Muslims in Mecca. In 622 CE, the year of Muhammad's 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 flee in safety.
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.[4]
The neutrality and factual accuracy of this section are disputed.Please see the relevant discussion on the talk page.
Shi'a Muslims, a sect of Islam, believe that Ali ibn Abi Talib, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, was the rightful successor to Muhammad, and the ancestor of the Shi'a imams, whom the Shi'a believe to be the divinely ordained spiritual leaders of humankind.
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 Meccan traditional religion, which Muslims regard as polytheism or paganism. Hence the Shi'a say of Ali that his face is honored -- that is, it was never sullied by prostrations before idols.
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 Tabari) mention such a claim.
Ali in Medina
The small community of Muslim immigrants in Medina, the Muhajirun, were at first extremely poor. They had no land, no houses, and lived on the charity of the Ansar (Madinans who had converted to Islam). Ali shared in all the labor and hardships of the community.
For the ten years that Muhammad led the community in Medina, Ali was extremely active in his service, serving in his armies, leading parties of warriors on raids, and carrying messages and orders. With the exception of Tabuk, Ali took part in all the battles and expeditions fought for Islam. As one of Muhammad’s lieutenants, and later his son-in-law, Ali was a person of authority and standing in the Muslim community.
Ali first distinguished himself as a warrior in 624 CE, 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[5] and Al Maghazi put the number at 22.[6]
Zulfiqar, a fictional representation of the sword of Ali.Ali was also prominent at the Battle of Uhud, as well as many other battles where he wielded a bifurcated sword known as Zulfiqar.[7] He was the standard bearer in every battle that he partook in. He also led parties of warriors on raids into enemy lands, and was an ambassador. At the beginning Ali killed Talhah Ibn Abu Talhah and then his brother Abu Saad ibn Abu Talhah, the bearers of the banner of the pagans.[8] Ali ibn al-Athir, Abu Rafi, and Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari reported that Ali, alone, destroyed all the standard bearers.[9], The death of the bearers of the banner heightened the morale of the Muslims and shook the hearts of the pagans and when the army of Islam was defeated and most of the Muslims had fled Ali was one of the few Muslims who defended Muhammad. According to Ibn Atheer, "The Prophet became the object of the attack of various units of the army of Quraish from all sides. Ali attacked, in compliance with the Prophet's orders, every unit that made an attack upon him (the Prophet) and dispersed them or killed some of them, and this thing took place a number of times in Uhud"[10] 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)."[11]
Ghadir Khumm
Main articles: Hadith of the pond of Khumm and Hadith of the two weighty things Calligraphy of Ali at Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, TurkeyThere is another quote from Muhammad about the rightness of Ali ibn Abi Talib to succeed him which is:
"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 members of my household I remind you (of your duties) to the members of my family.[12]."
This quote is confirmed by both Shi’a and Sunni everywhere, but Sunni and Shi’ah take different meanings of the quote.
The death of Muhammad
In 632 CE, Muhammad had been ailing for some time but seemed to have recovered. He left his house to take part in prayers at the mosque, then returned to his quarters and died.
While Ali 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, the succession was given to Abu Bakr by vote. 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.[13]
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 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 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. 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.[14]
Inheritance
Shi'a Muslims believe that Ali and Fatima, as well as the wives of Muhammad had an additional cause for disaffection with Abu Bakr.[15] 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). According to Shi'ah Muslims, Abu Bakr gave state pensions to Muhammad's widows, but Muhammad's blood relatives, Ali, Fatima and `Abd Allah ibn `Abbas, did not receive even that much.
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 al-Abbas 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.[16]
Caliphate
After the assassination of the third Caliph, Uthman ibn Affan, the Companions of Muhammad in Medina selected Ali to be the new Caliph. Soon thereafter, Ali dismissed several provincial governors, some of whom were relatives of Uthman, and replaced them with trusted aides such as Malik al-Ashtar and Salman the Persian. Ali then transferred his capital from Medina to Kufa, the Muslim garrison city in what is now Iraq. The capital of the province of Syria, Damascus, was held by Mu'awiyah, the governor of Syria and a kinsman of Uthman, Ali's slain predecessor.[17]
Click here to read more http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali
March 17, 599 - February 28, 661[1] was an early Islamic leader, the fourth and last Sunni caliph, and the first Shi'a Imam. Although he had limited political influence during his lifetime, he had vast influence on the developments of events during the time of the early Muslims as a military leader, close companion, cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad. Later, his stature as a foremost authority on the Qur'an, Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and religious thought continues to influence Islamic history. He is among the most influential people in the history of Islam after Muhammad himself, being considered second only to Muhammad in divine guidance by Shi'a Muslims. He is revered by the Sunni Muslims as one of the Four Rightly Guided Caliphs and as a foremost authority in Tafsir (Quranic exegesis) and Islamic jurisprudence.
Main article:
Birthplace of Ali ibn Abi Talib
He was born in the Kaaba, in Mecca. His mother entered the Kaaba through an opening in its southern wall, Rukne Yamani which is clearly visible as a crack or gash to this day. His father was Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib and his mother was Fatima binte Asad. Until this day, Ali is the only person to have been born inside the Kaaba, Islam's holiest and most sacred site.
Early life
Ali's father, Abu Talib ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, was a Sheikh of Banu Hashim, an important branch of the powerful tribe of the Banu Quraish, and an uncle to the young Muhammad. 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. Later Muhammad set out and married Khadijah bint Khuwaylid. Ali was born three years later.[2] When Ali was six years old, as a result of famine in and around Mecca, Muhammad requested to become his guardian.[3]
When Muhammad reported that he had received a divine revelation, Ali, then only about ten years old, believed him and professed Islam. Ali was one of the first males to enter Islam, if not the first Arab male. Ali stood firmly in support of Muhammad during the years of persecution of Muslims in Mecca. In 622 CE, the year of Muhammad's 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 flee in safety.
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.[4]
The neutrality and factual accuracy of this section are disputed.Please see the relevant discussion on the talk page.
Shi'a Muslims, a sect of Islam, believe that Ali ibn Abi Talib, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, was the rightful successor to Muhammad, and the ancestor of the Shi'a imams, whom the Shi'a believe to be the divinely ordained spiritual leaders of humankind.
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 Meccan traditional religion, which Muslims regard as polytheism or paganism. Hence the Shi'a say of Ali that his face is honored -- that is, it was never sullied by prostrations before idols.
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 Tabari) mention such a claim.
Ali in Medina
The small community of Muslim immigrants in Medina, the Muhajirun, were at first extremely poor. They had no land, no houses, and lived on the charity of the Ansar (Madinans who had converted to Islam). Ali shared in all the labor and hardships of the community.
For the ten years that Muhammad led the community in Medina, Ali was extremely active in his service, serving in his armies, leading parties of warriors on raids, and carrying messages and orders. With the exception of Tabuk, Ali took part in all the battles and expeditions fought for Islam. As one of Muhammad’s lieutenants, and later his son-in-law, Ali was a person of authority and standing in the Muslim community.
Ali first distinguished himself as a warrior in 624 CE, 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[5] and Al Maghazi put the number at 22.[6]
Zulfiqar, a fictional representation of the sword of Ali.Ali was also prominent at the Battle of Uhud, as well as many other battles where he wielded a bifurcated sword known as Zulfiqar.[7] He was the standard bearer in every battle that he partook in. He also led parties of warriors on raids into enemy lands, and was an ambassador. At the beginning Ali killed Talhah Ibn Abu Talhah and then his brother Abu Saad ibn Abu Talhah, the bearers of the banner of the pagans.[8] Ali ibn al-Athir, Abu Rafi, and Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari reported that Ali, alone, destroyed all the standard bearers.[9], The death of the bearers of the banner heightened the morale of the Muslims and shook the hearts of the pagans and when the army of Islam was defeated and most of the Muslims had fled Ali was one of the few Muslims who defended Muhammad. According to Ibn Atheer, "The Prophet became the object of the attack of various units of the army of Quraish from all sides. Ali attacked, in compliance with the Prophet's orders, every unit that made an attack upon him (the Prophet) and dispersed them or killed some of them, and this thing took place a number of times in Uhud"[10] 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)."[11]
Ghadir Khumm
Main articles: Hadith of the pond of Khumm and Hadith of the two weighty things Calligraphy of Ali at Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, TurkeyThere is another quote from Muhammad about the rightness of Ali ibn Abi Talib to succeed him which is:
"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 members of my household I remind you (of your duties) to the members of my family.[12]."
This quote is confirmed by both Shi’a and Sunni everywhere, but Sunni and Shi’ah take different meanings of the quote.
The death of Muhammad
In 632 CE, Muhammad had been ailing for some time but seemed to have recovered. He left his house to take part in prayers at the mosque, then returned to his quarters and died.
While Ali 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, the succession was given to Abu Bakr by vote. 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.[13]
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 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 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. 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.[14]
Inheritance
Shi'a Muslims believe that Ali and Fatima, as well as the wives of Muhammad had an additional cause for disaffection with Abu Bakr.[15] 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). According to Shi'ah Muslims, Abu Bakr gave state pensions to Muhammad's widows, but Muhammad's blood relatives, Ali, Fatima and `Abd Allah ibn `Abbas, did not receive even that much.
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 al-Abbas 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.[16]
Caliphate
After the assassination of the third Caliph, Uthman ibn Affan, the Companions of Muhammad in Medina selected Ali to be the new Caliph. Soon thereafter, Ali dismissed several provincial governors, some of whom were relatives of Uthman, and replaced them with trusted aides such as Malik al-Ashtar and Salman the Persian. Ali then transferred his capital from Medina to Kufa, the Muslim garrison city in what is now Iraq. The capital of the province of Syria, Damascus, was held by Mu'awiyah, the governor of Syria and a kinsman of Uthman, Ali's slain predecessor.[17]
Click here to read more http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali
