"You [Ali] are my brother in this world and the next." (Hadeeth)
Ali's Election
After Uthman's martyrdom, the office of the caliphate remained
unfilled for two or three days. Many people insisted that Ali should
take up the office, but hewas embarrassed by the fact that the people
who pressed him hardest were the rebels, and he therefore declined at
first. When the notable Companions of the Prophet (peace be on him)
urged him, however, he finally agreed.
Ali's Life
Ali bin Abi Talib was the first cousin of the Prophet (peace be on
him). More than that, he had grown up in the Prophet's own household,
later married his youngest daughter, Fatima, and remained in closest
association with him for nearly thirty years.
Ali was ten years old when the Divine Message came to Muhammad (peace
be on him). One night he saw the Prophet and his wife Khadijah bowing
and prostrating. He asked the Prophet about the meaning of their
actions. The Prophet told him that they were praying to God Most High
and that Ali too should accept Islam. Ali said thathe would first like
to ask his father about it. He spent a sleepless night, and in the
morning he went to the Prophetand said, "When God created meHe did not
consult my father, so why should I consult my father in order to serve
God?" and he accepted the truth of Muhammad's message.
When the Divine command came, "And warn thy nearest relatives"
[26:214], Muhammad (peace be on him) invited his relatives for a meal.
After it was finished, he addressed them andasked, "Who will join me
in the cause of God?" There was utter silence for a while, and then
Ali stood up. "I am the youngest of all present here," he said, "My
eyes trouble me because they are sore and my legs are thin and weak,
but I shall join you and help you in whatever way I can." The assembly
broke up in derisive laughter. But during thedifficult wars in Mecca,
Ali stood by these words and faced all the hardships to which the
Muslims were subjected. He slept in the bed of the Prophet when the
Quraish planned to murder Muhammad. It was he to whom the Prophet
entrusted, when he left Mecca, the valuables which had been given to
him for safekeeping, to be returned to their owners.
Apart from the expedition of Tabuk, Ali fought in all the early
battles of Islam with great distinction, particularly in the
expedition of Khaybar. It is said that in the Battle of Uhud he
received more than sixteen wounds.
The Prophet (peace be on him) loved Ali dearly and called him by many
fond names. Once the Prophet found him sleeping in the dust. He
brushed off Ali's clothes and said fondly, "Wake up, Abu Turab (Father
of Dust)." The Prophet also gave him the title of 'Asadullah' ('Lion
of God').
Ali's humility, austerity, piety, deep knowledge of the Qur'an and his
sagacity gave him great distinction among the Prophet's Companions.
Abu Bakr, 'Umar and Uthman consulted him frequently during their
caliphates. Many times 'Umar had made him his vice-regent at Medina
when he was away. Ali was also a great scholar of Arabic literature
and pioneered in the field of grammar and rhetoric. His speeches,
sermons and letters served for generations afterward as models of
literary expression. Many of his wise and epigrammatic sayings have
beenpreserved. Ali thus had a rich and versatile personality. In spite
of these attainments he remained a modest and humble man. Once during
his caliphate when he was going about the marketplace, a man stood up
in respect and followed him. "Do not do it," said Ali. "Such manners
are a temptation for a ruler and a disgrace for the ruled."
Ali and his household lived extremely simple and austere lives.
Sometimes they even wenthungry themselves because of Ali's great
generosity, and none who asked for help was ever turned away from his
door. His plain, austere style of living did not change even when he
was ruler over a vast domain.
Ali's Caliphate
As mentioned previously, Ali accepted the caliphate very reluctantly.
Uthman's murder and the events surrounding it were a symptom, and also
became a cause, of civil strife on a large scale. Ali felt that the
tragic situation was mainly due to inept governors. He therefore
dismissed all the governors whohad been appointed by Uthman and
appointed new ones. All the governors excepting Muawiya, the governor
of Syria, submitted to his orders. Muawiya declined to obey until
Uthman's blood was avenged. The Prophet's widow Aisha also took the
position that Ali should first bring the murderers to trial. Dueto the
chaotic conditions during the last days of Uthman it was very
difficult to establish the identity of the murderers, and Ali refused
to punish anyone whose guilt was not lawfully proved. Thus a battle
between the army of Ali and the supporters of Aisha took place. Aisha
later realized her error of judgment and never forgave herself for it.
The situation in Hijaz (thc part ofArabia in which Mecca and Medina
are located) became so troubled that Ali moved his capital to Iraq.
Muawiya now openly rebelled against Ali and a fierce battle was fought
between their armies. This battle was inconclusive, and Ali had to
accept the de facto government of Muawiya in Syria.
However, even though the era ofAli's caliphate was marred by civil
strife, he nevertheless introduced a number of reforms,particularly in
the levying and collecting of revenues.
It was the fortieth year of Hijra. A fanatical group called
Kharijites, consisting of people who had broken away from Ali due to
his compromise with Muawiya, claimed that neither Ali, the Caliph, nor
Muawiya, the ruler of Syria, nor Amr bin al-Aas,the ruler of Egypt,
were worthy of rule. In fact, they went so far as to say that the true
caliphate came to an end with 'Umar and that Muslims should live
withoutany ruler over them except God. They vowed to kill all three
rulers, and assassins were dispatched in three directions.
The assassins who were deputed to kill Muawiya and Amrdid not succeed
and were captured and executed, but Ibn-e-Muljim, the assassin who was
commissioned to kill Ali, accomplished his task. One morning when Ali
was absorbedin prayer in a mosque, Ibn-e-Muljim stabbed him with a
poisoned sword. On the 20th of Ramadan, 40 A.H., died the last of the
Rightly Guided Caliphs of Islam. May God Most High be pleased with
them and grant to them His eternal reward.
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