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ALI IBN ABI TALIB

, or simply , (l. 601-661 CE) was among the first Muslims, a cousin and son-in- of the Islamic (l. 570-632 CE), and later reigned as the fourth Caliph of from 656 CE to 661 CE, when he was murdered. Much of his tenure was spent bringing the to order during the first civil of the Islamic Empire or the (656-661 CE). A faction of the Islamic community, known as the Shia Muslims, consider him as the sole legitimate heir of 's temporal position, and the first in a long series of their spiritual leaders or imams. Sunni Muslims, another faction within the community, hold him with special reverence but also consider his three predecessors, (r. 632-634 CE), (r. 634-644 CE) and (r. 644-656 CE) as equally rightful leaders of the early community and collectively term the four as the (632-661 CE).

Early Life & ConversionAli was born in Mecca, by some accounts inside the holy sanctuary of Ka'aba, in 601 CE. He was the son of the leader of the Hashim clan, Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib (l. c. 535-619 CE), the uncle of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. His father had raised the Prophet, who had been orphaned at an early age as if he were his son and a similar relation developed between the Prophet and Ali. From an early age, Ali formed a strong bond with Muhammad, who took him in his household. In 610 CE, when Muhammad declared his prophethood, Ali was among the first people to accept the new faith (the identity of the first male convert is a matter of debate but Ali is among the candidates), and he remained loyal to him even in the direst of situations.

Ali's father died in 619 CE, leaving only Muhammad as a patriarchal figure in his life, who had been widowed the same year, known as the "year of sorrow" in the Islamic tradition. Met with violent oppression at the hands of the Meccans, the Muslims migrated to Medina in 622 CE (known as the Hegira); the Prophet himself departed later on with a close friend of his, Abu Bakr. On the eve of Muhammad's departure from Mecca, to seek asylum in Medina (where he was destined to become a king), Ali stayed behind to return people the possessions they had entrusted upon the Prophet for safekeeping.

Ali became deeply entwined in the Islamic movement in Medina, where he served as a deputy and envoy for the Prophet and became one of his most trusted subordinates. Ali was much celebrated for his proverbial wisdom, so much as to be famous by the name of the Bab ul-Ilm (gate to knowledge). Learning from the Prophet, he became one of the focal persons for addressing theological queries.His feats in , however, are responsible for bringing the most fame to him; his valiance and undeterred courage earned him the nickname of Asad Allah – the Lion of God. Ali participated in almost every major battle of early Islamic history as the standard-bearer of his army. On the eve of the Battle of Badr (624 CE), the first battle against the Meccans, he is said to have slain multiple opponents single-handedly. A year later at the Battle of Uhud (625 CE), where the Muslims suffered a stinging defeat, Ali stood by the side of the Prophet who was hurt and vulnerable, risking his own life while acting as his mentor's sentinel. These are but a handful of narratives that appraise his courage, devotion to Islam, and skill in battle.