Coordinates	37°46′45.48″N122°25′9.12″N
Caption	Hatcher at the World of Color Premiere
Birth name	Teri Lynn Hatcher
Birth date	December 08, 1964
Birth place
Occupation	Actress, presenter, writer
Years active	1985–present
Spouse	Marcus Leithold (1988–1989)Jon Tenney (1994–2003)

Teri Lynn Hatcher (born , 1964) is an American actress. She is known for her television roles as Susan Mayer on the ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives, and Lois Lane on the ABC comedy-drama series . In 2005 her Desperate Housewives work won her the Golden Globe Award for and the Screen Actor's Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actress in a Comedy Series.

Early life

Hatcher was born in Palo Alto, California, the daughter of Esther (née Beshur), a computer programmer who worked for Lockheed Martin, and Owen W. Hatcher, a nuclear physicist and electrical engineer. Hatcher's father is of Welsh and Choctaw Native American descent, and her mother is of half Syrian and half French/German descent. In 2002, she assisted Santa Clara County prosecutors with their indictment of Stone for a more recent molestation that led his female victim to commit suicide at the age of 14. In an interview appearing in Vanity Fair, Hatcher said she told the prosecutors about her own abuse because she was haunted by thoughts of the 14-year-old girl who shot herself, and feared Stone might escape conviction. Stone died of colon cancer on August 19, 2008, having served six years of his sentence.

Career

Hatcher studied acting at the American Conservatory Theater. One of her early jobs (in 1984) was as an NFL cheerleader with the San Francisco 49ers. From 1986 to 1989, she appeared in the recurring role of "Penny Parker" opposite Richard Dean Anderson's eponymous hero on the TV series MacGyver. In 1988, she made a guest appearance in as Lt. Robinson. In 1989, she guest starred in an episode of Quantum Leap titled "Star Crossed". co-star Dean Cain rehearsing for the 45th Emmy Awards on 19 September 1993]] Hatcher landed a starring role of Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (opposite Dean Cain) in from 1993 to 1997.

In "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," the cast was worried that she would be taller than Superman in heels as she was 5'8" and Dean Cain was 6". Hatcher beat out Monica Bellucci for the role of Paris Carver in the 1997 James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies. Hatcher was three months pregnant at the filming's start, by her then husband, Jon Tenney. An ABC publicist said the pregnancy did not affect the production schedule. Hatcher later regretted playing Paris Carver, saying, "It's such an artificial kind of character to be playing that you don't get any special satisfaction from it." She was voted the world's sexiest woman by readers of popular men's magazine FHM in the same year. Hatcher also appeared in films such as Spy Kids (2001), Dead in the Water (1991), 2 Days in the Valley (1996) and The Cool Surface (1994). She co-starred with Alec Baldwin in Heaven's Prisoners (1996), which failed at the box office. ABC cancelled Lois & Clark in 1997.

Hatcher made a much-discussed guest appearance on a 1993 episode of Seinfeld, in which her character, Sidra, breaks up with Jerry because she believes that Jerry was trying to have Elaine surreptitiously determine whether Sidra had breast implants. ("They're real... and they're spectacular.") She also appeared in several additional episodes over the next few years.

Hatcher appeared in a series of Radio Shack television commercials alongside NFL player Howie Long. They remain close friends and together have bought farm land on the outskirts of Los Angeles, with the intent of eventually raising endangered species.

Hatcher hosted NBC's Saturday Night Live in 1996. She beat out four other actresses for one of the lead roles on ABC's Desperate Housewives, on which she stars as Susan Mayer, a role for which she won the Golden Globe Award in January 2005.

As of April 2006 Hatcher is one of the highest paid television actresses in the United States. She reportedly earns $285,000 per episode of Desperate Housewives. In May 2006, she released her first book, Burnt Toast: And Other Philosophies of Life. The episode continued a tradition of former Lois Lane actresses portraying the character's mother many years later. Noel Neill appeared as Lois' mother in the 1978 film , and Phyllis Coates made a similar appearance on Lois & Clark.

A report in November 2010, suggested that Hatcher, along with co-star Felicity Huffman, would be quitting Desperate Housewives, but ABC denied the claim. Hatcher later addressed the rumors of her departure from Desperate Housewives saying, "There are not enough adjectives to describe how stupid, off base, and ridiculously untrue this is."

Personal life

Hatcher married Marcus Leithold on 4 June 1988; they divorced the following year. On 27 May 1994, she married actor Jon Tenney; they had a daughter, Emerson Rose, on 10 November 1997, and divorced in March 2003. Hatcher dated Stephen Kay, who played Reginald, the Quartermaines' butler, on General Hospital.

In June 2007, Hatcher appeared on UK chat show The Paul O'Grady Show, where she revealed she writes a column in Glamour.

In February 2008, Hydroderm sued Hatcher for breach of contract, claiming she had promoted the beauty products of other companies. She insisted her promotion of CityLips' lip plumper did not affect the Hydroderm deal. Her attorney Alan Wertheimer called the lawsuit an "unjustified and public assault" on her "good name, reputation and celebrity." Her lawyer persuaded a judge in Los Angeles to move the case to arbitration.

On 13 September 2009, she finished the Malibu Triathlon ( ocean swim, out-and-back bike course, and out-and-back run course) in 2h 6mn 50.7s. She returned to the event in 2010 to complete only the swim portion. Hatcher had been unable to train for the entire event, but completed the swim as a fundraiser.

Hatcher took to the social networking site Facebook on August 11, 2010 to prove that she had not had Botox work done to her face. She was make-up free and sopping wet in the pictures. However, just a few days later, she told Entertainment Tonight that she had Botox done in the past and only took the pictures to prove that she was "normal" looking. She also said she would consider getting Botox again.

Filmography

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+List of acting credits in film and television |- ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |- ! scope="row"| | align="center"| 1985–1986 | Amy, Love Boat Mermaid | TV series |- ! scope="row"| MacGyver | align="center"| 1986–1991 | Penny Parker | TV series, seven episodes |- ! scope="row"| Capitol | align="center"| 1986–1987 | Angelica Stimac Clegg | TV series |- ! scope="row"| Karen's Song | align="center"| 1987 | Laura Matthews | TV series |- ! scope="row"| Night Court | align="center"| 1987 | Kitty | TV series, episode: "Who Was That Mashed Man?" |- ! scope="row"| CBS Summer Playhouse | align="center"| 1988 | Lauri Stevens | TV series, episode: "Baby on Board" |- ! scope="row"| | align="center"| 1988 | Lt. Bronwyn Gail Robinson | TV series, episode: "The Outrageous Okona" |- ! scope="row"| | align="center"| 1989 | Gretchen | |- ! scope="row"| L.A. Law | align="center"| 1989 | Tracy Shoe | TV series, episode: "I'm in the Nude for Love" |- ! scope="row"| Quantum Leap | align="center"| 1989 | Donna Eleese | TV series, episode: "Star-Crossed" |- ! scope="row"| Tango & Cash | align="center"| 1989 | Katherine 'Kiki' Tango | |- ! scope="row"| Murphy Brown | align="center"| 1990 | Madeline Stillwell | TV series, episode: "Fax or Fiction" |- ! scope="row"| Tales from the Crypt | align="center"| 1990 | Stacy | TV series, episode: "The Thing from the Grave" |- ! scope="row"| | align="center"| 1991 | Teresa Gennaro | TV movie |- ! scope="row"| Soapdish | align="center"| 1991 | Ariel Maloney | |- ! scope="row"| Sunday Dinner | align="center"| 1991 | TT Fagori | TV series |- ! scope="row"| Dead in the Water | align="center"| 1991 | Laura Stewart | TV movie |- ! scope="row"| | align="center"| 1991 | Marissa | TV series, episode "Eclipse" |- ! scope="row"| Straight Talk | align="center"| 1992 | Janice | |- ! scope="row"| Brain Smasher... A Love Story | align="center"| 1993 | Samantha Crain | straight-to-video |- ! scope="row"| | align="center"| 1993–1997 | Lois Lane | TV series, 87 episodes |- ! scope="row"| Seinfeld | align="center"| 1993 | Sidra Holland | TV series, episodes: "The Implant" and "The Pilot" |- ! scope="row"| | align="center"| 1994 | Dani Payson | |- ! scope="row"| All Tied Up | align="center"| 1994 | Linda Alissio | |- ! scope="row"| Dead Girl | align="center"| 1996 | Passer-by | |- ! scope="row"| Heaven's Prisoners | align="center"| 1996 | Claudette Rocque | |- ! scope="row"| 2 Days in the Valley | align="center"| 1996 | Becky Foxx | |- ! scope="row"| Tomorrow Never Dies | align="center"| 1997 | Paris Carver | |- ! scope="row"| Since You've Been Gone | align="center"| 1998 | Maria Goldstein | TV movie |- ! scope="row"| Frasier | align="center"| 1998 | Marie | TV series, episode "First Do No Harm" |- ! scope="row"| Seinfeld | align="center"| 1998 | Sidra Holland | TV series, episode: "The Finale:Part 2" |- ! scope="row"| Fever | align="center"| 1999 | Charlotte Parker | |- ! scope="row"| Running Mates | align="center"| 2000 | Shawna Morgan | TV movie |- ! scope="row"| Say Uncle | align="center"| 2001 | | TV movie |- ! scope="row"| Spy Kids | align="center"| 2001 | Ms. Gradenko | |- ! scope="row"| Jane Doe | align="center"| 2001 | Jane Doe | TV movie |- ! scope="row"| | align="center"| 2003 | Megan Marguilas | |- ! scope="row"| Momentum | align="center"| 2003 | Jordan Ripps | TV movie |- ! scope="row"| Desperate Housewives | align="center"| 2004–present | Susan Mayer | TV series |- ! scope="row"| Two and a Half Men | align="center"| 2004 | Liz | TV series, episode "I Remember the Coatroom, I Just Don't Remember You." |- ! scope="row"| Resurrecting the Champ | align="center"| 2007 |Andrea Flak | |- ! scope="row"| Coraline | align="center"| 2009 | Coraline's Mother/The Other Mother | voice only |- ! scope="row"| Smallville | align="center"| 2010 | Ella Lane | TV episode: "Abandoned" |}

Awards and nominations

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+List of acting awards and nominations |- ! Award ! Year ! Category ! Result ! For |- ! scope="row"| Golden Apple Award | align="center"| 1996 | Female Discovery of the Year | Won | |- ! scope="row"| Saturn Award | align="center"| 1998 | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | Tomorrow Never Dies |- ! scope="row"| Satellite Award | align="center"| 2004 | Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy | Nominated | Desperate Housewives |- ! scope="row"| Screen Actors Guild Award | align="center"| 2004 | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series | Won | Desperate Housewives (shared with cast) |- ! scope="row"| Screen Actors Guild Award | align="center"| 2004 | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Won | Desperate Housewives (shared with cast) |- ! scope="row"| Emmy Award | align="center"| 2005 | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | Desperate Housewives |- ! scope="row"| Golden Globe Award | align="center"| 2005 | Best Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy | Won | Desperate Housewives |- ! scope="row"| Screen Actors Guild Award | align="center"| 2005 | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Won | Desperate Housewives (shared with cast) |- ! scope="row"| TCA Award | align="center"| 2005 | Individual Achievement in Comedy | Nominated | Desperate Housewives |- ! scope="row"| Golden Globe Award | align="center"| 2006 | Best Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy | Nominated | Desperate Housewives |- ! scope="row"| People's Choice Award | align="center"| 2006 | Favorite Female Television Star | Nominated | |- ! scope="row"| Screen Actors Guild Award | align="center"| 2006 | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Nominated | Desperate Housewives (shared with cast) |- ! scope="row"| Teen Choice Award | align="center"| 2006 | TV–Choice Actress | Nominated | Desperate Housewives |- ! scope="row"| Screen Actors Guild Award | align="center"| 2007 | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Nominated | Desperate Housewives (shared with cast) |- ! scope="row"| Prism Award | align="center"| 2008 | Performance in a Comedy Series | Nominated | Desperate Housewives |- ! scope="row"| Screen Actors Guild Award | align="center"| 2008 | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Nominated | Desperate Housewives (shared with cast) |- |}

References

External links

Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:Actors from California Category:American film actors Category:American television actors Category:American people of Choctaw descent Category:Best Musical or Comedy Actress Golden Globe (television) winners Category:Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series Screen Actors Guild Award winners Category:Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Screen Actors Guild Award winners Category:De Anza College alumni Category:American people of German descent Category:American people of French descent Category:National Football League cheerleaders Category:People from the San Francisco Bay Area Category:American people of Syrian descent Category:American people of Welsh descent

Coordinates	37°46′45.48″N122°25′9.12″N
Name	Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Office	Minister of Education
Term start	15 August 1947
Term end	1958
Primeminister	Jawahar Lal Nehru
Birth date	November 11, 1888
Birth place	Makkah
Death date	February 22, 1958
Death place	Delhi, India
Signature	Maulanaazad.JPG}}

Maulana Abul Kalam Muhiyuddin Ahmed (}}) was an Indian Muslim scholar and a senior political leader of the Indian independence movement, who lived from 11 November 1888 – 22 February 1958. He was one of the most prominent Muslim leaders to support Hindu-Muslim unity, opposing the partition of India on communal lines. Following India's independence, he became the first Minister of Education in the Indian government. He is also known for having predicted the future military rule and partition of Pakistan before its independence. He was posthumously awarded India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna in 1992. He is commonly remembered as Maulana Azad; he had adopted Azad (Free) as his pen name. His contribution to establishing the education foundation of India is recognised by celebrating his birthday as National Education Day across India.

As a young man, Azad composed poetry in Urdu as well as treatises on religion and philosophy. He rose to prominence through his work as a journalist, publishing works critical of the British Raj and espousing the causes of Indian nationalism. Azad became the leader of the Khilafat Movement during which he came into close contact with Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi. Azad became an enthusiastic supporter of Gandhi's ideas of non-violent civil disobedience, and worked actively to organise the Non-cooperation movement in protest of the 1919 Rowlatt Acts. Azad committed himself to Gandhi's ideals, including promoting Swadeshi (Indigenous) products and the cause of Swaraj (Self-rule) for India. He would become the youngest person to serve as the President of the Indian National Congress in 1923.

Azad was one of the main organisers of the Dharasana Satyagraha in 1931, and emerged as one of the most important national leaders of the time, prominently leading the causes of Hindu-Muslim unity as well as espousing secularism and socialism. He served as Congress President from 1940 to 1945, during which the Quit India rebellion was launched and Azad was imprisoned with the entire Congress leadership for three years. Azad became the most prominent Muslim opponent of the demand for a separate Muslim state of Pakistan and served in the interim national government. Amidst communal turmoil following the partition of India, he worked for religious harmony. As India's Education Minister, Azad oversaw the establishment of a national education system with free primary education and modern institutions of higher education. He is also credited with the establishment of the Indian Institutes of Technology and the foundation of the University Grants Commission, an important institution to supervise and advance the higher education in the nation. Azad mastered several languages, including Pashtu Urdu, Arabic, Hindko, Persian, Bangla and Hindi. He was also trained in the subjects of Hanafi fiqh , shariat , mathematics, philosophy, world history and science by reputed tutors hired by his family. An avid and determined student, the precocious Azad was running a library, a reading room, a debating society before he was twelve, wanted to write on the life of Ghazali at twelve, was contributing learned articles to Makhzan (the best known literary magazine of the day) at fourteen, was teaching a class of students, most of whom were twice his age, when he was merely fifteen and succeeded in completing the traditional course of study at the young age of sixteen, nine years ahead of his contemporaries, and brought out a magazine at the same age. In fact, in the field of journalism, he was publishing a poetical journal (Nairang-e-Aalam) and was already an editor of a weekly (Al-Misbah), in 1900, at the age of twelve and, in 1903, brought out a monthly journal, Lissan-us-Sidq, which soon gained popularity. At the age of thirteen, he was married to a young Muslim girl, Zuleikha Begum.

Revolutionary and journalist

Azad developed political views considered radical for most Muslims of the time and became a full-fledged Indian nationalist.

Azad occupied the time playing bridge and acting as the referee in tennis matches played by his colleagues. In the afternoons, Azad began working on his classic Urdu work, the Ghubhar-i-Khatir. Sharing daily chores, Azad also taught the Persian and Urdu languages, as well as Indian and world history to several of his companions. The leaders would generally avoid talking of politics, unwilling to cause any arguments that could exacerbate the pain of their imprisonment. However, each year on 26 January, the leaders would gather to remember their cause and pray together. Azad, Nehru and Patel would briefly speak about the nation and the future. Azad and Nehru proposed an initiative to forge an agreement with the British in 1943. Arguing that the rebellion had been mis-timed, Azad attempted to convince his colleagues that the Congress should agree to negotiate with the British and call for the suspension of disobedience if the British agreed to transfer power. Although his proposal was overwhelmingly rejected, Azad and a few others agreed that Gandhi and the Congress had not done enough. When they learnt of Gandhi holding talks with Jinnah in Mumbai in 1944, Azad criticised Gandhi's move as counter-productive and ill-advised.

Partition of India

, Jivatram Kripalani and other Congressmen at Wardha.]] With the end of the war, the British agreed to transfer power to Indian hands. All political prisoners were released in 1946 and Azad led the Congress in the elections for the new Constituent Assembly of India, which would draft India's constitution. He headed the delegation to negotiate with the British Cabinet Mission, in his sixth year as Congress President. While attacking Jinnah's demand for Pakistan and the mission's proposal of 16 June 1946 that envisaged the partition of India, Azad became a strong proponent of the mission's earlier proposal of 16 May. The proposal advocated a federation with a weak central government and great autonomy for the provinces. Additionally, the proposal called for the "grouping" of provinces on religious lines, which would informally band together the Muslim-majority provinces. While Gandhi and others were suspicious of this clause, Azad argued that the Jinnah's demand for Pakistan would be buried and the concerns of the Muslim community would be assuaged. Under Azad and Patel's backing, the Working Committee approved the resolution against Gandhi's advice. Jawaharlal Nehru replaced Azad as Congress President and led the Congress into the interim government. Azad was appointed to head the Department of Education. However, Jinnah's Direct Action Day agitation for Pakistan, launched on 16 August sparked communal violence across India. Thousands of people were killed as Azad travelled across Bengal and Bihar to calm the tensions and heal relations between Muslims and Hindus. Despite Azad's call for Hindu-Muslim unity, Jinnah's popularity amongst Muslims soared and the League entered a coalition with the Congress in December, but continued to boycott the constituent assembly.

Azad had grown increasingly hostile to Jinnah, who had described him as the "Muslim Lord Haw-Haw" and a "Congress Showboy." Despite being a learned scholar of Islam and a Maulana, Azad had been assailed by Muslim religious leaders for his commitment to nationalism and secularism , which were deemed un-Islamic. Muslim League politicians accused Azad of allowing Muslims to be culturally and politically dominated by the Hindu community. Azad continued to proclaim his faith in Hindu-Muslim unity:

"I am proud of being an Indian. I am part of the indivisible unity that is Indian nationality. I am indispensable to this noble edifice and without me this splendid structure is incomplete. I am an essential element, which has gone to build India. I can never surrender this claim."

Amidst more incidences of violence in early 1947, the Congress-League coalition struggled to function. The provinces of Bengal and Punjab were to be partitioned on religious lines, and on 3 June 1947 the British announced a proposal to partition India on religious lines, with the princely states free to choose between either dominion. The proposal was hotly debated in the All India Congress Committee, with Muslim leaders Saifuddin Kitchlew and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan expressing fierce opposition. Azad privately discussed the proposal with Gandhi, Patel and Nehru, but despite his opposition was unable to deny the popularity of the League and the unworkability of any coalition with the League. Faced with the serious possibility of a civil war, Azad abstained from voting on the resolution, remaining silent and not speaking throughout the AICC session, which ultimately approved the plan.

Post-Independence

India's partition and independence on 15 August 1947 brought with it a scourge of violence that swept the Punjab, Bengal,Bihar, Delhi and many other parts of India. Millions of Hindus and Sikhs fled the newly created Pakistan for India, and millions of Muslims fled for West Pakistan and East Pakistan, created out of East Bengal. Violence claimed the lives of an estimated one million people. Azad took up responsibility for the safety of Muslims in India, touring affected areas in Bengal, Bihar, Assam and the Punjab, guiding the organisation of refugee camps, supplies and security. Azad gave speeches to large crowds encouraging peace and calm in the border areas and encouraging Muslims across the country to remain in India and not fear for their safety and security. Focusing on bringing the capital of Delhi back to peace, Azad organised security and relief efforts, but was drawn into a dispute with the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel when he demanded the dismissal of Delhi's police commissioner, who was a Sikh accused by Muslims of overlooking attacks and neglecting their safety. Patel argued that the commissioner was not biased, and if his dismissal was forced it would provoke anger amongst Hindus and Sikhs and divide the city police. In Cabinet meetings and discussions with Gandhi, Patel and Azad clashed over security issues in Delhi and Punjab, as well as the allocation of resources for relief and rehabilitation. Patel opposed Azad and Nehru's proposal to reserve the houses vacated by Muslims who had departed for Pakistan for Muslims in India displaced by the violence.

Azad remained a close confidante, supporter and advisor to Prime Minister Nehru, and played an important role in framing national policies. Azad masterminded the creation of national programmes of school and college construction and spreading the enrollment of children and young adults into schools, in order to promote universal primary education. Elected to the lower house of the Indian Parliament, the Lok Sabha in 1952 and again in 1957, Azad supported Nehru's socialist economic and industrial policies, as well as the advancing social rights and economic opportunities for women and underprivileged Indians. In 1956, he served as president of the UNESCO General Conference held in Delhi. Azad spent the final years of his life focusing on writing his book India Wins Freedom, an exhaustive account of India's freedom struggle and its leaders, which was published in 1957.

As India's first Minister of Education, he emphasized on educating the rural poor and girls. As Chairman of the Central Advisory Board of Education, he gave thrust to adult illiteracy, universal primary education, free and compulsory for all children up to the age of 14, girl’s education, and diversification of secondary education and vocational training. Addressing the conference on All India Education on January 16, 1948, Maulana Azad emphasized, Under his leadership, the Ministry of Education established the first Indian Institute of Technology in 1951 and the University Grants Commission in 1953., He also laid emphasis on the development of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and the Faculty of Technology of the Delhi University. He foresaw a great future in the IITs for India: The Ministry also provides the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad National Fellowship, an integrated five year fellowship in the form of financial assistance to students from minority communities to pursue higher studies such as M. Phil and Ph.D.

Numerous institutions across India have also been named in his honor. Some of them are the Maulana Azad Medical College in New Delhi, the Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology in Bhopal, the Maulana Azad National Urdu University in Hyderabad,Maulana Azad Centre for Elementary and Social Education (MACESE Delhi University) and the Maulana Azad College in Kolkata. He is celebrated as the one of the founders and greatest patrons of the Jamia Millia Islamia. Azad's tomb is located next to the Jama Masjid in Delhi. In recent years great concern has been expressed by many in India over the poor maintenance of the tomb.

Jawaharlal Nehru referred to him as Mir-i- Karawan (the caravan leader), "a very brave and gallant gentleman, a finished product of the culture that, in these days, pertains to few".

Notes

External links

motherchod

Category:1888 births Category:1958 deaths Category:First Indian Cabinet Category:People from Kolkata Category:Indian independence activists Category:Indian writers Category:Islamic studies scholars Category:Indian politicians Category:Indian people of Afghan descent Category:Indian people of Arab descent Category:Presidents of the Indian National Congress Category:Recipients of the Bharat Ratna Category:Indian Muslims Category:1st Lok Sabha members Category:Members of Constituent Assembly of India Category:2nd Lok Sabha members

Coordinates	37°46′45.48″N122°25′9.12″N
Name
Title	Commander of the Faithful
Caption	Artistic depiction of Ali
Reign	656-661
Spouse 1	Fatimah or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661) was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661. Sunni Muslims consider Ali the fourth and final of the Rashidun (rightly guided Caliphs), while Shi'a Muslims regard Ali as the first Imam and consider him and his descendants the rightful successors to Muhammad, all of which are members of the Ahl al-Bayt, the household of Muhammad. This disagreement split the Ummah (Muslim community) into the Sunni and Shi'a branches.

This quote is confirmed by both Shi’a and Sunni, but they interpret the quote differently.

Some Sunni and all Shi'a sources report that then he called Ali ibn Abi Talib to his sides, took his hand and raised it up declaring

The Shia's regard these statements as constituting the investiture of Ali as the successor of Muhammad and as the first Imam; by contrast, the Sunnis take them only as an expression of Muhammad's closeness to Ali and of his wish that Ali, as his cousin and son-in-law, inherit his family responsibilities upon his death. Many Sufis also interpret the episode as the transfer of Muhammad's spiritual power and authority to Ali, whom they regard as the wali par excellence.

On the basis of this hadith, Ali later insisted on his religious authority superior to that of Abu Bakr and Umar.

Succession to Muhammad

After uniting the Arabian tribes into a single Muslim religious polity in the last years of his life, Muhammad's death in 632 signalled disagreement over who would succeed him as leader of the Muslim community. 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, a close companion of Muhammad named Abu Bakr was nominated for the leadership of the community. Others added their support and Abu Bakr was made the first caliph. The choice of Abu Bakr disputed by some of the Muhammad's companions, who held that Ali had been designated his successor by Muhammad himself. in Ottoman calligraphy. Depicts the phrase 'Ali is the vicegerent of God' in both directions.]]

Later When Fatimah and Ali sought aid from the Companions in the matter of his right to the caliphate, they answered, O daughter of the Messenger of God! We have given our allegiance to Abu Bakr. If Ali had come to us before this, we would certainly not have abandoned him. Ali said, 'Was it fitting that we should wrangle over the caliphate even before the Prophet was buried?'

Following his election to the caliphate, Abu Bakr and Umar with a few other companions headed to Fatimah's house to force Ali and his supporters who had gathered there give their allegiance to Abu Bakr. Then, it is alleged that Umar threatened to set the house on fire unless they came out and swore allegiance with Abu Bakr. Fatimah, in support of her husband, started a commotion and threatened to "uncover her hair", at which Abu Bakr relented and withdrew.

Ali himself was firmly convinced of his legitimacy for caliphate based on his close kinship with Muhammad, his intimate association and his knowledge of Islam and his merits in serving its cause. He told Abu Bakr that his delay in pledging allegiance (bay'ah) as caliph was based on his belief of his own prior title. Ali did not change his mind when he finally pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr and then to Umar and to Uthman but had done so for the sake of the unity of Islam, at a time when it was clear that the Muslims had turned away from him. Ali also believed that he could fulfill his role of Imam'ate without this fighting .

According to Shi'a historical reports, Ali maintained his right to the caliphate and said:

Inheritance

After Muhammad died his daughter, Fatimah, asked Abu Bakr to turn over their property, the lands of Fadak and Khaybar but he refused and told her that prophets did not have any legacy and Fadak belonged to the Muslim community. Abu Bakr said to her, "Allah's Apostle said, we do not have heirs, whatever we leave is Sadaqa." Ali together with Umm Ayman testified to the fact that Muhammad granted it to Fatimah Zahra, when Abu Bakr requested Fatima to summon witnesses for her claim. Fatimah became angry and stopped speaking to Abu Bakr, and continued assuming that attitude until she died.

After Fatima's death Ali again claimed her inheritance during Umar's era, but was denied with the same argument. Umar, the caliph who was famous as Umar Sanni (second Umar), did restore the estates in Medina to sons of ‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, as representatives of Muhammad's clan, the Banu Hashim. The properties in Khaybar and Fadak were retained as state property.

Life after Muhammad

Another part of Ali's life started in 632 after death of Muhammad and lasted until assassination of Uthman Ibn Affan, the third caliph in 656. During these years, Ali neither took part in any battle or conquest.

Ali compiled a complete version of the Qur'an, mus'haf. six months after the death of Muhammad. The volume was completed and carried by camel to show to other people of Medina. The order of this mus'haf differed from that which was gathered later during the Uthmanic era. This book was rejected by several people when he showed it to them. Despite this, Ali made no resistance against standardized mus'haf.

Ali and the Rashidun Caliphs

Ali did not give his oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr until some time after the death of his wife, Fatimah.

He pledged allegiance to the second caliph Umar ibn Khattab and helped him as a trusted advisor. Caliph Umar particularly relied upon Ali as the Chief Judge of Medina. He also advised Umar to set Hijra as the beginning of the Islamic calendar. Umar used Ali's suggestions in political issues as well as religious ones.

Ali was one of the electoral council to choose the third caliph which was appointed by Umar. Although Ali was one of the two major candidates, but the council's arrangement was against him. Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas and Abdur Rahman bin Awf who were cousins, were naturally inclined to support Uthman, who was Abdur Rahman's brother-in-law. In addition, Umar gave the casting vote to Abdur Rahman. Abdur Rahman offered the caliphate to Ali on the condition that he should rule in accordance with the Quran, the example set by Muhammad, and the precedents established by the first two caliphs. Ali rejected the third condition while Uthman accepted it. According to Ibn Abi al-Hadid's Comments on the Peak of Eloquence Ali insisted on his prominence there, but most of the electors supported Uthman and Ali was reluctantly urged to accept him

Siege of Uthman

Uthman Ibn Affan, expressed generosity toward his kin, Banu Abd-Shams, who seemed to dominate him and his supposed arrogant mistreatment toward several of the earliest companions such as Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, Abd-Allah ibn Mas'ud and Ammar ibn Yasir provoked outrage among some groups of people. Dissatisfaction and resistance openly arose since 650-651 throughout most of the empire. The dissatisfaction with his rule and the governments appointed by him was not restricted to the provinces outside Arabia. When Uthman's kin, especially Marwan, gained control over him, the noble companions including most of the members of elector council, turned against him or at least withdrew their support putting pressure on the caliph to mend his ways and reduce the influence of his assertive kin.

At this time, Ali had acted as a restraining influence on Uthman without directly opposing him. On several occasions Ali disagreed with Uthman in the application of the Hudud; he had publicly shown sympathy for Abu Dharr al-Ghifari and had spoken strongly in the defense of Ammar ibn Yasir. He conveyed to Uthman the criticisms of other Companions and acted on Uthman's behalf as negotiator with the provincial opposition who had come to Medina; because of this some mistrust between Ali and Uthman's family seems to have arisen. Finally he tried to mitigate the severity of the siege by his insistence that Uthman should be allowed water. Therefore, some historians consider Ali one the leading members of Uthman's opposition, if not the main one.But Wilferd Madelung rejects their judgment due to the fact that Ali did not have the Quraysh's support to be elected as a caliph. According to him, there is even no evidence that Ali had close relations with rebels who supported his caliphate or directed their actions. Some other sources say Ali had acted as a restraining influence on Uthman without directly opposing him.

Caliphate

under four caliphs. The divided phase relates to Ali caliphate. ]]

Election as Caliph

Ali was caliph between 656 and 661, during one of the more turbulent periods in Muslim history, which also coincided with the First Fitna.

Uthman's assassination meant that rebels had to select a new caliph. This met with difficulties since the rebels were divided into several groups comprising the Muhajirun, Ansar, Egyptians, Kufans and Basntes. There were three candidates: Ali, Talhah and al-Zubayr. First the rebels approached Ali, requesting him to accept being the caliph. Some of Muhammad's companions tried to persuade Ali in accepting the office, but he turned down the offer, suggesting to be a counselor instead of a chief.

Talhah, Zubayr and other companions also refused the rebels' offer of the caliphate. Therefore, the rebels warned the inhabitants of Medina to select a caliph within one day, or they would apply drastic action. In order to resolve the deadlock, the Muslims gathered in the Mosque of the Prophet on June 18, 656 to appoint the caliph. Initially Ali refused to accept simply because his most vigorous supporters were rebels. However, when some notable companions of Muhammad, in addition to the residents of Medina urged him to accept the offer, he finally agreed. According to Abu Mekhnaf's narration, Talhah was the first prominent companion who gave his pledge to Ali, but other narrations claimed otherwise, stating they were forced to give their pledge. Also, Talhah and Zubayr later claimed they supported him reluctantly. Regardless, Ali refuted these claims, insisting they recognized him as caliph voluntarily. Wilferd Madelung believes that force did not urge people to give their pledge and they pledged publicly in the mosque.

While the overwhelming majority of Madina's population as well as many of the rebels gave their pledge, some important figures or tribes did not do so. The Umayyads, kinsmen of Uthman, fled to the Levant or remained in their houses, later refusing Ali's legitimacy. Sa'ad ibn Abi Waqqas was absent and Abdullah ibn Umar abstained from offering his allegiance, but both of them assured Ali that they would not act against him. Muawiyah I, the kinsman of Uthman and governor of the Levant refused to submit to Ali's orders; he was the only governor to do so. Ali recovered the land granted by Uthman and swore to recover anything that elites had acquired before his election. Ali opposed the centralization of capital control over provincial revenues, favoring an equal distribution of taxes and booty amongst the Muslim citizens; He distributed the entire revenue of the treasury among them. Ali refrained from nepotism, including with his brother Aqeel ibn Abi Talib. This was an indication to Muslims of his policy of offering equality to Muslims who served Islam in its early years and to the Muslims who played a role in the later conquests.

Ali succeeded in forming a broad coalition especially after the Battle of Bassorah. His policy of equal distribution of taxes and booty gained the support of Muhammad's companions especially the Ansar who were subordinated by the Quraysh leadership after Muhammad, the traditional tribal leaders, and the Qurra or Qur'an reciters that sought pious Islamic leadership. The successful formation of this diverse coalition seems to be due to Ali's charismatic character. This diverse coalition became known as Shi'a Ali, meaning "party" or "faction of Ali". However according to Shia, as well as non-Shia reports, the majority of those who supported Ali after his election as caliph, were shia politically, not religiously. Although at this time there were many who counted as political Shia, few of them believed Ali's religious leadership.

First Fitna

A'isha, Talhah, Al-Zubayr and Umayyad especially Muawiyah I wanted to take revenge for Uthman's death and punish the rioters who had killed him. They attacked Ali for not punishing the rebels and murderers of Uthman. However some historians believe that they use this issue to seek their political ambitions because they found Ali's caliphate against their own benefit. On the other hand, the rebels maintained that Uthman had been justly killed, for not governing according to Quran and Sunnah, hence no vengeance was to be invoked. Historians disagree on Ali's position. Some say the caliphate was a gift of the rebels and Ali did not have enough force to control or punish them,

Under such circumstances, a schism took place which led to the first civil war in Muslim history. Some Muslims, known as Uthmanis, considered Uthman a rightful and just Imam (Islamic leader) till the end, who had been unlawfully killed. Thus his position was in abeyance until he had been avenged and a new caliph elected. In their view Ali was the Imam of error leading a party of infidels. Some others, who knows as party of Ali, believed Uthman had fallen into error, he had forfeited the caliphate and been lawfully executed for his refusal to mend his way or step down, thus Ali was the just and true Imam and his opponents are infidels. This civil war created permanent divisions within the Muslim community regarding who had the legitimate right to occupy the caliphate.

The First Fitna, 656–661, followed the assassination of Uthman, continued during the caliphate of Ali, and was ended by Muawiyah's assumption of the caliphate. This civil war (often called the Fitna) is regretted as the end of the early unity of the Islamic ummah (nation). Ali was first opposed by a faction led by Talhah, Al-Zubayr and Muhammad's wife, Aisha bint Abu Bakr. This group, known as "the disobedient ones" (Nakithin) by their enemies, gathered in Mecca then moved to Basra with the expectation of finding the necessary forces and resources to mobilize people of Iraq. The rebels occupied Basra, killing many people. They refused Ali's offer of obedience and pledge of allegiance. The two sides met at the Battle of Bassorah (Battle of the Camel) in 656, where Ali emerged victorious.

Ali appointed Ibn Abbas governor of Basra and moved his capital to Kufa, the Muslim garrison city in Iraq. Kufa was in the middle of Islamic land and had strategic position.

Later he was challenged by Muawiyah I, the governor of Levant and the cousin of Uthman, who refused Ali's demands for allegiance and called for revenge for Uthman. Ali opened negotiations hoping to regain his allegiance, but Muawiyah insisted on Levant autonomy under his rule. Muawiyah replied by mobilizing his Levantine supporters and refusing to pay homage to Ali on the pretext that his contingent had not participated in his election. The two armies encamped themselves at Siffin for more than one hundred days, most of the time being spent in negotiations. Although, Ali exchanged several letters with Muawiyah, he was unable to dismiss the latter, nor persuade him to pledge allegiance. Skirmishes between the parties led to the Battle of Siffin in 657. After a week of combat was followed by a violent battle known as laylat al-harir (the night of clamor), Muawiyah's army were on the point of being routed when Amr ibn al-Aas advised Muawiyah to have his soldiers hoist mus'haf (either parchments inscribed with verses of the Qur'an, or complete copies of it) on their spearheads in order to cause disagreement and confusion in Ali's army. Ali saw through the stratagem, but only a minority wanted to pursue the fight.

In the following years Muawiyah's army invaded and plundered cities of Iraq, which Ali's governors could not prevent and people did not support him to fight with them. Muawiyah overpowered Egypt, Hijaz, Yemen and other areas. In the last year of Ali's caliphate, the mood in Kufa and Basra changed in his favor as Muawiyah's vicious conduct of the war revealed the nature of his reign. However the people's attitude toward Ali was deeply differed. Just a small minority of them believed that Ali was the best Muslim after Muhammad(صلی الله علیھ وآلہ وسلم ) and the only one entitled to rule them, while the majority supported him due to their distrust and opposition to Muawiyah.

Policies

What shows Ali's policies and ideas of governing is his instruction to Malik al-Ashtar, when appointed by him as governor of Egypt. This instruction which is considered by many Muslims and even non-Muslims as the ideal constitution for Islamic governance involved detailed description of duties and rights of the ruler and various functionaries of the state and the main classes of society at that time.

Ali wrote in his instruction to Malik al-Ashtar:

}}

Since the majority of Ali's subjects were nomads and peasants, he was concerned with agriculture. He instructed to Malik to give more attention to development of the land than to the collection of the tax, because tax can only be obtained by the development of the land and whoever demands tax without developing the land ruins the country and destroys the people.

Death

In the early morning of the 19th of Ramadan, while Ali was worshipping in the Great Mosque of Kufa, Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam, a Khawarij, assassinated him with a stroke of his poison-coated sword as Ali prostrated during the Islamic Fajr prayer. Ali, wounded by the poisonous sword, lived for two days before dying in Kufa on 28 February 661.

.]]

Ali ordered his sons not to attack the Kharijites, even though a single member of the group of Kharijites killed him. Ali instructed to his son Hasan that if he lives on he will forgive ibn Muljam and free him, however, in the event of his death, ibn Muljim should get one equal hit and not more regardless if he dies from the hit or not, just as Ali himself received one hit from ibn Muljam. Thus, Hasan fulfilled Qisas and gave equal punishment to ibn Muljam upon Ali's death. Most Shi'as accept that Ali is buried at the Tomb of Imam Ali in the Imam Ali Mosque at what is now the city of Najaf, which grew around the mosque and shrine called Masjid Ali.

Aftermath

After Ali's death, Kufi Muslims pledged allegiance to his eldest son Hasan without dispute, as Ali on many occasions had declared that just Ahl al-Bayt of Muhammad (صلی الله علیھ وآلہ وسلم ) were entitled to rule the Muslim community. At this time, Muawiyah held both the Levant and Egypt and, as commander of the largest force in the Muslim Empire, had declared himself caliph and marched his army into Iraq, the seat of Hasan's caliphate.

War ensued during which Muawiyah gradually subverted the generals and commanders of Hasan's army with large sums of money and deceiving promises until the army rebelled against him. Finally, Hasan was forced to make peace and to yield the caliphate to Muawiyah. In this way Muawiyah captured the Islamic caliphate and in every way possible placed the severest pressure upon Ali's family and his Shi'a. Regular public cursing of Imam Ali in the congregational prayers remained a vital institution which was not abolished until 60 years later by Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz. Muawiyah also established the Umayyad caliphate which was a centralized monarchy.

Madelung writes:

Umayyad highhandedness, misrule and repression were gradually to turn the minority of Ali's admirers into a majority. In the memory of later generations Ali became the ideal Commander of the Faithful. In face of the fake Umayyad claim to legitimate sovereignty in Islam as God's Vice-regents on earth, and in view of Umayyad treachery, arbitrary and divisive government, and vindictive retribution, they came to appreciate his [Ali's] honesty, his unbending devotion to the reign of Islam, his deep personal loyalties, his equal treatment of all his supporters, and his generosity in forgiving his defeated enemies. According to Hadith which is narrated by Shia and Sufis, Muhammad(صلی الله علیھ وآلہ وسلم ) told about him "I'm the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate..." Muslims regard Ali as a major authority on Islam. Ali himself gives this testimony:

Not a single verse of the Qur'an descended upon (was revealed to) the Messenger of God which he did not proceed to dictate to me and make me recite. I would write it with my own hand, and he would instruct me as to its tafsir (the literal explanation) and the ta'wil (the spiritual exegesis), the nasikh (the verse which abrogates) and the mansukh (the abrogated verse), the muhkam and the mutashabih (the fixed and the ambiguous), the particular and the general...

According to Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Ali is credited with having established Islamic theology and his quotations contain the first rational proofs among Muslims of the Unity of God. Ibn Abi al-Hadid has quoted

As for theosophy and dealing with matters of divinity, it was not an Arab art. Nothing of the sort had been circulated among their distinguished figures or those of lower ranks. This art was the exclusive preserve of Greece whose sages were its only expounders. The first one among Arabs to deal with it was Ali.

In later Islamic philosophy, especially in the teachings of Mulla Sadra and his followers, like Allameh Tabatabaei, Ali's sayings and sermons were increasingly regarded as central sources of metaphysical knowledge, or divine philosophy. Members of Sadra's school regard Ali as the supreme metaphysician of Islam.;

Ali was also a great scholar of Arabic literature and pioneered in the field of Arabic grammar and rhetoric. Numerous short sayings of Ali have become part of general Islamic culture and are quoted as aphorisms and proverbs in daily life. They have also become the basis of literary works or have been integrated into poetic verse in many languages. Already in the 8th century, literary authorities such as 'Abd al-Hamid ibn Yahya al-'Amiri pointed to the unparalleled eloquence of Ali's sermons and sayings, as did al-Jahiz in the following century. Of course, Peak of Eloquence (Nahj al-Balagha) is an extract of Ali's quotations from a literal viewpoint as its compiler mentioned in the preface. While there are many other quotations, prayers (Du'as), sermons and letters in other literal, historic and religious books.

In addition, some hidden or occult sciences such as jafr, Islamic numerology, the science of the symbolic significance of the letters of the Arabic alphabet, are said to have been established by Ali Masadir Nahj al-Balagha wa asaniduh written by al-Sayyid ‘Abd al-Zahra' al-Husayni al-Khatib introduces some of these sources. Also Nahj al-sa'adah fi mustadrak Nahj al-balaghah by Muhammad Baqir al-Mahmudi represents all of Ali's extant speeches, sermons, decrees, epistles, prayers, and sayings have been collected. It includes the Nahj al-balagha and other discourses which were not incorporated by ash-Sharif ar-Radi or were not available to him. Apparently, except for some of the aphorisms, the original sources of all the contents of the Nahj al-balagha have been determined. Ghurar al-Hikam wa Durar al-Kalim (Exalted aphorisms and Pearls of Speech) which is compiled by Abd al-Wahid Amidi(d. 1116) consists of over ten thounsads short sayings of Ali Nuzhat al-Absar va Mahasin al-Asar, Ali's sermons which has compiled by Ali ibn Muhammad Tabari Mamtiri Divan-i Ali ibn Abi Talib (poems which are attributed to Ali ibn Abi Talib)

Descendants

Ali had several wives, Fatimah being the most beloved and whilst she was alive he married nobody else. He had four children by Fatimah, Hasan ibn Ali, Husayn ibn Ali, Zaynab bint Ali Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah is Ali's son from another wife from Hanifa clan of Central Arabia named Khawla bint Ja'far.

Hasan, born in 625 AD, was the second Shia Imam and he also occupied the outward function of caliph for about six months. In the year 50 A.H., he was poisoned and killed by a member of his own household who, as has been accounted by historians, had been motivated by Mu'awiyah.

Husayn, born in 626 AD, was the third Shia Imam. He lived under severe conditions of suppression and persecution by Mu'awiyah. On the tenth day of Muharram, of the year 680, he lined up before the army of caliph with his small band of follower and nearly all of them were killed in the Battle of Karbala. The anniversary of his death is called the Day of Ashura and it is a day of mourning and religious observance for Shi'a Muslims. In this battle some of Ali's other sons were killed. Al-Tabari has mentioned their names in his history. Al-Abbas ibn Ali, the holder of Husayn's standard, Ja'far, Abdallah and Uthman, the four sons born to Fatima binte Hizam. Muhammad and Abu Bakr. The death of the last one is doubtful. Some historians have added the names of Ali's others sons who were killed in Karbala, including Ibrahim, Umar and Abdallah ibn al-Asqar.

His daughter Zaynab—who was in Karbala—was captured by Yazid's army and later played a great role in revealing what happened to Husayn and his followers.

Ali's descendants by Fatimah are known as sharifs, sayeds or sayyids. These are honorific titles in Arabic, sharif meaning 'noble' and sayed or sayyid meaning 'lord' or 'sir'. As Muhammad's only descendants, they are respected by both Sunni and Shi'a, though the Shi'as place much more emphasis and value on the distinction. According to them, Muhammad suggested on various occasions during his lifetime that Ali should be the leader of Muslims after his death. This is supported by numerous Hadiths which have been narrated by both Sunnis and Shias, including Hadith of the pond of Khumm, Hadith of the two weighty things, Hadith of the pen and paper, Hadith of the Cloak, Hadith of position, Hadith of the invitation of the close families, and Hadith of the Twelve Successors.

According to this view, Ali as the successor of Muhammad not only ruled over the community in justice, but also interpreted the Sharia Law and its esoteric meaning. Hence he was regarded as being free from error and sin (infallible), and appointed by God by divine decree (nass) through Muhammad. Ali is known as "perfect man" (al-insan al-kamil) similar to Muhammad according to Shia viewpoint.

Shia pilgrims usually go to Mashad Ali in Najaf for Ziyarat, pray there and read "Ziyarat Amin Allah" or other Ziyaratnamehs. Under the Safavid Empire, his grave became the focus of much devoted attention, exemplified in the pilgrimage made by Shah Ismail I to Najaf and Karbala.

Non-Muslim views

However, Henri Lammens have held a negative view of Ali.

The poet Khalil Gibran said of him: "In my view, ʿAlī was the first Arab to have contact with and converse with the universal soul. He died a martyr of his greatness, he died while prayer was between his two lips. The Arabs did not realise his value until appeared among their Persian neighbors some who knew the difference between gems and gravels."

Historiography

The primary sources for scholarship on the life of Ali are the Qur'an and the Hadith, as well as other texts of early Islamic history. The extensive secondary sources include, in addition to works by Sunni and Shī‘a Muslims, writings by Christian Arabs, Hindus, and other non-Muslims from the Middle East and Asia and a few works by modern Western scholars. However, many of the early Islamic sources are colored to some extent by a positive or negative bias towards Ali.

Until the rise of the Abbasid Caliphate, few books were written and most of the reports had been oral. The most notable work previous to this period is The Book of Sulaym ibn Qays, written by Sulaym ibn Qays, a companion of Ali who lived before the Abbasid. When paper was introduced to Muslim society, numerous monographs were written between 750 and 950 AD. According to Robinson, at least twenty-one separate monographs have been composed on the Battle of Siffin. Abi Mikhnaf is one of the most renowned writers of this period who tried to gather all of the reports. 9th and 10th century historians collected, selected and arranged the available narrations. However, most of these monographs do not exist anymore except for a few which have been used in later works such as History of the Prophets and Kings by Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (d.932).

Shi'a of Iraq actively participated in writing monographs but most of those works have been lost. On the other hand, in the 8th and 9th century Ali's descendants such as Muhammad al Baqir and Jafar as Sadiq narrated his quotations and reports which have been gathered in Shia hadith books. The later Shia works written after the 10th century AD are about biographies of The Fourteen Infallibles and Twelve Imams. The earliest surviving work and one of the most important works in this field is Kitab al-Irshad by Shaykh Mufid (d. 1022). The author has dedicated the first part of his book to a detailed account of Ali. There are also some books known as Manāqib which describe Ali's character from a religious viewpoint. Such works also constitute a kind of historiography.

See also

Wali

Shia Ali

‘Alawi

Alevi

List of Muslim reports

Ahl al-Bayt

Ahadith on virtues of Ali bin Abu Talib

Utbah ibn Ghazwan

Notes

References

(volume XV.) Translated by Liadain Sherrard, Philip Sherrard. | Translated by Seyyed Hossein Nasr.

Further reading

Original sources

(In Arabic)

Secondary sources

; Books volumes 6-17 are relevant. (in Arabic)

;Encyclopedia

External links

The Secret of Imam Ali's Force of Attraction

Ali ibn Abi Talib by I. K. Poonawala and E. Kohlberg in Encyclopædia Iranica

Ali, article in Enyclopaedia Britannica Online

;Some of his most famous sermons and letters

Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib Nahjul Balagha

Order to Maalik al-Ashtar, governor of Egypt (UN Legal Committee, member states voted that the document should be considered as one of the sources of International Law.) The United Nation and Imam Ali’s Constitution

A advice ti his son Hasan ib Ali (This letter contains ethical advisement)

185 Sermon about the Oneness of Allah

The Last Will of Ali ibn Abi Talib

;Shī‘a biography

The Life of the Commander of the Faithful Ali b. Abu Talib by Shaykh Mufid in Kitab al-Irshad

Website devoted to the Life of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib

A Biographical Profile of Imam Ali (Archived 2009-10-25) by Syed Muhammad Askari Jafari

The Seerat Of Amir al-Mu'mineen (SA)

;Sunni biography

Online Biography by Witness-Pioneer

Biography from USC's MSA website

Ali ibn Abi Talib

Category:599 births Category:661 deaths Category:661 crimes Category:7th-century caliphs Category:Ali Category:Arab people Category:Alid dynasties Category:All articles with unsourced statements Category:Assassinated caliphs Category:Assassinated Shi'a imams Category:Converts to Islam Category:Family of Muhammad Category:Muslim generals Category:People from Mecca Category:Rashidun Category:Sahaba Category:Shi'a imams Category:Shi'a Islam Category:Sunni Islam Category:Twelver imams Category:Zaidi imams