Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib (Arabic: علي بن أﺑﻲ طالب, Transliteration: ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, [ʕaliː ibn ʔæbiː t̪ˤɑːlib]; 13^thRajab, 24 BH–21^stRamaḍān, 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661). The son of Abu Talib, Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of Islamic prophet Muhammad, ruling over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam.Sunnis consider Ali the fourth and final of the Rashidun (rightly guided Caliphs), while Shias 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 Shia branches.

Muslim sources, especially Shia ones, state that since Muhammad's time, Ali was the only person born in the Kaaba sanctuary in Mecca, the holiest place in Islam. His father was Abu Talib and his mother was Fatima bint Asad, but he was raised in the household of Muhammad, who himself was raised by Abu Talib, Muhammad's uncle, and Ali's father. When Muhammad reported receiving a divine revelation, Ali was the first male to accept his message, dedicating his life to the cause of Islam.

Hadrat Abu Anees Muhammad Barkat Ali Al-Ludhianiwi (Quddisa Sirrahul Aziz), also referred to as Babaji Sarkar by his disciples (27 April 1911 – 26 January 1997) was a Muslim Sufi saint who belongs to Qadri silsila of Hadrat Abdul-Qadir Gilani born in a small village of Brahmi in the Tehsil of Ludhiana in Northern India.

Hadrat is founder of the non-political, non-profit, religious organisation, Darul Ehsan.

Hadrat was born into a Muslim family belonging to the Dhariwal Jatt ethnic group. His father, Mian Nigahi Bakhsh, was an employee of the British Army.

Like the other Muslims he learned the reading of the Qur'an in his village Brahmi and then went for education to the nearest available schools in the towns of Halwara, a famous town for its Indian Air Force base and Rai Kot.^{[citation needed]}

He gave various interviews to Pakistan National TV Channel PTV. On September 25, 2008 Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri praised the founder of Darul Ehsan, Barkat Ali and his work while talking to the participants.