Sunni view of Ali

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This is a parallel sub-article to Ali and Sunni.

Sunnis hold him in high respect as one of the Ahl al-Bayt and the last of the Four Righteously Guided Caliphs.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Battles 1.2 Family life 1.2.1 Marrying Fatimah 1.2.2 Umm Khultum bint Ali 1.3 Abu Bakr and Umar 2 Scholars 3 Views 3.1 Shi'a view of the Sunni view 3.2 Non-Muslim view of the Sunni view 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Biography

[edit] Battles

Sunnis view Ali as one of the greatest warrior champions of Islam. Examples include taking on the Quraish champion at the Battle of the Trench when nobody else dared ^[1]. After multiple failed attempts of breaking the fort in the Battle of Khaybar, Ali was summoned, miraculously healed and conquered the fort ^[2].

[edit] Family life

[edit] Marrying Fatimah

He is also seen as honored for marrying Fatimah, a honor they believe is shared with Uthman, whom Sunni believe married two of Muhammad's biological daughters.

However, while Sunnis do call Uthman for "the holder of two lights", they do not call Ali "the holder of the light", although Fatimah is considered by Sunnis as the "Mistress of Paradise."

[edit] Umm Khultum bint Ali

Sunni regard as authentic some hadith where Ali is reported to have given his biological daughter, Umm Khultum bint Ali to marry Umar ^[3], when she was five years old, after giving in to public duress from Umar. These narrations are strongly rejected by Shi'a as despicable fabrications, aimed as portraing Ali as week and feeble, to the point of not even being able to standing up for his daughter. ^[4].

However, contemporary Sunnis often describe the event as a confirmation of their mutual friendship.

[edit] Abu Bakr and Umar

Although these events are regarded authentic by Sunni scholars, Sunni practice the doctrine of not mentioning the faults of the Sahaba, and don't mention these events, and rather talk good about Ali. Sunni often portraying Ali as a loyal friend to Muhammad, Abu Bakr and Umar, even if they sometimes had friendly disagreements.

[edit] Scholars

Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi`i, a 9th century Sunni Shafi'i Islamic scholar said in his Diwan:

[edit] Views

[edit] Shi'a view of the Sunni view

The Banu Umayyad fabricated a large amount of hadith aimed at taking honour of Ali. Shi'a believe that although later Sunni scholars tried to sift them out, they still included some of those hadith. They believe it was partly done to downgrade the rank of Ali to the rank of the other caliphs, ie even out their rank.

[edit] Non-Muslim view of the Sunni view

Some non-Muslims have pointed out to some hadith that include the three first Caliphs, but excludes Ali:

Anas reported that the Prophet ascended Uhud with Abu Bakr, Omar and Uthman. It trembled with them and so he struck it with his foot and said: "Be firm, O Uhud, and verily on you there are a prophet, a truthful man and two martyrs." ^[6]

Then they argue:

The above traditions have been picked out at random from many others as examples to show the characteristic partiality of hadith. The obvious omission of Ali in the first hadith points to its fabrication by his detractors: there was no other reason why Ali was not in that company ^[7].

However, they have a similar view on the Shi'a view of Ali.

[edit] See also

• Moderate Shi'a
• Shi'a view of Ali
• Non-Muslim view of Ali

[edit] References

1. ^ http://www.swordofallah.com/html/bookchapter4page9.htm
2. ^ http://www.sunnah.org/publication/khulafa_rashideen/caliph4.htm
3. ^ [1], [2], [3]
4. ^ [4]
5. ^ http://www.livingislam.org/fiqhi/fiqha_e14.html
6. ^ (Bukhari)
7. ^ [5]

[edit] External links

• Sunni view of Ali and the rest of the Ahl al-Bayt.