Assassination of Ali

Assassination of Ali

A calligraphic representation of Ali
Location Kufa, Rashidun Caliphate (present day Iraq)
Coordinates 32°01′43″N 44°24′03″E / 32.02861°N 44.40083°E / 32.02861; 44.40083Coordinates: 32°01′43″N 44°24′03″E / 32.02861°N 44.40083°E / 32.02861; 44.40083
Date January 26, 661 (661-01-26)
Target Ali
Weapons Sword
Deaths Ali
Perpetrator Ibn Muljam

The fourth Rashidun caliph Ali was assassinated by a Khawarij called Ibn Muljam on 26 January 661 at the Great Mosque of Kufa (present day Iraq) with a sword. Ali succumbed to his injuries and died two days later on the 21rst of Ramzan ie 28 January 661.

Background

The Sunni - Shia conflict arose out of the disagreement over the succession to the prophet Muhammad as the head of the Islamic community. The Sunnis believed that anyone could succeed Muhammad, but the Shias (derived from Shiat al-Ali ; the partisans of Ali) believed that only genealogical descendants of the prophet could succeed him. Abu Bakr was elected as the first caliph. He was succeeded by Umar only to be murdered in 644. After his death, Ali and Uthman were contenders for the post. During the elections, a point reached where tension arose amongst the factions of Ali and Uthman. But at the decision of Abdur Rahman bin Awf, a sahaba (companion of the prophet Muhammad) Uthman succeeded as the third caliph. Failing to control a large growing empire, mutinous armies assassinated Uthman in 656. [1]

Even though Ali was selected as the fourth Rashidun caliph five days later after Uthman's death, Muawiyah I, the Umayyad governor of Syria refused to pledge allegiance to the new caliph untill the killers of Uthman were punished.[2] Ali faced opposition during his rule. He first emerged victorious at the Battle of Camel in 656, against a army primarily led by Muhammad's wife Aisha and other sahabas who thought Ali had killed Uthman. He also fought the Battle of Siffin in 657 against Muawiyah I. The battle ended in a stalemate with Ali entering a arbitration with Muawiyah.[3]

The Khawarij was a group who initially supported Ali's claims to be caliph. However, they turned against him for the draw at Siffin and his unability to emerge victorious. In 658 they revolted only to Ali defeat them at the Battle of Nahrawan.[4] They argued that Quranic teachings asks people to bring rebels under obedience by violence.[5]

Attack and death

On 26 January 661, Ali was killed by Ibn Muljam at the Great Mosque of Kufa. After Ali recited verses from the Sura al-Anbiya, Ibn Muljam who was present at the front row of the worshippers struck him with a poisoned sword at the back of his neck.[6] However, sources has also hinted that Ali was attack by Ibn Muljam outside the mosque. Legend says that the assassin fell in love with the daughter of one the soldier killed at Nahrawan and she accepted to marry him if he could bring Ali's head. His relatives tortured Ibn Muljam to death. Ali succumbed to his injuries and died two days later on 28 January.[4]

Notes

  1. ↑ Hann, p.19
  2. ↑ Hann, p.19
  3. ↑ Cook, p. 53.
  4. 1 2 Cook, p. 54.
  5. ↑ Richard F. Nyrop. Area Handbook for the Persian Gulf States. Wildside Press. p. 45. ISBN 9781434462107.
  6. ↑ I. M. N. Al-Jubouri. Islamic Thought: From Mohammed to September 11, 2001. Xlibris Corporation. p. 74. ISBN 9781453595855.

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, February 15, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.