Ali ibn Abi Talib : Quatrième calife Rashidun et premier Imam chiite

Ali ibn Abi Talib (Arabic: عَلِيُّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب, romanized: ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib) (c. 600 – 661 CE) was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from 656 CE until his assassination in 661, as well as the first Shia Imam. He was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

Jeunesse et conversion

Concernant ses origines, Born to Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib and Fatima bint Asad, Ali was raised in the household of his cousin Muhammad and was among the first to accept his teachings. Au début de la mission prophétique, Ali played a pivotal role in the early years of Islam when Muslims were severely persecuted in Mecca.

Période à Médine et vie militaire

Après l'Hégire, after the immigration (hijra) to Medina in 622, Muhammad gave his daughter Fatima to Ali in marriage and swore a pact of brotherhood with him. Durant cette ère de formation, Ali served as Muhammad's secretary and deputy in this period, and was the flag bearer of his army.

La question de la succession et le califat

L'importance d'Ali est soulignée par divers récits : numerous sayings of Muhammad praise Ali, the most controversial of which was uttered in 632 at the Ghadir Khumm, "Whoever I am his mawla, then Ali is his mawla." L'interprétation de cet événement divise les croyants : for Shia Muslims, Muhammad thus invested Ali with his religious and political authority, while Sunni Muslims view this as a mere statement of friendship and rapport.

Cependant, à la mort du Prophète, la situation politique évolua différemment : when Muhammad died in the same year, a group of Muslims met in the absence of Ali and appointed Abu Bakr (r. 632–634) as their leader. En conséquence, Ali later relinquished his claims to leadership and resigned from public life during the reigns of Abu Bakr and his successor, Umar (r. 634–644).

Résumé des faits historiques