Islamic History of Khalifa Ali ibn Abi Talib | Ali, The Father of Sufism

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1. Birth of Ali

2. Years of childhood

3. Ward of the Holy Prophet

4. Conversion to Islam

5. Battle Between the truth and falsehood

6. Social Boycott Of Banu Hashim

7. Year Of Sorrow

8. Farewell to Makkah

9. Early Days in Madina

10. Battle of Badr

11. Marriage of Ali

12. The Bani Qainuqa

13. The Battle of Uhud

14. Banu Nadeer

15. Battle of the Ditch

16. Campaign Against Banu Mustaliq

17. Banu Quraizah

18. Operations Against Banu Sa'ad

19. Treaty of Hudaibiya

20. Battle of Khyber

21. Conquest of Makkah

22. The Battle of Hunain

23. The Siege of Taif

24. Campaign Against Banu Tai

25. Christians Of Najran

26. Banu Zabada

27. Expedition To Tabuk

28. The Declaration of Discharge

29. Banu Ramla

30. Mission to Yemen

31. The Farewell Pilgrimage

32. Khum Ghadir

33. Death of the Holy Prophet

34. The Caliphate of Abu Bakr

35. Fatima Zahra

36. Ali's Oration on the Death of Abu Bakr

37. The Caliphate of Umar

38. Ali During the Caliphate of Othman

39. Election of Ali as the Caliph

40. The Caliphate Issue

41. Vengeance for the Blood of Othman

42. Deposition of Provincial Governors

43. Defiance of Muawiyah

44. Defection of Talha and Zubair

45. Ayesha

46. Ayesha's March to Basra

47. Battle for Basra

48. Ayesha's Occupation of Basra

49. Ali's March to Rabda

50. Ali's Missions to Kufa

51. Ali's March to Basra

52. Peace Parleys

53. The Battle of the Camel

54. Ali's Occupation of Basra

55. Kufa, the New Capital

56. Qais Bin Saad Ansari

57. Muawiyah

58. Amr Bin Al-Aas

59. In Quest of Peace with Muawiyah

60. Letters of Ali Addressed to Muawiyah

61. Ali's March to Syria

62. The Battle for Water

63. Months of Suspense

64. The Battle of Siffin

65. Arbitration Agreement

66. The Kharijites

67. Testament of Ali

68. The Arbitration

69. The Battle of Nahrawan

70. Ali's loss Egypt

71. Trouble in Basra

72. Revolt of Khurrit Bin Rashid

73. Raids of Muawiyah

74. Martyrdom of Ali-661 C.E.

75. Life of Ali, General Review

76. Ali, The Man

77. Distinctions of Ali

78. Ali in the Holy Quran

79. Ali, The Father of Sufism

80. Ali, The Gate of Knowledge

81. Ali The Poet

82. Ali, The Generous

83. Administrative Instructions of Ali

84. Judgements of Ali

85. Ali's Conduct of Wars

86. Social and Ethical Thought of Ali

87. Political Thought of Ali

88. Ali's concept of God

89. Ali on the Life of the World

90. Anecdotes of Ali

91. Similes of Ali

92. Sayings of Ali

93. Assessment of Ali by Eminent Muslims

94. Assessment of Ali by Western Scholars

The first stage in the path of Sufism is repentance. Repentance is described as the awakening of the soul from the slumber of heedlessness, so that the sinner becomes aware of his evil ways and feels contrition for past disobedience. Ali repeatedly prayed for the forgiveness of God. His typical prayer was: "O God, forgive me my sins of which you are more aware than me. And if I commit these sins again, even then forgive me. Whatever promises I had made with myself to follow Your commands have not been fulfilled. I seek Your forbearance if I have sought Your proximity with my tongue, but my heart did not keep pace with my tongue, overlook my lapse. O God, forgive me for my futile talk, vain desires and lapses of the tongue".

1. Birth of Ali

>> Parentage

>> Ancestry of Ali and the Holy Prophet

>> Date of birth

>> Birth of Ali

>> The Name

2. Years of childhood

>> The Holy Prophet and Ali

>> Life in the desert

>> Induction of Ali as a member of the family of the Holy Prophet

>> The Umayyads versus the Hashimites

3. Ward of the Holy Prophet

>> Biographical study

>> The house of the Holy Prophet

>> Education of Ali

>> Trade journeys

>> Ali and the Kaaba

>> Ali and the Holy Prophet

4. Conversion to Islam

>> Turning point in history

>> The call to prophethood

>> Converts to Islam

>> Early years of Islam

>> Invitation to Banu Hashim

5. Battle Between the truth and falsehood

>> The crisis

>> The Muslim Community

>> The Quraish in action

>> Migration to Abyssinia

6. Social Boycott Of Banu Hashim

>> The miracles of the Holy Quran

>> Maneuvers of the Quraish

>> Social boycott of Banu Hashim

>> Consequences of the social boycott

>> Ali

7. Year Of Sorrow

>> The Holy Prophet and the Quraish

>> Bequest of Abu Talib

>> Death of Abu Talib

>> Death of Khadija

8. Farewell to Makkah

>> Turning point

>> The Quraish plot to assassinate the Holy Prophet

>> Frustration of the Quraish plot

>> Analysis of the events during the period 620-622 C.E.

9. Early Days in Madina

>> Life in Madina

>> Brotherhood between the emigrants and the Muslims of Madina

>> Implications of the pairing of the Holy Prophet and Ali

>> Masjid-i-Nabwi

10. Battle of Badr

>> Background

>> The Quraish caravan

>> The battle ground of Badr

>> The battle

>> Significance of the baffle of Badr

11. Marriage of Ali

>> Fatima

>> Preparation for the marriage

>> The Marriage Khutba

>> Ideal marriage

12. The Bani Qainuqa

>> The Jews in Madina

>> Animosity of the Jews

>> Ali and the Jews

>> Bani Qainuqa

13. The Battle of Uhud

>> Extension of the Battle of Badr

>> The Holy Prophet's preparation for the battle

>> The battlefield

>> The Duel

>> The battle

>> Assessment of the Battle of Uhud

14. Banu Nadeer

>> Banu Nadeer

>> The tragedy of Bir Maunah

>> The Holy Prophet's visit to Banu Nadeer

>> Expedition against Banu Nadeer

15. Battle of the Ditch

>> Background