Islamic History of Khalifa Ali ibn Abi Talib | Assessment of Ali by Eminent Muslims

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

>> Defense of Madina

>> The Ditch

>> The battle

>> Flight of the Quraish

16. Campaign Against Banu Mustaliq

>> Banu Mustaliq

>> Ayesha and her necklace

>> The Revelation

>> Bitterness between Ayesha and Ali

17. Banu Quraizah

>> The Jews settlements in Madina

>> Banu Quraizah

>> Operations against Banu Quraizah

>> End of Banu Quraizah

18. Operations Against Banu Sa'ad

>> Conspiracy of the Jews

>> Ali's operations

>> Some points about the operations

19. Treaty of Hudaibiya

>> Journey to Makkah

>> The Pledge

>> The treaty

>> Muslim reaction to the treaty

20. Battle of Khyber

>> The Khyber

>> The battle

>> Victor of Khyber

>> Conquest of Fidak

>> Consequences of the Battle of Khyber

21. Conquest of Makkah

>> Banu Khuza'ah

>> The Hudaibiya pact

>> March to Makkah

>> Destruction of the idols

>> Address to the people

>> Banu Jazima

22. The Battle of Hunain

>> Tribes of Hawazin and Thaqueef

>> The pass of Hunain

>> The Battle of Hunain

>> Confrontation at Autas

23. The Siege of Taif

>> The siege of Taif

>> Operations of Ali

>> Conversion of the people of Taif to Islam

>> Return to Madina

24. Campaign Against Banu Tai

>> Hatim Tai

>> Adi

>> Flight of Adi

25. Christians Of Najran

>> Christians tribes

>> Christians of Najran

>> The Christian deputation

>> Dispute with the Christians

>> The Mubahila

26. Banu Zabada

>> Umar b Madi kurb

>> Action against Banu Zabada

27. Expedition To Tabuk

>> Wars between the Byzantines and the Persians

>> Expedition to Tabuk

>> Ali as Governor of Madina

>> The Tabuk campaign

>> Holy Prophet's address at Tabuk

>> Return from Tabuk

28. The Declaration of Discharge

>> Abu Bakr as Amirul Hajj

>> The Revelation

>> Ali

>> Declaration of Discharge

>> Importance of the Declaration

>> Ali's claim to the caliphate

29. Banu Ramla

>> Banu Ramla

>> Campaigns against Banu Ramla

>> Expedition under Ali

30. Mission to Yemen

>> Khalid b Walid's mission to Yemen

>> The mission of Ali

>> Strategy of Ali

31. The Farewell Pilgrimage

>> The pilgrimage

>> The Caravan

>> Dhul Hulaifa

>> Makkah and Mina

>> Farewell address

>> The Revelation

>> Reaction of the Companions

32. Khum Ghadir

>> The Revelation

>> Address of the Holy Prophet

>> The Controversy

33. Death of the Holy Prophet

>> Illness of the Holy Prophet

>> The Holy Prophet's address

>> And Allah rewarded the thankful

34. The Caliphate of Abu Bakr

>> Election of Abu Bakr as the Caliph

>> Ali's reaction to the election of Abu Bakr

>> Offer of allegiance to Ali by 1bn Abbas and Abu Sufyan

>> Property of Fidak

>> Activities of Ali during the caliphate of Abu Bakr

35. Fatima Zahra

>> Death of Fatima

>> Ali's grief at the death of Fatima

>> Married life of Ali and Fatima

>> Fatima Zahra-assessment

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

>> Ali's oration

37. The Caliphate of Umar

>> Nomination of Umar as the Caliph

>> Battle of Yermuk

>> Conquest of Jerusalem

>> Ornaments of Ka'aba

>> The Hijri era

>> Counsels of Ali in judicial matters

>> Claim to property

>> Ali's observations on the death of Umar

38. Ali During the Caliphate of Othman

>> Election of Othman as the Caliph

>> Activities of Ali during the caliphate of Othman

>> Abu Dhar Ghifari

>> The Revolt

>> Inquiry into complaints

>> Assassination of Othman

39. Election of Ali as the Caliph

>> Anarchy

>> No candidate for election

>> Election of Ali

>> The Dissidents

>> Address of Ali

>> Helplessness of Ali

40. The Caliphate Issue

>> The Controversy

>> Right to succeed

>> Will of the Holy Prophet

>> Will of Allah

>> Islamic Concept of office

>> Relationship of Ali with his predecessors

>> Nature of the issue

41. Vengeance for the Blood of Othman

>> Cry for vengeance for the blood of Othman

>> Nature of the crime of the assassination of Othman

>> Purpose of the cry for vengeance

>> Alterior motive

42. Deposition of Provincial Governors

>> Proposal to depose the provincial governors

>> Mughira b Shuaba

>> Abdullah b Abbas

>> Orders for the deposition of Governors

>> Defection of Syria and Kufa

43. Defiance of Muawiyah

>> Challenge for Ali

>> Proclamation of Jihad

44. Defection of Talha and Zubair

>> Talha and Zubair

>> Talha and Zubair's oath of allegiance to Ali

>> Defection of Talha and Zubair

>> Ali's letter to Talha and Zubair

>> Ali's address about the defection of Talha and Zubair

45. Ayesha

>> Ayesha and Ali

>> Ayesha in Makkah

>> The call to war

>> The plan of war

46. Ayesha's March to Basra

>> The Proclamation

>> The Army

>> Ayesha's address to the troops

>> The Day of tears

>> Desertions from the army of the confederates

>> Ayesha at Hau'ab

>> Destination-Basra

47. Battle for Basra

>> Delegation from Basra

>> Othman b Hanif prepares for war.

>> The battle

>> The truce

48. Ayesha's Occupation of Basra

>> Emissary to Madina

>> War in Basra

>> Hakim b Jabala

>> Administration of Basra

49. Ali's March to Rabda

>> Ali's plan of action

>> Ali at Rabda

>> Banu Tai

>> Letters to Othman b Hanif, Governor of Basra

>> Need for reinforcements

50. Ali's Missions to Kufa

>> Abu Musa Ashari

>> Muhammad b Jafar and Muhammad b Abn Bakr's mission to Kufa

>> The mission of Ibn Abbas

>> Mission of Imam Hasan

>> Pro-Ali Government in Kufa

51. Ali's March to Basra

>> Welcome to the men from Kufa

>> The army of Ali

>> Camp at Dhulkan

>> On the way to Basra

>> Camp at Basra

52. Peace Parleys

>> Ali's quest for peace

>> Ali's mission to Ayesha

>> The issues

>> Vengeance for the blood of Othman

>> Promoting the cause of Islam

>> Reaction of Ayesha

53. The Battle of the Camel

>> Negotiations for peace

>> The Regicides

>> The Battle

>> End of the battle

54. Ali's Occupation of Basra

>> Burial of the dead

>> Treatment of the people of Basra

>> Occupation of Basra

>> Ayesha

>> Consequences of Ali's victory in the battle of the Camel

55. Kufa, the New Capital

>> Kufa, the new capital

>> Characteristics of Kufa and its people

>> Ali at Kufa

56. Qais Bin Saad Ansari

>> Importance of Egypt

>> Qais bin Sa'ad

>> Affairs of Egypt

>> Intrigues of Muawiyah

>> Deposition of Qais

>> Qais and Ali

57. Muawiyah

>> Muawiyah's early life

>> Character of Muawiyah

>> Conflict between Ali and Muawiyah

>> Strategy of Muawiyah

58. Amr Bin Al-Aas

>> Amr b Al-Aas, pre-lslamic period

>> Conversion to Islam

>> Amr's opposition to Othman

>> Caliphate of Ali

>> Muawiyah and 'Amr b Al-Aas

59. In Quest of Peace with Muawiyah

>> The task before Ali

>> Envoy to Syria

>> Muawiyah's envoy

60. Letters of Ali Addressed to Muawiyah

>> Letters of Ali

>> Finality of the election of the Caliph

>> Criticism of Muawiyah

>> Delivery of the murderers of Othman

>> Challenge to Muawiyah

>> Partition of the Muslim state

>> Ali and his predecessors

61. Ali's March to Syria

>> Ali's army

>> March through the desert

>> Miracle of the well

>> Onward to Siffin

62. The Battle for Water

>> Muawiyah's command of water supply

>> Negotiation for access to water supply

>> Battle for water

63. Months of Suspense

>> The Armies

>> Overtures for peace

64. The Battle of Siffin

>> Hostilities on a limited scale

>> The main battle

>> The ruse of the Syrians

>> The revolt in Ali army

65. Arbitration Agreement

>> Significance of the display of the leaves of the Holy Quran

>> Ash'as b Qais

>> Causes of the helplessness of Ali

>> Arbitration Deed

>> The Umpires

66. The Kharijites

>> The Return March

>> The Khawarij

>> Ali and the Kharijites

67. Testament of Ali

>> Testament of Ali

>> The Hereafter

>> Virtue and faith

>> Protection of God

>> The elders

>> Your own way

>> Tests of God

>> Resignation to the Will of God

>> Allah is One

>> Picture of the world

>> Balance between yourself and the people

>> Self adulation

>> The journey to the Hereafter

>> Access to God

>> Preparations for death

>> Temptations of the world

>> Counsels to follow

>> Speech and silence

>> Man and God

>> Company

>> The fate

>> The times

>> Sustenance

>> Patience and faith

>> Words of counsel

>> Conclusion

68. The Arbitration

>> Meeting of the Umpires

>> Arbitration Proceedings

>> Announcement

>> Ali's letter to Abu Musa

69. The Battle of Nahrawan

>> Ali's reaction to the Arbitration decision

>> The Kharijites

>> The Battle of Nahrawan

70. Ali's loss Egypt

>> Muhammad b Abu Bakr

>> Malik Ashtar

>> The fall of Egypt

>> Helplessness of Ali

71. Trouble in Basra

>> Strategy of Muawiyah

>> Trouble in Basra

>> Death of al Hadrami

>> Abdullah b Abbas

72. Revolt of Khurrit Bin Rashid

>> Khurrit b Rashid

>> Flight of Khurrit

>> The Battle of Ahwaz

73. Raids of Muawiyah

>> Raids on Iraq

>> Expedition to Hijaz

>> Basr's expedition to Yemen

>> Ali's counter attack

>> Consequences of the raids of Muawiyah

74. Martyrdom of Ali-661 C.E.

>> The Kharijite plot

>> Muawiyah and his assassin

>> 'Amr b Al-A'as and his assassin

>> Assassination of Ali

>> Will of Ali

>> Hasan's oration on the death of Ali

>> His burial

>> Fate of the assassin of Ali

>> Elegy on the death of Ali

75. Life of Ali, General Review

>> The Biographer and his hero

>> Biography and History

>> Greatness of Ali

>> Periods in the life of Ali

>> Causes for the non success of Ali from the worldly point of view

>> Opposition of the Quraish

76. Ali, The Man

>> Physical appearance

>> Wives and children of Ali

77. Distinctions of Ali

>> Man of many distinctions

>> His birth

>> His relationship with the Holy Prophet

>> His valor

>> His knowledge

>> His spiritual attainments

>> His Appellations

78. Ali in the Holy Quran

>> References to Ali in the Holy Quran

>> Verse 33, Sura 33

>> Verse 61, Sura 3

>> Verse 23, Sura 42

>> Verse 21, Sura 45

>> Verse 17, Sura 11

>> Verse 4, Sura 66

>> Verse 18, Sura 32

>> Verse 54, Sura 25

>> Verse 36, Sura 24

>> Verse 55, Sura 5

>> Verse 12, Sura 58

>> Verse 181, Sura 7

>> Verse 57, Sura 43

>> Verse 29, Sura 48

>> Verse 43, Sura 13

>> Verse 64, Sura 8

79. Ali, The Father of Sufism

>> Father of Sufism

>> The Holy Prophet and Sufism

>> Gnosis of God

>> Prayers to God

>> Communion with God

>> Doctrine of preference

>> Fasting

>> Zakat

>> Pilgrimage

>> Jihad

>> Repentance

>> Detachment

>> Patience

80. Ali, The Gate of Knowledge

>> The learning of Ali

>> His concept of Knowledge

>> Superiority of knowledge over wealth

81. Ali The Poet

>> Ali as a poet

>> Ali's Dewan

>> Samples of the poetry of Ali

82. Ali, The Generous

>> Ali's generosity

>> Preference for the supplicant to one's own Deeds

>> God accepted Ali's charity

>> Manifold return for chartiy

>> A legend of the generosity of Ali

>> He gave his gold ring to the beggar

>> He undertook to pay the debt of a dead Muslim

>> He paid for the dates

83. Administrative Instructions of Ali

>> Administrative instructions

>> Instructions to Malik Ashtar

>> Instructions to Abdullah b Abbas

>> Letter to Ziyad b Abiya

>> Instructions to the Collectors of Zakat

84. Judgements of Ali

>> Ali as a Judge

>> The story of loaves

>> Dispute about a child

>> Dispute about the custody of money

>> How Ali detected the murder

>> The Cow and the Ass

>> Mad woman accused of adultery

>> Child born in six months after marriage

>> Share in the property of a deceased husband for a divorced wife

>> The man who stole his coat of mail

85. Ali's Conduct of Wars

>> Ali's instructions for the conduct of war

>> Instructions to his son Muhammad Hanifa

>> Instructions to the Generals of the border forces

>> Treatment for the rebels

>> Instruction to the army

>> Strategy for crisis

>> Prayers of Ali

86. Social and Ethical Thought of Ali

>> Thought of Ali

>> Friends of Allah

>> Momins and hypocrites

>> Faqih

>> Justice and mercy

>> The world and the Hereafter

>> Momin and an infidel

>> Proximity to the ruler

>> Haste

>> Faith and faithlessness

>> Philosophy

>> Forgiveness

>> Secret of success

>> Kinds of patience

>> Wealth and poverty

>> Faith

>> Momin

>> Perfection

>> Heresy

>> Seven things of the devil

>> Generosity

>> Tauhid

>> Justice

>> Broadmindedness

>> Wealth and health

>> Two types of subsistence

>> Truth and falsehood

>> Things that are the best

>> Things to which nothing is better

>> Success and failure

>> Person doomed to ignominy

>> Three friends

>> Three foes

>> Two types of men

>> Greetings and favor

>> Humiliation

>> Two hungry persons

>> Miser

>> Offshoots of patience

>> Miserliness, patience, piety and cowardice

>> The greatest and the vilest

>> Companies to be avoided

>> Two things to be afraid of

>> The worst enemies

>> Things that are worse

87. Political Thought of Ali

>> Ali as political thinker

>> State and Government

>> Caplih

>> The people

>> Taxation

>> Functionaries of the State

>> Foreign policy

88. Ali's concept of God

>> Ali's concept of God

>> When did God exist

>> Protection of God

>> Counsels of All with reference to God

>> Ali's prayer to God

89. Ali on the Life of the World

>> Life in this world, and Life in the world Hereafter

>> Evil of the world

>> The World and the Hereafter

>> Transitory character of the World

90. Anecdotes of Ali

>> He decried flattery

>> He denounced praise

>> He would carry his own burden

>> He did not want the people to follow in his retinue

>> He prayed for patience to bear suffering

>> His complaint against his people

>> He rode on a mule instead of a horse

>> He would never turn his back to the enemy

>> He would not seek a concession

>> He preferred his slave to himself

>> He had no ambition for the caliphate

>> He freed the slave who did not respond to his call

>> He saw God with inward eyes

>> He lost consciousness while praying

>> He would not pay the enemy in its own coin

>> He preferred his men to himself

>> Two wrongs cannot make a right

>> He was dispirited because he had no guest

>> He wore dress of coarse cloth

>> He wanted to travel light

>> He would not break open the lock of the shop of God

>> He was not afraid of death

>> He did not care for the booty

>> He would not own the treasure in the land that he had purchased

>> He undertook to clear the debt of a dead Muslim

>> He would not accept the allegiance from whom he had released

>> He did not believe in the prognostication of the astrologer

>> He would take no precaution to protect himself

>> People stood in the way of his right

>> Spacious house

>> Renunciation, not the way of Islam

>> Hosting dinner

>> He could still wield the sword

91. Similes of Ali

>> Similes of Ali

>> The world

>> Falsehood

>> The unbelievers

>> The people who did not respond to his call

>> The tree and the fruit

>> The people of Basra

>> People of the age of ignorance

>> The people of Kufa

>> Mughira b Shu'aba

>> The people who run after the world

>> The people who are not deceived by the world

>> Ali's complaint against the Umayyads

>> Falsehood of Muawiyah

>> Shedding of Sins through prayer

>> Cleanliness and prayers

>> Crumbs after the meals

>> The people who did not respond to his call

>> Heart of the people

>> Ignorant persons

>> Ashas b Qais

>> Patience and faith

>> Disease and sins

>> Death of the virtuous

>> Days of life

>> Devotion to the world

>> Seekers of the world

>> Virtue of silence

>> Thirsty camels on a water pond

>> The caliphate of Umar

>> Umayyad use of the Baitul Mal

>> Withholdiog the milk of the she camel from its young one

>> Handle of the grinding stone

>> The simile of a sinner

>> Drops of rain

>> The summer clouds

>> Goat and the lion

>> Taking the thorn out of the foot with a thorn

>> Solution of the salt in water

>> Bull with crooked horns

>> Shaking of Plants

>> Pregnant women separated from the child

>> Household of the Holy Prophet

>> Foaming waves of the Holy Prophet

92. Sayings of Ali

>> His Sayings

93. Assessment of Ali by Eminent Muslims

>> Abdullah b Masud

>> Abu Saeed Khudri

>> Imam Hanbal

>> Ibn Athir

>> Darema

>> Ibn Nadim

>> Umar b Abdul Aziz

>> Masudi

>> Shah Wali Ullah

>> Syed Amir Ali

>> Ata Mohyuddin

>> Allama Iqbal

94. Assessment of Ali by Western Scholars

>> Philip Hitti

>> Sir William Muir

>> Charles Mills

>> Professor Nicholson

>> John J. Pool

>> Edward Gibbon

>> Thomas Carlyle

>> Dr. Heary Stubbe

>> Major Price

>> J. J. Saunders

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