Ijtihad Network Being Wise and Faithful Muslim in the Contemporary World
Ali ibn Abi Talib is arguably the single most important spiritual and intellectual authority in Islam after Prophet Mohammad. Through his teachings and leadership as fourth caliph, Ali nourished Islam. But Muslims are divided on whether he was supposed to be Mohammad’s political successor—and he continues to be a polarizing figure in Islamic history.
Hassan Abbas provides a nuanced, compelling portrait of this towering yet divisive figure and the origins of sectarian division within Islam. Abbas reveals how, after Mohammad, Ali assumed the spiritual mantle of Islam to spearhead the movement that the prophet had led. While Ali’s teachings about wisdom, justice, and selflessness continue to be cherished by both Shia and Sunni Muslims, his pluralist ideas have been buried under sectarian agendas and power politics. Today, Abbas argues, Ali’s legacy and message stands against that of ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and Taliban.
About the Author
Hassan Abbas, Senior Adviser at the Project on Shi’ism and Global Affairs and Distinguished Professor of International Relations at the Near East South Asia Strategic Studies Centre (NESA), provides a nuanced, compelling portrait of Ali ibn Abi Talib and the origins of sectarian division within Islam. Abbas reveals how, after Mohammad, Ali assumed the spiritual mantle of Islam to spearhead the movement that the Prophet had led. While Ali’s teachings about wisdom, justice, and selflessness continue to be cherished by both Shia and Sunni Muslims, his pluralist ideas have been buried under sectarian agendas and power politics.
Table of Contents
Introduction
The early and struggling years of Islam
The Raise of Ali
The Prophet’s Farewell and Delegating Spritual Gardianship
The succession Politics and Imperial Islam
Ali as the Fourth Caliph of Islam
The Legacy of Ali
Conclusion: Ali and the Future of Islam
Bibliographic Information
Title: The Prophet’s Heir: The Life of Ali ibn Abi Talib
Author(s): Hassan Abbas
Publisher: Yale University Press
Language: English
Length: 256 pages
ISBN: 978-0300229455
Pub. Date: March 16, 2021
