A
Figure of Shia Islam
Ali — the appointed.
At Ghadir Khumm, Shia Islam holds, the Prophet raised Ali's hand and settled the succession — everything since follows from that afternoon.
Names & titlesAli ibn Abi Talib
DomainFirst Imam — the Prophet's cousin, son-in-law, and rightful heir
Depicted asThe lion of God; the double-bladed sword Zulfiqar
StandingThe hinge of the split: leadership belongs to the Prophet's house
Understanding it — context, not catechism: how this passage is held
Ali is honored by all Muslims — Sunnis count him the fourth rightly-guided caliph — and the disagreement is over whether that honor amounts to designated succession. Shia tradition holds a vast body of his sermons and letters (Nahj al-Balagha) that is read as literature and ethics well beyond Shia circles. He was assassinated at prayer in Kufa in 661, and his shrine at Najaf is one of Shia Islam's two great centers of learning.
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