علي بن أبي طالب
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib
Person
The Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, and the fourth of the rightly guided caliphs.
What it means
Ali was raised in the Prophet’s household, married his daughter Fatima, and was among the first to accept Islam. He was a leading warrior and a respected judge, and became caliph in 656 after Uthman’s murder. His reign was troubled by civil war and he was killed by a Kharijite in 661.
What the sources say
Both hold that the Prophet said “whoever I am his protector, Ali is his protector” (al-Tirmidhi), and differ on what it means. The sayings attributed to him in the Nahj al-Balagha are widely admired, though their attribution is debated.