Shab-e-Zarbat (19th of Mah e Ramzan) or Night of attack on Imam Ali (as) at Kufa Mosque

Shab-e-Zarbat (19^th of Mah e Ramzan) or Night of attack on Imam Ali (as) at Kufa Mosque

The commander of faithful, the father of eloquence, the caretaker of the orphans, the shelter of the needy and the perfect of all humans after Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw). Born in the House of Allah, Holy Kaaba, and martryed in the House of Allah, Masjid-e-Kufa. He died on the 21^st day of Ramadan 40 A.H. and buried in Najaf al-Ashraf (Iraq).

On the eve of the martyrdom of Imam Ali (as) we take this opportunity to extend our heartiest condolences to Imam of the time, Imam Mahdi (as) and the Muslim world. Oh Allah (SWT) help us live the life of Imam Ali (as)!

Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) had prophesied his departure from this world several days before hand, and on the day of his martyrdom he mysteriously desired his sons Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain (as) to offer their morning prayers in the house and not to accompany him as they usually did to the mosque of Kufa. When Imam Ali (as) was leaving his abode, the household birds began making a great noise and when one of Imam Ali's servants attempted to quieted them, Imam Ali (as) said, "Leave them alone, for their cries are only lamentations foreboding my death."

On the 19^th of the month of Holy Ramadan (Mah e Ramzan) of the year 40 A.H, Imam Ali (pbuh) came to the mosque in Kufa for his morning prayers. Imam Ali (pbuh) gave the call for prayer (Azaan) and became engaged in leading the congregation. Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam pretending to pray, stood just behind Imam Ali (pbuh), and when Imam Ali (pbuh) was in a state of prostration, Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam dealt a heavy stroke with his sword, inflicting a deep wound on Imam Ali's (pbuh) head.

This was the time when Imam Ali (as) uttered his famous words : "Fuzto warab-il-Kaaba" - "By the Rab of Kaaba, I am successful".

Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had prophesied the assassination of Imam Ali (pbuh) and his issues. Regarding Imam Ali (pbuh) Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had said, "O Ali! I see before my eyes thy beard dyed with the blood of thy forehead."

They assassinated Imam Ali (pbuh) at his finest time - the hour of standing before Allah, the Exalted, during a prayer of submission, in the best of days, while fasting during the month of Ramadan (Mah e Ramzan); during the most glorious Islamic duties, while preparing to wage jihad, and in the highest and most pure divine places, the Mosque of Kufa.

May joy be to Amir al-Muminin Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (pbuh) and a blessed afterlife!

The crime of assassinating Imam Ali (pbuh) remains one of the most cruel, brutal and hideous, because it was not committed against one man, but against the whole rational Islamic leadership. By assassinating Imam Ali (pbuh), they actually aimed at assassinating the message, the history, the culture and the nation of Muslims embodied in the person of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (pbuh). In doing so, the Islamic nation lost its guide of progress, and at the most wondrous opportunity in its life after the Holy Prophet (pbuh).

Imam Ali (pbuh) suffered from his wound for three days, and He (pbuh) passed away on 21^st of the month of Ramadan (Mah e Ramzan) at an age of 63 years.

During these three days, he (pbuh) entrusted his son, Imam Hasan (pbuh) with the Imamate of guiding the nation ideologically and socially. During those three days, as during all his life, he never ceased remembering Allah, praising Him, and accepting Him and His ordinance.

Likewise, he continued giving pieces of advice and directions leading to good, pointing to the right, defining the way to guidance, explaining the course for deliverance, calling for the observance of Allah's ordinances, and warning against following one's ill desires and set-backs from not carrying out the divine message.

The following is one piece of advice offered to his sons, Imam Hasan (pbuh) and Imam Hussain (pbuh), as well as to his people, the nation and coming generations:

"I advise you to fear Allah, and not to run after (the pleasure of) the world, even if it may run after you. Do not be sorry for anything from it which you have been denied. Say the truth and act for (Allah's) reward. Be an enemy of the oppressor, and be a helper of the oppressed."

"I advise you, my children, my household and all those who may receive my message, to fear Allah, to arrange your affairs well, to maintain good relations among yourselves, for I have heard your grandfather (pbuh) saying: 'Good relations are better than prayer and fasting in general.'"

"(Fear) Allah when handling matters of orphans. Do not let them starve, nor allow them to be lost as long as you are there."

"(Fear) Allah in respect to your neighbors, for they were the trust of your Prophet (pbuh). He went on asking us to take care of them, so much that we thought he would make them heirs (of our heritage)."

"(Fear) Allah in respect to the Holy Quran, (take care that) no one may excel you in following its tenets."

"(Fear) Allah in respect to prayer, as it is the pillar of your religion."

"(Fear) Allah in respect to your Lord's House (Kaaba), do not forsake it so long as you live, because if you do you will not be looked upon with respect."

"(Fear) Allah in respect to Jihad, fight with your wealth, your lives and your tongues, in the way of Allah."

"Have mutual liaison and give-and-take. Beware of turning your faces from, and of renouncing, one another. Do not abandon bidding good and forbidding evil, lest vicious people may overrule you, and then in such a case, your invocations will not be responded to (by Allah)."

Then he said: "O, Banu Abdul Muttalib, certainly I do not want you to wade through the blood of the Muslims, crying: Amir al-Muminin was murdered. You certainly kill for me no one but my killer."

"Wait till I die by this stroke of him (Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam), then strike a single stroke against him, and do not disfigure his body, for I had heard the Holy Prophet (pbuh) saying: 'Avoid mayhem even with a rabid dog.'"

Such was the heroic end of this great man! The loss to the Mission and the nation was the gravest after the loss of the Holy Prophet (pbuh).

By the death of Imam Ali (pbuh) the nation lost:

A heroism that had become the song of the time;

A courageous history that has never dreamt of its like;

A wisdom no one can fathom, save Allah;

A purity, the like of which was only in the prophets;

An abstinence from the pleasures of life that could be attained only by the nearest to Allah;

An eloquence such as to be the echo of Book; and

A jurisprudence, and a thorough knowledge of the laws of religion, that made him the 'gateway of the city' of the Prophet's knowledge, and the authority to whom the Islamic nation referred in all its affairs.

Peace be upon Amir al-Muminin the day he was born, the day he was martyred on his altar, and the day he shall be raised alive.

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

15 Ramadan, Birthday of Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba (A.S.W)

15 Ramadan, Birthday of Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba (PBUH)

Name : Hassan (a.s.) - the 2nd Holy Imam

Title : al-Mujtaba

Agnomen : Abul-Mohammad

Father : Imam Ali(a.s.) - the 1st Holy Imam

Mother : Mistress of the women of the world, Lady Fatima Az-Zahra(s.a.) bint-e-Mohammad Rasool-Allah(pbuh&hf)

Birth :

At Madina on 15th of Ramzan 3 AH (624 AD) First Important Joyous occassion in the household of the Prophet !

His Birth and blessings

The 2nd Imam after Imam Ali(a.s.) was his son Imam Hassan(a.s.), the son of the leader of the women of the worlds, Bibi Fatima(s.a.), daughter of Prophet Muhammad(pbuh&hf). Imam Hassan(a.s.)'s kunya was Abu Muhammad. He was born in Medina, on the night of the 15th day of Ramadan, three years after the hijra (624 AD).

When Imam Hassan(a.s.) was born, the Prophet(pbuh&hf) took him and said the adhan (call to prayer) in his right ear, and said the iqama (words similar to the adhan) in his left ear. Then he sacrificed a ram for him (in the ceremony of aqiqa). Then he shaved his hair. He (i.e., the Prophet (pbuh&hf)) gave silver equal to his hair. So the weight of Imam Hassan(a.s.)'s hair was a dirham and some of silver. Then he ordered his hair to perfumed. So the aqiqa and giving alms as equal as the weight of hair have become Sunna (an act of the Prophet(pbuh&hf)).

Bibi Fatima(s.a.) brought her two sons, Imam Hassan(a.s.) and Imam Hussain(a.s.) to the Apostle of God(pbuh&hf) at the time when he was suffering from the sickness from which he died. "Apostle of God," she said, "these are your two (grand) sons. Give them something as an inheritance". "As for Hassan," he replied, "he has my form and my nobility. As for Hussain, he has my generosity and my bravery."

The Birth Anniversary of Imam Hassan ibn Ali, al-Mujtaba (A.S)

The Birth Anniversary of Imam Hassan ibn Ali, al-Mujtaba (A.S)

Name: Hassan
Title: al-Mujtaba
Kunya: Abu Muhammad
Father: Ali ibn Abu Talib (Peace be upon him)
Mother: Fatimah bint Muhammad (Peace be upon them)
Born: 15th Ramadhan, 2 AH/624 CE in Madinah, Hejaz region of the Arabian Peninsula
Died: 7th Safar, 50 AH/670 CE, after being poisoned by his wife, Ja’da.
Age at Martyrdom: 48
Period of Imamate: 9 years
Buried: Baqi’, Madinah, Hejaz region of the Arabian Peninsula

Meet Imam Hassan

“… ‘That is Hassan, son of ‘Ali…’ they told me. My heart became filled with hatred. I envied ‘Ali for having a son like that. I headed toward him and said, ‘Are you the son of ‘Ali…?’ He responded, ‘I am his son.’ I then started to curse him and his father…”

These were the words of a traveler to the City of the Prophet – Madinah – upon seeing the saintly, handsome, and well-dressed Imam Hassan. Propaganda and blatant lies in the traveler’s country of origin had led him to view Imam ‘Ali and his family in a terribly negative light.

The traveler continued.

“When I finished, he asked me, ‘It seems you are a stranger here…?’

I replied, ‘Yes.’

Then he said, ‘Come on over to our place! If you need a house, we will host you…or money, we will give it to you…or if you have another need, we will assist you…’

After hearing this, there was no one on the face of the earth more beloved to me than him. Every time I think back to what he did and what I did, I am grateful to him and feel embarrassed about how I acted.”[i]

The traveler’s encounter with Imam Hassan gives us a snapshot of this Imam’s forbearance, clemency and charity. The life of this second, Divinely-selected Imam is fragrant with profound wisdom, valor and foresight. In Imam Hassan’s every decision, the advancement of principle was paramount.

The Second Imam

Imam Hassan was the older son of Imam ‘Ali and Lady Fatima Zahra’ – the younger son being Imam Hussain. While Imam Hassan was only a boy of about seven years when Prophet Muhammad passed away, the Messenger of God had made a point to recognize Imam Hassan with distinction. In several traditions, Prophet Muhammad is narrated to have said:

“Hassan and Hussain are the Masters of the Youths in Paradise.”[ii]

The Prophet also said:

“All the people of paradise are youths.”[iii]

In other words, Imam Hassan is a leader among the inhabitants of paradise. Through such narrations, Prophet Muhammad was hinting at – or rather heralding – the grand qualities which Imam Hassan would manifest. Imam Hassan would be the most qualified individual for the Divinely-appointed post of Imam after his father Imam ‘Ali.

Imam Hassan lived with his father for about thirty years after the Prophet’s passing. During Imam ‘Ali’s political leadership, Imam Hassan supported the establishment of justice with sacrifice and relentless effort. Before Imam ‘Ali was martyred, he said:

“My son, the Messenger of God had commanded me to have you carry out my will (as successor), and turn my books and weapon over to you – just as he had me carry out his will (as successor) and turned his books and weapon over to me…”i

And so Imam Hassan carried on as both the spiritual and political leader, in the midst of threats and conspiracies far and wide. Mu’awiyah, the leader of the misinformation, hate, and, not to mention, military campaigns against Imam ‘Ali was now focused on Imam Hassan.[iv]

Ceasefire with Mu’awiyah

Imam Hassan’s army was not in the state to fight another war. Different groups within the military were divided on their loyalties. Some fought alongside Imam Hassan simply because he opposed Mu’awiyah – they felt little devotion to Imam Hassan in any case. Others were Imam Hassan’s supporters out of blind loyalty to their tribal chiefs which had pledged allegiance to the Imam. Then there were the few who followed Imam Hassan with the awareness that he was the true successor to Prophet Muhammad.[v]

But the vast majority of Imam Hassan’s military did not have the will and determination to mend the wrongs enacted by Mu’awiyah. Indeed, at one point, one of the officers appointed by Imam Hassan led a division of 12,000 troops. Soon after, Imam Hassan received news that this officer had been bribed and turned over – along with 8,000 troops – to Mu’awiyah’s camp.[vi]

Imam Hassan was left with a military of shaken morale, subsequent betrayals within his own camp, and a ruthless enemy waiting to take advantage of the situation. Imam Hassan knew that the best way to preserve the message of Prophet Muhammad and minimize the loss of life was by agreeing to a treaty with Mu’awiyah. When Imam Hassan was questioned about his decision, he said,

“By God, I have not submitted the authority to him (Mu’awiyah). However, I have not found supporters. If I had supporters, I would have fought him day and night until God judges between us. But I knew the people of Kufah (the governing city at the time) and their predicament. The corrupt among them would not reform – they had no loyalty or responsibility in words or actions… They say that their hearts are with us, but, indeed, their swords are turned against us!”[vii]

Some key terms of the treaty were as follows:

1. Mu’awiyah would hold political authority, on the condition that he acts in accordance with the Book of God and the Prophetic Tradition.
2. Imam Hassan would resume political authority after Mu’awiyah. If anything happened to Imam Hassan, Imam Hussaisn would assume political authority, and Mu’awiyah had no right to appoint anyone.
3. Cursing Imam ‘Ali and supplication against him in prayers would have to stop. Only good would be mentioned regarding Imam ‘Ali.
4. Money in the treasury would be distributed among the children of those men who were martyred while fighting alongside Imam ‘Ali in different battles against Mu’awiyah and other enemies.
5. People were to be safe, no matter where they were in Syria, Iraq, Hejaz, or Yemen. Mu’awiyah would not persecute others – including the followers of Imam ‘Ali – based on past conflicts.

Mu’awiyah wrote down these terms himself and sealed the document. He swore to abide by it in front of all the chiefs in his region. But he did not abide by it. Mu’awiyah said in front of a crowd in Kufah:

“Indeed, every condition and thing that I yielded to Hasan, the son of ‘Ali, is beneath these two feet of mine!”[viii]

Groundwork for a Revival

Mu’awiyah proceeded with a policy of terrorism and persecution against anyone who outwardly affiliated with Imam ‘Ali’s family. Ironically, it was only after seeing the ugliness of Mu’awiyah’s rule that many citizens awakened to the righteous demands for justice which Imam Hassan had called for. Imam Hassan’s wise decisions were giving way for a mass revival, which would culminate years later.[ix]

It was not long, however, before the worry over Imam Hassan became unbearable to Mu’awiyah. Mu’awiyah was able to bribe Imam Hasan’s wife to poison him. At the age of 48, the noble Imam Hassan was buried in the Baqi’ cemetery of Madinah.[x]

As the second immaculate Imam, Imam Hassan’s character and decisions demand our deep contemplation. Let us consider these thoughts in the spirit through which Imam Hassan encouraged reflection upon the Book of God:

“…and be mindful of it, if you hear it – a mindfulness of comprehension…and do not be mindful of it with the mindfulness of pure narration. Indeed, those who narrate the Book are many, those who comprehend the Book are few, and God is the Helper.”[xi]

Assassination of Ali A,S

Assassination of Ali A,S

Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth Rashidun caliph and first Shia Imam, was assassinated by the Kharijite Ibn Muljam Backed by Muawiyah on 26 January 661 while praying at the Great Mosque of Kufa in present-day Iraq. Ali, who was then 62 or 63 years of age, died due to his injuries two days after Ibn Muljam struck him on his head by a poison-coated sword, on the 21 (or 19) Ramadan 40 AH (28 January 661 CE). He was the third successive caliph, after Umarand Uthman, to be assassinated.

Ali became the caliph after the assassination of Uthman in 656. However he faced opposition from some factions including the Levant governor, Muawiyah I. A civil war, called the First Fitna, took place within the early Islamic state which resulted in the overthrow of the Rashidun caliphs and the establishment of the Umayyad dynasty. It began when the caliph Uthman ibn Affan was assassinated in 656 and continued through the four-year reign of Ali. After Ali agreed to arbitration with Muawiyah I following the Battle of Siffin (657), a revolt happened against him by some members of his army, later known as Kharijites("those who leave"). They killed some of Ali's supporters, but they were crushed by Ali's forces at the Battle of Nahrawan in July 658.

Ibn Muljam met up with two other Kharijites namely al-Burak ibn Abd Allah and Amr ibn Bakr al-Tamimi at Mecca, and concluded that the situation of the Muslims at the time was due to the errors of Ali, Muawiah and Amr ibn Aas, governor of Egypt. They decided to kill the three in order to resolve the "deplorable situation" of their time and also avenge their companions killed at Nahrawan. Aiming to kill Ali, Ibn Muljam headed toward Kufa where he fell in love with a woman whose brother and father had died at Nahrawan. She agreed to marry him if only he could kill Ali. Consequently, Ali was stabbed by Ibn Muljam at the Great Mosque of Kufa. After Ali's death, Ibn Muljam was executed in retaliation by Hasan ibn Ali.


Events leading to Ali's assassination trace back to the death of Muhammad, prophet of Islam, where the community of Muslims disputed over his succession as the leader of Ummah. The assembly at the Saqifat Bani Saida gave allegiance to Abu Bakr as the caliph. While Sunni Muslims believed that Muhammad had not selected a successor, Shia Muslims believed that Ali was appointed as Muhmmad's successor by God referring to the event of Ghadir Khumm. Abu Bakr was succeeded by Umar, who was murdered in 644. After Umar's death, Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad, and Uthman were contenders for the post. Uthman was elected as caliph by an election council. Ali became the caliph after the assassination of Uthman in 656.

Ali's caliphate was coincident with First Fitna. Though Ali was elected as the fourth Rashidun (the "rightly guided") caliph five days after Uthman's death, he faced opposition during his rule. On one hand, A'isha, Talhah and Al-Zubayr revolted against him in Meccaand on the other hand Muawiyah I, the Umayyad governor of Levant, refused to pledge allegiance to him as the new caliph. Therefore, a civil war about succession to the office of the caliphate took place. Ali's opponents asked the killers of Uthman should be punished. Ali, first emerged victorious at the Battle of Camel in 656, against an army primarily led by Muhammad's wife Aisha and other sahaba. Then, Ali also fought the Battle of Siffin in 657 against Muawiyah. The battle ended in a stalemate with Ali entering into arbitration with Muawiyah.

A group of Ali's army, later known as Kharijites or Khawarij ("those who leave"), opposed against arbitration after the battle of Siffin, when he accepted arbitration with Mu'awiya. They opposed to human judgement in the matter of religion and used "Judgment belongs to God alone," as their slogan. In 658 they violated their oath of allegiance, revolted and openly threatened to kill any Muslim who would not join them. Ali defeated them at the Battle of Nahrawan. The killing of the Kharijites was "the most problematic event" during Ali's caliphate, because they had been among his most vigorous allies in the war against Muawiah.

Ibn Muljam along with two other men, namely al-Burak ibn Abd Allah and Amr ibn Bakr al-Tamimi, all considered as belonging to Kinda, met at Mecca and had a long discussion after the pilgrimage ceremony. They concluded that the situation of Muslims at the time was due to Ali, Muʿawiya and Amr ibn al-Aas, "whom they regarded as being in error", and swore to kill them to also "avenge their companion's massacred at al-Nahrawan." They arranged the date of assassination and each of them chose his victim.

Ali's prediction of his fate

Two types of traditions exist regarding Ali's awareness of his fate long before the assassination. This foreknowledge was through his own "premonition of it" or by Muhammad. Based on numerous traditions, Ali's beard staining with "blood flowing from his head" had been revealed by Muhammad or Ali. Another set of traditions by Muhammad says that "the most evil man among the ancients was he who had killed the camel of the prophet Salih and among his contemporaries, he who would kill Ali." The night of the assassination, Ali said that his fate was about to come true, and when he left home in the morning, "geese followed him, cackling" weeping for his funeral, as he said later.

Assassination

Ali was assassinated by Ibn Muljam, a Kharijite from Egypt. Ibn Muljam was of Himyar paternally, but was counted among the Murad due to his maternal kinship, and allied with the Bani Jabala of Kindah. He had entered Kufa with the aim of killing Ali to avenge the Kharijite leaders at Al-Nahrawan.

In Kufa, he encountered a group of people from Taym al-Ribab tribe who were mourning ten of their tribemates killed at Nahrawan by Ali's army. Among them was a woman named Quttaam. According to cleric Ali al-Sallabi, on seeing Quttaam, he "lost his senses" and "forgot the assignment" for which he was roaming, and proposed to her. Quttaam said that she would marry him if he could "heal" her by giving her three thousand dinars, a chanteuse, a male slave and the death of Ali. Quttaam wanted revenge too as her father and brother had been killed by Ali's forces at Al-Nahrawan. Ibn Muljam persuaded a man called Shubayb to assist him in killing Ali. Besides Shablb ibn Bujra, Wardan ibn al-Mujalid also were Ibn Muljam's accomplice. The conspirators stationed themselves opposite the door from which Ali would enter the Mosque.

On Friday, 19 (or 17) Ramadan, Ali entered Kufa mosque to perform the morning prayer. Ibn Muljam wounded Ali on the "crown of his head" by a poisoned sword after Ali had recited verses from the Sura al-Anbiya as part of the worship, or when he was entering the mosque. Shablb's sword did not hit Ali and instead "hit the wooden frame of the door or the arch." He fled and was caught near the gates of Kinda by 'Uwaymir', but could finally escape through the crowd. Wardan ran away to his home and was killed there by a relative, "'Abd Allah b. Najaba b. Ubayd, after confessing his involvement." Ibn Muljam was caught by the Hashimite al-Mughlra ibn Nawfal ibn al-Harith.

Ali ordered that if he died from the wound, Ibn Muljam had to be executed in retaliation. Ali died two days later on 21 Ramadan 40/30 January 661 (or 19 Ramadan 40/28 January 661) at the age of 62 or 63, and Ibn Muljam was killed in retaliation (Qisas) by Hasan ibn Ali, in accordance with Ali's instruction.

Role of Al-Ash'ath ibn Qays

Al-Ash'ath ibn Qays was the chief of Kindah tribe in Kufa. According to Wilferd Madelung, in the final years of Ali's reign he had tendency towards Muawiah and received letter including offers of money from him to show reluctance about Ali's campaign against Muawiah. Some sources have accused al-Ash'ath of being informed of the plot of the assassination of Ali. According to al-Yaqubi, Ibn Muljam was hosted by al-Ash'ath for a month when Ibn Muljam had been preparing his sword. Another report by Ibn Sa'd says that al-Ash'ath stayed the night of the killing at mosque counseling Ibn Muljam and that al-Ash'ath signaled the time of attempting the assassination by saying "the morning has smiled." The majority of the sources narrates an ambiguous phrase from Al-Ash'ath:"the dawn has risen for thee" and those who has Shia tendency give it as a clear encouragement to Ibn Muljam: "Deliverance, deliverance! The dawn has risen for thee." After assassination, Hujr ibn 'Adi accused him for Ali's murder. There is even a report which says he warned Ali about Ibn Muljam. According to Laura Veccia Vaglieri, the sources narrate different reports which vary from outright accusation to a suspicion of complicity and even to an act of loyalty.

However Al-Sallabi believes that these accusations against al-Ash'ath seem baseless as he was a loyalist and was against Kharijites from the time they first appeared and fought them at Nahrawan. He was also the first one to fight against the people of Syria in the battle for the water. Moreover, he believes there exists no narration from the family of Ali ibn Abi Talib supporting these accusations against al-Ash'ath, neither his family did not discuss it with any member of al-Ash'ath's family. After Ali was injured by Ibn Muljam, al-Ashʿath sent his son to determine Ali's condition, his words suggesting that he knew Ali would not survive.

Burial

Ali's body was washed by his sons, Hasan, Husayn, Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah and one of his nephew, Abdullah ibn Ja'far. Then he was secretly buried by them and 'Ubaydullah ibn Al-Abbas, since it was feared that his body would be "exhumed and profaned".Some sources claim Ali was buried at the Imam Ali Mosque at Najaf in present-day Iraq, while others, usually Afghans, say he was buried at the Rawze-e-Sharif in the Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif. Ali's death is commemorated by Shia Muslims every year.

Aftermath

According to Wilferd Madelung, a small minority of people were convinced that "he was the best of Muslims after the Prophet and the only one entitled to rule them," and after Ali's death people were divided regarding their view toward him. "Distrust of, and opposition to, Mu'awiya and his Syrian cohorts" was what united the majority. Ali's admirers then turned into majority due to "highhandedness, misrule and repression" of Umayyad.

After Ali's death, the Shias of Iraq declared Ali's eldest son Hasan the successor to Ali, thus proclaiming him as their new caliph. However, Hasan was not interested in becoming caliph, and to prevent further bloodshed, he signed the Hasan–Muawiya treaty and abdicated in favor of Muawiyah, who became the first caliph of the Umayyad caliphate. Muawiyah died in Medina at the age of forty-five in 669, and was succeeded by Yazid I in 61 AH (680 CE) but Hasan's brother Husayn ibn Ali refused to accept Yazid's leadership. After being invited by the Shiites of Iraq in the same year, Husayn started his march to Iraq. However, during their stay at Karbala, his family was massacred by Yazid at the Battle of Karbala on 10 Muharram (10 October) and his death is commemorated by Shia, while remembered by nearly all Muslims every year during Muharram paying tribute to the grandson of Muhammad's grandson and family's brutal assassination.