This short biography of our 1st Imam, Hazrat Ali Ibne Abu Talib (a.s.) was written essentially as part of a course-work for those who have registered themselves as students of the correspondence course offered by the Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania.The overall concern for writing this unit has been to provide brief notes on the main aspects of the life-history of our 1st Imam for the young readers who, for the first time, have been introduced to the formal study of this great personality in history. In no way therefore should this work be regarded as comprehensive or complete.As a matter of fact, because this unit was prepared in a short time, it is possible that several corrections may become needful - in future.

The life and legacy of one of Mohammad’s closest confidants and Islam’s patron saint: Ali ibn Abi Talib 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.