Imamate and guardianship of Ali ibn Abi Talib or Imamate and Wilayah of Ali ibn Abi Talib refers to the spiritual position of Ali (1st Shia Imam and 4th Caliph of Islam) and his role in teaching the religion truth and establishing Islamic Sharia after Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam. He served as the 1st Shia Imam from 8 June 632 until 28 January 661. He was succeeded by his first son, Hasan ibn Ali.
Ali was born to Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib and Fatima bint Asad, raised by his cousin the Prophet Muhammad, and recognized by both Sunni and Shia sources as the only person born inside the Kaaba. He was a prominent member of the Ahl al-Bayt and Ahl al-Kisa who accepted Islam first, participated in the Event of the mubahala, and served as Muhammad's secretary, deputy, and army flag-bearer. He played a pivotal role in early Islam by risking his life to sleep in Muhammad's bed to fool assassins during the flight to Medina as an act of sacrifice tied to Quran 2:207, later marrying the Prophet’s daughter Fatima, and entering an exclusive pact of brotherhood with Muhammad, who highly praised him in sayings like the Hadith of the position that comparing them to Aaron and Moses. While both sects acknowledge his vital military contributions and several Quranic verses interpreted as honoring him (the verses of Walaya, Laylat al-mabit, and Ikmal ad-Din). On 632 AD, Muhammad declared, "Whoever I am his mawla, then Ali is his mawla." in Ghadir Khumm. Shia Muslims interpret mawla as "master" or "authority," viewing the event as Ali's formal appointment as Muhammad's successor.
During Muhammad's time Ali is a prominent member of the Ahl al-Bayt and Ahl al-Kisa, and a participant in the Event of the mubahala. Born to Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib and Fatima bint Asad, Ali was raised in the house of his cousin Muhammad and was among the first to accept Islam. Both Shia and Sunni sources report that Ali was the only person born inside the Kaaba, the holiest site in Islam. Several verses of the Quran have been interpreted in Shia Islam as referring to Ali, with some of these interpretations also appearing in the works of Sunni commentators. They include the Verse of walaya, the Verse of Laylat al-mabit, and the Verse of Ikmal ad-Din. Numerous sayings of Muhammad highly praise Ali, including the Hadith of the Position, in which Muhammad compares the position of Ali to himself with the position of Aaron to Moses. Ali played a pivotal role in the early years of Islam when Muslims were severely persecuted in Mecca. He slept in Muhammad's bed, pretending to be Muhammad so that the assassins who had gathered outside the prophet's house would believe that he was still there. This allowed Muhammad to leave Mecca safely and begin his immigration to Medina. The event has been referred to in Quran 2:207, which both Shia and Sunni sources interpret as referring to Ali's willingness to sacrifice himself for Muhammad.
After Muhammad's immigration, the prophet gave his beloved daughter Fatima to Ali in marriage and swore a pact of brotherhood with him, a distinction he granted to no one else but Ali. He participated in nearly all of Muhammad's battles against the polytheists and served as the prophet's secretary and deputy, as well as the flag-bearer of his army. A pivotal event took place in 632 at Ghadir Khumm, where Muhammad, shortly before his death, took Ali by the hand and delivered a speech in which he said "Whoever I am his mawla, then Ali is his mawla." The word mawla has several meanings depending on the context, including master, protector, ally, supporter, and one with authority. In Shia Islam, it is understood as Muhammad's formal designation of Ali as his successor. Sunni Islam also accepts that the event of Ghadir Khumm took place and that Muhammad made the statement about Ali. However, Sunnis interpret the word mawla in this context as referring to a close associate, friend, supporter, or one deserving loyalty and affection. Therefore, they regard the declaration as a simple affirmation of Muhammad's esteem for Ali, minimizing the event’s importance.
Saqifa and Sunni views of Ali's Imamate Regarding the succession of Ali, historians and scholars of Islamic history have generally either accepted the view of the Sunnis or rejected the truth of the matter as undiscoverable. One of the historians who has deviated from this common tradition is Wilferd Madelung. In the Encyclopaedia of Islam, Wilferd Madelung considers the main Shiite claims to be Ali's own view because he believes that Ali considered himself the most worthy person for the caliphate compared to other companions, and blamed the entire Muslim community for turning away from him, but at the same time Ali praised Abu Bakr and Umar as caliphs and condemned the destruction of their character. Madelung believes that since in the Arab customs of the time, especially the Quraysh tribe, hereditary succession was common, and the Quran emphasized the importance of blood ties between the prophets, especially the Ahl al-Bayt, and that the Ansar supported Ali's caliphate, Abu Bakr knew that a council would be formed and it leads to the election of Ali as the caliph, and for this reason he led the political currents in a calculated way to become the caliph himself. On the other hand, Laura Veccia Vaglieri in the Encyclopaedia of Islam doubt that Ali really hoped to succeed the Prophet, because the Arabs traditionally chose their leader from among the bearded ones, and Ali was only a little over thirty years old at that time and he did not have the necessary credentials to succeed Muhammad according to Arab tradition; Vaglieri believes that the Shiites, by narrating or interpreting the words attributed to Muhammad, insist that the Prophet intended to choose Ali as his successor, while there is no doubt that at the time of his last illness, Muhammad did not comment on his successor.
Wilferd Madelung writes that Ali could not have hoped to become caliph because of kinship with Muhammad; Because the Quraysh did not support the gathering of a prophet and a caliphate in one tribe. Madelung believes that this is not of the type of "coup d'etat carried out by Abu Bakr and Umar" in Saqifa incident, but stems from the deep jealousy of the Quraysh towards Ali; Therefore, Ali's only chance to moderate the affairs of the Muslims could have been his full participation in the council, which was founded by Umar. Ibn Abbas narrates that somewhere Umar told him that Ali was in fact the most worthy person to succeed Muhammad, but we were afraid of him for two reasons. When Ibn Abbas eagerly asks Umar about these two reasons, Umar responds that the first is being young and the second is Ali's great interest in the Banu Hashim family. According to this narration, all the aspirations of Ali and his supporters to establish the caliphate turned into despair. During this answer, Umar refers to the Saqifa incident. In this case, Umar refers to his belief in the formation of the council as the basis for appointing a caliph, and in practice, from now on, denounces any appointment of a caliph without consultation; Thus, the caliphate could not be monopolized by certain tribes and belonged to all the Quraysh branches.
Wilayah and Imamate of Ali in the Quran and Hadith
Verse of walaya
The Verse of Walaya (Quran 5:55) outlines three exclusive sources of authority (walaya) for Muslims, that is Allah, the Prophet Muhammad, and a third entity that divides Islamic thought. While Sunni Muslims generally define walaya as "friendship" or "support" and often identify the third authority as all Muslims, Shia Muslims interpret it as "spiritual authority" and identify the third authority specifically as Ali based on the context of its revelation. Consequently, Shia Islam views this verse as divine proof that Ali was the rightful, immediate successor to Muhammad, whereas Sunni Islam rejects this political succession interpretation while still frequently associating the verse with Ali's high status.
Obedience verse
The Verse of Obedience (Quran 4:59) commands Muslims to absolutely obey God, the Prophet Muhammad, and "those in authority" (uli al-amr), leading to major differences in interpretation between Islamic sects. Sunni Muslims generally identify "those in authority" as Muslim rulers, military commanders, religious scholars, or the early Caliphs Abu Bakr and Umar, viewing their authority as human. In contrast, Twelver Shia Muslims define them exclusively as the infallible Twelve Imams, extending this absolute obedience to the final hidden Mahdi.
Verse of ikmal al-din
The Verse of Ikmal ad-Din (Quran 5:3) states that God has perfected Islam, completed His blessing, and approved it as the religion for Muslims, though sects differ on the exact timing and meaning of this revelation. Shia Muslims are nearly unanimous that it was revealed in 632 CE immediately following the Event of Ghadir Khumm, viewing the perfection of religion as the direct result of Muhammad establishing Ali's spiritual authority (walaya) and designating him as his successor. In contrast, Sunni Muslims chiefly view the verse as being revealed earlier during Muhammad's Farewell Pilgrimage to signal the general completion of Islamic laws and legislation, though some Sunni sources acknowledge the connection to Ghadir Khumm while rejecting any Shia claims of political succession.
Al-tabligh verse
The Verse of Tabligh (Quran 5:67) commands Muhammad to proclaim a vital message under the promise of divine protection from opposition, drawing contrasting interpretations regarding its historical focus. Shia Muslims universally link this verse to the Event of Ghadir Khumm in 632 CE, asserting that Muhammad had delayed announcing Ali's spiritual authority (walaya) out of concern over how certain companions would react, only delivering the historic sermon after this verse guaranteed his safety and warned that failing to do so would invalidate his entire prophetic mission. In contrast, Sunni Muslims offer various alternative contexts for the revelation, such as a general validation of Muhammad’s absolute faithfulness in transmitting all divine revelations or a specific critique regarding Jews and Christians, thereby rejecting the Shia view that the verse serves as a mandate for Ali's political and spiritual succession.
Verse of purification
The Verse of Purification (Quran 33:33) states that Allah desires to remove all defilement from the Ahl al-Bayt (People of the House) and purify them completely, though Islamic sects disagree on who this title includes and its theological meaning. Shia Muslims strictly limit the Ahl al-Bayt to Muhammad, Fatima, Ali, Hasan, Husayn, and the subsequent Twelve Imams, viewing this verse as absolute divine proof of their spiritual infallibility and right to leadership. In contrast, Sunni Muslims hold varied definitions, typically including Muhammad's wives alongside his immediate bloodline, and while most scholars from both sects acknowledge that the surrounding Quranic text contextually addresses the Prophet's wives, Sunnis reject the Shia doctrine of total infallibility and political privileges for these individuals.
Verse of khayr ol-bareyyah
The Ayah of Khayr al-Bariyyah (Quran 98:7) references "the best of creatures," which major Islamic exegesis texts like Al-Mizan and Majma' al-Bayan interpret as a declaration honoring the high spiritual position of Ali and his followers (Shiites).
Verse of mawadda