Ali, Imam of the Pious - Part Two

Author: Abdul Rahman Al-Sharqawi

With his charming and wonderful narrative style, Al-Sharqawi concluded the first part of this enjoyable book with the caliphate being established for Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), except for Syria, which Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan independently controlled. Muawiyah refused to pledge allegiance to Ali as the Caliph of the Muslims, demanding retribution for the killers of Uthman, but in reality, he was coveting kingship and the caliphate…!! In this part of the book, the author discusses the events that followed the killing of Uthman ibn Affan and the correspondence between Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah honor him) and Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan. He also elaborately explains the difference between Ali's state in Kufa and Muawiyah's state in Syria, and how that era was one of the worst in Islamic history. He describes how Muawiyah, thanks to the unity and obedience of his men and army, launched attacks on Anbar, Yemen, and Medina, and how rivers of innocent Muslim blood were shed. The author also tried to highlight the suffering of the Imam (may Allah honor him) in his later days due to the abandonment of the men of Kufa, who failed to support him despite him being in the right, and their failure even to defend their own lands. Here lies the importance of this book, as it sheds light on a dark and mysterious period of Islamic history, explaining it in a different style with convincing proofs and evidence.