born 0441; 600, Mecca
died January 661, Al-K 016B; fah, Iraq
Cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad and fourth caliph (656661).
02BD; Al 012B; was a ward of Muhammad, just as Muhammad himself had been a ward of 02BD; Al 012B; 's father, Ab 016B; 1E6C; 0101; lib. An early convert to Islam, he helped foil an assassination plot against Muhammad and, following the Hijrah to Medina (622), fought beside him against his enemies, gaining renown as a soldier. Since some in the early Muslim community claimed that Muhammad did not name any successor and others claimed that he named 02BD; Al 012B; , the controversy over 02BD; Al 012B; 's claim to the caliphate resulted in the fundamental schism in Islam that eventually led to the creation of the Sh 012B; 02BD; ite (from sh 012B; 02BD; at 02BD; Al 012B; , "party of 02BD; Al 012B; ") and Sunnite branches of the religion. His willingness to compromise with his adversaries during the first fitnah led some of his troops to desert and form the Kh 0101; rijite sect, one of whose members later assassinated 02BD; Al 012B; . In later Islamic hagiography, 02BD; Al 012B; was held up as the paradigm of youthful chivalry and virtue by both Sh 012B; 02BD; ites and Sunnites. See also al- Husayn ibn Al 012B; ; Battle of Karbal 0101; ; Mu 0101; wiyah .