The competition for caliph would split the faith. After Mohammed died, some thought his favorite son-in-law, Ali, should serve. A supporter of Ali was rendered as Shiaat Ali, which became “Shia.” ...

Read a chronology: 570: The Prophet Muhammad is born. 598: Ali, who will become the fourth caliph and the first Shiite Imam, is born. 610: The year Muslims cite as the beginning of Muhammad's ...

Only after Uthman was assassinated in 656 did Ali become caliph. Ali's brief reign ended when he lost a power struggle to a Syrian named Muawiyah, who moved the seat of the caliphate to Damascus.

Maalik Al-Ashtar went to Talhah and Hukaym Ibn Jabalah contacted Az-Zubayr and both of them were forcibly brought to 'Ali, who told them that he was ready to take Bay'ah at the hands of anyone who had ...

Ali eventually did become caliph after Abu Bakr’s two successors were assassinated. After Ali also was assassinated, with a poison-laced sword at the mosque in Kufa, in what is now Iraq ...

Abu Bakr became the first caliph and Ali became the fourth caliph. However, Ali’s leadership was challenged by Aisha, the prophet’s wife and daughter of Abu Bakr. Aisha and Ali went to battle ...

American troops are engaged in fierce combat with insurgents near Najaf, one of Iraq’s holy cities. Why is Najaf considered so sacred? Because it’s the site of the tomb of Ali, the first imam ...

Ali was murdered in AD 661 and his chief opponent Muawiya became caliph. Caliph Muawiya was later succeeded by his son Yazid, but Ali's son Hussein refused to accept his legitimacy and fighting ...