The Prophet's Heir: The Life of Ali ibn Abi Talib - Interview with Hassan Abbas
Channel: Project on Shi'ism and Global Affairs, Harvard
Date: 2021-07-25

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, Distinguished Professor of International Relations at the Near East South Asia Strategic Studies Centre (NESA), provides a nuanced, compelling portrait of Ali ibn Abi Talib 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.

For more on "The Prophet's Heir: The Life of Ali ibn Abi Talib" click the following link: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300229455/prophets-heir.

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