Al ibn Ab lib (Arabic: ;Transliteration: Al ibn Ab lib, [ali ibn bi tlib]; 13 Rajab, 24 BH21 Raman, 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 January 27, 661). His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam. Sunni Muslims consider Ali the fourth and final of the Rashidun (rightly guided Caliphs), while Shia Muslims regard Ali as the first Imam and consider him and his descendants the rightful successors to Muhammad, all of which are members of the Ahl al-Bayt, the household of Muhammad. This disagreement split the Ummah (Muslim community) into the Sunni and Shia branches. Muslim sources, especially Shia ones, state that during Muhammad's time, Ali was the only person born in the Kaaba sanctuary in Mecca, the holiest place in Islam. His father was Abu Talib and his mother was...
