Shiis and many Sufis regard him as a saint for his
renowned asceticism. Indeed, many Sufi orders
trace the genealogy of their spiritual descent (sil-
sila) directly back to Ali. Ali is remembered as a
model of socio-political and religious righteous-
ness that defied worldly corruption and social
injustice. His shrine in Najaf, Iraq, is a major pil-
grimage site, and the feast of ghadir khUmm (18
Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth month on the Muslim
calendar), which commemorates Muhammad’s
appointment of Ali as his successor, is an impor-
tant holiday for Shii Muslims.
See also ahl al-bayt; fitna, shiism.
Linda G. Jones
Further reading: S. H. M. Jafri, The Origins and Early
Development of Shia Islam (London and New York:
Longman, 1979); Wilferd Madelung, The Succession to
Muhammad: A Study of the Early Caliphate (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1977); Abu Jafar Muham-
mad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, The History of al-Tabari. Trans-
lated by C. E. Bosworth et al. (Albany: State University
of New York Press, 1985–).
Allah
The Arabic term Allah is the main one used for the
unique deity worshipped in the Islamic religion.
It is a contraction that literally means “the God”
(Arabic: al-ilah), and it occurs about 2,700 times
in the qUran alone. Belief in only one god who is
all-powerful and merciful and who has no partners
or equals is the most important Islamic doctrine,
and Muslims constantly express it in their wor-
ship, religious mUsic, and visual arts. For example,
the shahada, the first pillar of Islam, requires
that Muslims testify “There is no god but God
(Allah).” This phrase is repeated in daily prayers
and is written on mosqUes, banners, and post-
ers in all Muslim communities. Among the most
important statements about God in the Quran are
those found in the chapter entitled “Sincerity” (Q
112) and in the “Throne Verse” (Q 2:255), which
states, “Allah! There is no god but he, the living,
the everlasting. He neither rests nor sleeps.” The
monotheistic ideal also dominates Islamic theol-
ogy, philosophy, law, and even its historical vision.
On the basis of the Quran, hadith, and religious
doctrine, Muslims believe that Allah is the same
god worshipped by Jews and Christians. It should
also be noted that Arabic-speaking followers of
Judaism and Christianity in the Middle East use
the word Allah for God, although their theologies
differ from those of Muslims.
Historical evidence indicates that Allah was
the name of an ancient Arabian high god in a
pantheon of other gods and goddesses like those
found in other ancient Middle Eastern cultures.
Worshipping him as the only real god may have
started before the seventh century in Arabia, but
it was in the Quranic revelations delivered by
mUhammad as the prophet of Islam between 610
and 632 that the monotheistic ideal received its
first clear expression among arab peoples. In the
Quran, Allah is portrayed as the creator of the
universe who brings life and death, never sleeps,
and knows, sees, and hears everything. He is both
eternal and infinite, and unlike the ancient gods,
he does not have parents or children. This belief
also rejects Christian notions of God as a father
and JesUs as his son. In the Quran, God com-
mands human beings to remember him and to
submit to him, but he also shows them his kind-
ness and compassion. He sends prophets such as
abraham, moses, JesUs, and Muhammad to guide
people to salvation. He can reward them for their
faith and good deeds and punish them for their
infidelity and sins. As master of JUdgment day,
he will resurrect the dead at the end of time and
hold them accountable for what they did in their
lives, which means that he can either let them
enter the gardens of paradise or send them to the
Fire of hell.
According to the prevailing opinion in Islam,
God cannot be completely known or perceived by
the human mind or the senses; rather than being
close by, he stands at great distance from his cre-K 34 Allah