Ali ibn Abi Talib and His Martyrdom in Ramadan

He was a man whom the Prophet (s) himself had raised. He was the first to believe in the Prophet (s) and Islam. The Prophet (s) constantly praised him. Allah, through the Prophet (a), appointed him as the Prophet’s successor and vicegerent. He was none other than Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, otherwise known as Ali (a). His Holiness rose to power after being denied his right to do so for decades. Despite his justice, people bothered and disobeyed him. March 22, 2025, coinciding with Ramadan 21, marks the martyrdom of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib(a). In this article on Islam4u, we will discuss Imam Ali’s life, character, and martyrdom and how Ali ibn Abi Talib’s martyrdom and Ramadan 2025 is a golden opportunity for all Muslims to follow his lead.

Ali ibn Abi Talib’s Early Life

Ali ibn Abi Talib (a) was the only human being born inside the Holy Kaaba, a privilege that no one else enjoys. Prophet Muhammad (s) himself raised Ali (a), an exclusive privilege no one else enjoyed. Knowing his nephew’s trustworthiness, Imam Ali’s father, Abu Talib (a), entrusted Ali (a) to the Prophet (s) because no other person deserved such an undertaking. In our narrations, we have the principle that only an infallible can raise another infallible. That is why each Imam’s infallible fathers, who were also Imams, raised their sons, including the twelfth Imam, Imam Mahdi (a). Ramadan 2025 should be a time when we read the biographies of our leaders and follow their example.

Ali ibn Abi Talib (a) narrates his life as we read in Nahj al-Balagha: I was always with the Prophet (s), just as a child is always with his mother. Every day, the Prophet (s) would reveal a new sign of noble character and instruct me to follow him. (Nahj al-Balagha, sermon 192 (Sermon of Qāṣi‘ah [viz. disparagement])

Ali ibn Abi Talib (a) During the Prophet’s Lifetime

Ali ibn Abi Talib (a) was always by the Prophet’s side. When the Prophet (s) received the verse of propagation of Islam to his kinship, Imam Ali (a) was the first male individual to accept Islam. At the same time, Khadija, the Prophet’s wife, was the first female to accept Islam. The Prophet (s) continued to praise Ali (a) throughout his life. When the Muhajirin and Ansar made pacts of brotherhood with one another, Ali (a) was lonely because no one wanted to become his brother in faith due to the grudges they held against him during the Pre-Islam era. The Prophet (s) sympathized with Ali (a) and mentioned the famous hadith:

أنتَ مِنِّي بِمَنْزِلَةِ هَارُونَ مِنْ مُوسَى إِلَّا أَنَّهُ لا نَبِيَّ بَعْدِي

You are to me as Aaron was to Moses, except there is no prophet after me.

Then, the Prophet (s) made a pact with Ali (a) and became his spiritual brother.

But the Prophet (s) and Ali (a) weren’t just spiritual brothers. They were close relatives as they were each other’s paternal cousins, and later, Ali (a) became the Prophet’s son-in-law by marrying the best woman of all time, Lady Fatima Zahra. Ramadan is the month of Ali ibn Abi Talib.

How Can We Emulate the Character of Ali ibn Abi Talib During Ramadan 2025?

Ali ibn Abi Talib (a) was a perfect human. You cannot find one fault or mistake throughout his whole life. When he was denied his right to the caliphate, he chose to exercise patience and not resort to violence to claim his right. The Prophet (s) had instructed him to do this per Allah’s command, showing his utmost obedience to Allah and His Messenger. Imam Ali’s justice is legendary, as he was the only Imam up to now and before the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a), who had the chance to establish an Islamic government and rule over the Muslim ummah. All the other Imams, besides Imam Mahdi (a), who will come to power in the end times, didn’t have the chance to assume the position of a caliph.

Imam Ali’s government was a model for all other governments. Even though no government will be a hundred percent Islamic during the occultation of Imam Mahdi (a), we must not sit idle and allow others to rule over us. Emulating Imam Ali’s government, especially his justice and equity, should be the goal of all Muslims. It is the best time to emulate Ali ibn Abi Talib during Ramadan due to its spiritual aura and mystical atmosphere.

Ali’s Justice and Care for the Orphans

People knew Ali ibn Abi Talib (a) not only for his justice. He was also compassionate, generous, wise, knowledgeable, patient, and harsh toward those who committed crimes against humanity. He fought three wars that his enemies imposed on him.

People knew Imam Ali (a) for his care for the orphans. He would go to the doors of their houses secretly and in disguise and give them large sacks of wheat, barley, clothes, and other provisions. When Ibn Muljam struck his head with a poisonous sword and made him severely ill, he couldn’t distribute provisions among the orphans. That was when the orphans discovered that Imam Ali (a) would bring them the food and supplies. Thus, they all visited him and brought him bowls of milk to alleviate his poisoning. Caring for orphans is one of the things we must learn from Imam Ali (a).   

Emulating Ali’s Patience

The hardships that Ali ibn Abi Talib (a) endured were unprecedented. No one has and will encounter such difficulties. Perhaps the greatest hardship he experienced was losing his wife, Fatima (a), and having to exercise patience per the Prophet’s (s) instruction. He witnessed the burning of his house, the enemies crushing his wife between the door and the wall, and a nail piercing her chest, yet to avoid discord among the Muslims, he remained incredibly patient. They tied his hands, and dragged him forcefully to the mosque to pay allegiance. Ultimately, Ali exercised infinite patience throughout his life and the years he was in power. If patience were to be embodied, Ali (a) undoubtedly would be the embodiment of patience. We should make every effort to emulate Ali’s patience.

Ramadan 2025: The Month of Remembering Ali ibn Abi Talib

Ramadan is the month of spirituality, servitude, and worship. Imam Ali (a), as the successor and true follower of the Prophet (s), was one of the best servants of Allah in every way. His acts of worship were like none other. His worldly activities were also like no other. He would work hard to earn a living. His business was growing date palm saplings and selling them to growers of date palms. He would use the money from such business in the way of Allah. He would help those in need and spend his wealth to further the interests of the Muslim ummah. Even though we will never be like Ali (a), we should strive to be, at least, similar to him. We must strike a balance between spirituality and worldly affairs. Ramadan 2025 is a good start. Let us all try to be like Ali (a).

The Martyrdom of Ali ibn Abi Talib During Ramadan

Ali ibn Abi Talib was the best ruler who ever lived after the Noble Prophet (s). These two esteemed individuals were the only infallible Imams of a Muslim ummah who had the chance to rule over the Muslim ummah. Imam Ali (a) had many enemies due to his justice and unbiased judgments. Muawiyah, the governor of Syria, opposed him because he didn’t want to step down from power per Ali’s order. Imam Ali (a) knew that Muawiyah was an oppressor and ordered his removal from power so that a more worthy person would replace him. For this reason, Muawiyah waged war against Imam Ali (a). The result of the war was the disintegration of the Muslims.

The Battle of Nahrawan and Its Aftermath

From the ashes of the Battle of Siffin, a group of hotheaded, pretentious, and hypocritical individuals rose who became the staunch enemies of Ali and anyone who was against them. They were the Kharijites.

Imam Ali (a) fought a war, called Nahrawan, against such illegitimate, self-proclaimed zealots and eliminated a large number of them. The few that survived vowed vengeance. A woman known for her beauty tempted one of these individuals by the name of Abd al-Rahman ibn Muljam to kill Ali (a). She wanted to take revenge on Ali (a) because she blamed Ali (a) for killing her father and brothers at Nahrawan. She said that if he killed Ali (a), she would marry Ibn Muljam.

So he poisoned a sword and decided to kill the Commander of the Faithful (a). Ali (a) was leading the prayer in the Mosque of Kufa. After he finished his prayer and went to sajdah, the man, later known as the most wretched human ever to have lived, rose to his feet and struck Ali (a) on the head with his sword. This happened during Ramadan 19, 40 AH. Ali (a) fell severely ill owing to both the poison and the wound. Two days later, his soul ascended on Ramadan 21, 40 AH. His martyrdom was a great loss, not just for Muslims but for all humanity.

On the nights of Qadr, the first two of which coincide with the night one of his enemies struck his head, leading to his martyrdom, Muslims honor and mourn Imam Ali (a). They remember his remarkable character and devotion. Let’s make Ramadan 2025 different by paying deeper respect to our leader and master, Imam Ali (a). 

Conclusion

Ramadan 2025 is when we should be better than the previous months of Ramadan. Humans do not necessarily self-improve in a linear fashion. Our lives have spikes and dips depending on our situation and circumstances. However, Ramadan should be when we rise and ascend to new levels. We should maintain consistency and avoid pitfalls. By following Imam Ali’s (a) example and his consistent excellence in every area, we will achieve prosperity and salvation.