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The 4th Caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, Ali ibn Abu Talib is struck on the head while praying at the Great Mosque of K

The 4th Caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, Ali ibn Abu Talib is struck on the head while praying at the Great Mosque of Kufa, Mesopotamia by a poison-coated sword wielded by Ibn Muljam a Kharijite, dies two days later

Ali ibn Abi Talib (600 – 661 CE); born to Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib and Fatima bint Asad, Ali was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, raised in his household and was among the first Muslims to accept his teachings. Ali was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from 656 CE until his assassination in 661, as well as the first Shia Imam in Islamic historical accounts.

In islamic tradition, Ali plays a pivotal role in the early years of Islam when Muslims were severely persecuted in Mecca. After the immigration (hijra) to Medina in 622, Muhammad gaves his daughter Fatima to Ali in sacred marriage.

Historical Significance

Ali ibn Abi Talib (600 – 661 CE); born to Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib and Fatima bint Asad, Ali was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, raised in his household and was among the first Muslims to accept his teachings.

Events Before

  1. Battle of Siffin occurs during the first Muslim civil war between Ali ibn Abi Talib and Muawiyah I beside the Euphrates

    Battle of Siffin occurs during the first Muslim civil war between Ali ibn Abi Talib and Muawiyah I beside the Euphrates River

  2. St Eugene I ends his reign as Catholic Pope

    St Eugene I ends his reign as Catholic Pope

  3. Forces from the Mayan city of Palenque, under its leader Pakal, defeat nearby Santa Elena and take its ruler captive

    Forces from the Mayan city of Palenque, under its leader Pakal, defeat nearby Santa Elena and take its ruler captive

  4. BC Traditional date for the founding of Japan by Emperor Jimmu

    Emperor Jimmu, dʑim.mɯ ten.noꜜː]) was the legendary first emperor of Japan according to the Nihon Shoki and Kojiki. His ascension is traditionally dated as 660 BC.

  5. Battle of Hwangsanbeol: At Nonsan, China a 50,000 strong Silla force led by general Kim Yu-shin annihilate the army of B

    Battle of Hwangsanbeol: At Nonsan, China a 50,000 strong Silla force led by general Kim Yu-shin annihilate the army of Baekje and kill their leader general Gyebaek

Events After

  1. Battle of Baekgang: Tang Chinese and Silla Korean forces defeat Baekje Korean forces and their Yamato Japanese allies on

    Battle of Baekgang: Tang Chinese and Silla Korean forces defeat Baekje Korean forces and their Yamato Japanese allies on the Geum River in Korea, the last Japanese invasion of Korea for 900 years

  2. Ildefonsus, Archbishop of Toledo, and later saint, reportedly has a vision of the Virgin Mary, who presents him with a p

    Ildefonsus, Archbishop of Toledo, and later saint, reportedly has a vision of the Virgin Mary, who presents him with a priestly vestment

  3. Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse, Italy

    Constans II, also called "the Bearded", was the Byzantine emperor from 641 to 668.

  4. Greek scholar and new Archbishop of Canterbury, Theodore of Tarsus arrives in Canterbury with North African abbot Hadria

    Greek scholar and new Archbishop of Canterbury, Theodore of Tarsus arrives in Canterbury with North African abbot Hadrian

More from the 660s

Rashidun Caliphate, then the largest empire in history, ends with the death of its leader, Ali. Succeeded by the Umayyad

Rashidun Caliphate, then the largest empire in history, ends with the death of its leader, Ali. Succeeded by the Umayyad Caliphate.

BC Traditional date for the founding of Japan by Emperor Jimmu

Emperor Jimmu, dʑim.mɯ ten.noꜜː]) was the legendary first emperor of Japan according to the Nihon Shoki and Kojiki. His ascension is traditionally dated as 660 BC.

Battle of Baekgang: Tang Chinese and Silla Korean forces defeat Baekje Korean forces and their Yamato Japanese allies on

Battle of Baekgang: Tang Chinese and Silla Korean forces defeat Baekje Korean forces and their Yamato Japanese allies on the Geum River in Korea, the last Japanese invasion of Korea for 900 years

Greek scholar and new Archbishop of Canterbury, Theodore of Tarsus arrives in Canterbury with North African abbot Hadria

Greek scholar and new Archbishop of Canterbury, Theodore of Tarsus arrives in Canterbury with North African abbot Hadrian

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on January 27, 661?
Ali ibn Abi Talib (600 – 661 CE); born to Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib and Fatima bint Asad, Ali was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, raised in his household and was among the first Muslims to accept his teachings. Ali was the fourth Rashidun caliph who ruled from 656 CE until his assassination in 661, as well as the first Shia Imam in Islamic historical accounts. In islamic tradition, Ali plays a pivotal role in the early years of Islam when Muslims were severely persecuted in Mecca.
Why is The 4th Caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, Ali ibn Abu Talib is struck on the ... significant?
Ali ibn Abi Talib (600 – 661 CE); born to Abu Talib ibn Abd al-Muttalib and Fatima bint Asad, Ali was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, raised in his household and was among the first Muslims to accept his teachings.

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January 27 in HistoryYear 661