Death·Umayyad
Assassination of Caliph Ali
- Date
- 28 January 661 CE19 Ramadan 40 AH1,365 years ago
- Place
- Kufa
- People
- Ali ibn Abi Talib, Abd al-Rahman ibn Muljam
Abd al-Rahman ibn Muljam, a Kharijite, struck Ali with a poisoned sword while Ali was leading the dawn prayer in the Great Mosque of Kufa. The attack took place on 19 Ramadan 40 AH, which is 28 January 661 CE. Ali died two days later. He was about 60 years old. Tradition holds that he was buried in Najaf, although the exact site is debated.
Why it matters
His death ended the period of the first four caliphs and led to the Umayyad takeover after Hasan's agreement with Muawiya.