Journal of Imamiyyah Studies

Journal of Imamiyyah Studies

A Critical Analysis and Reconciliation of Conflicting Reports Regarding Amīr al-Muʾminīn ʿAlī

Document Type : Original Article

Author
mohammad taheri
Assistant Professor, Department of the Quran and Hadith, University of Religions and Denominations, Qom, Iran
10.22034/jis.2025.376100.1864
Abstract
Historians have often disagreed on the birth and death dates of the Infallibles. the Prophet, his daughter Fāṭima, and the twelve Shiite Imams), with multiple conflicting reports appearing in historical sources. However, accurately determining these dates is crucial for understanding historical events, particularly the words and actions of these figures and the circumstances of their time. This study, drawing on the works of early scholars and various classical sources, examines and analyzes ten different reports regarding the birth date of Amīr al-Muʾminīn ʿAlī. The findings indicate that the most reliable report places his birth on Sunday, the 7th of Shaʿbān in the 30th year of ʿĀm al-Fīl. Moreover, considering the pre-Islamic practices of nasīʾ. calendar intercalation) and leap-year adjustments, this report can be reconciled with accounts that place his birth on the 5th of Dhū al-Ḥijjah. Additionally, the widely accepted date of his birth on the 13th of Rajab is shown to be a weak and disconnected report. mursal; that is, lacking a connected chain of transmission), contradicting both the well-established historical accounts of the year of his martyrdom and the accurate reckoning of his lifespan. The prominence of this date, as the study argues, stems from its formalization during the Safavid era and, like the other disputed reports, lacks historical credibility.
Keywords
birth of Amīr al-Muʾminīn
birth of Imam ʿAlī
7th of Shaʿbān
13th of Rajab
leap-year adjustment
Subjects
The Noble Quran.
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