belongs to ?Ali ibn Abi Talib, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, and his successors.

Nawbakhti states that the term Shia refers to a group of Muslims who, at the time of Muhammad and after him, regarded ?Ali as the Imam and caliph. Al-Shahrastani explains that the term Shia refers to those who believe that ?Ali was designated as the heir, Imam, and caliph by