A Study on the Notions of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib in Malay Popular Culture

While Muslims universally acknowledge ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib as one of the most prominent figures in Islamic history, a number of Malay customs and rituals give him a special status. These customs and rituals point to the historical influence of Sufism, Shi‘ism, or a combination of the two during the pr...

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Published inJournal of Shi'a Islamic studies Vol. 6; no. 4; pp. 465 - 479
Main Authors Daneshgar, Majid, Shah, Faisal Bin Ahmad, Yusoff, Zulkifli Bin Mohd, Senin, Nurhanisah, Ramlan, Siti Fairuz, Mohd Nor, Mohd Roslan Bin
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published ICAS Press 01.09.2013
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Summary:While Muslims universally acknowledge ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib as one of the most prominent figures in Islamic history, a number of Malay customs and rituals give him a special status. These customs and rituals point to the historical influence of Sufism, Shi‘ism, or a combination of the two during the process of identity formation among Muslims in the Malay Archipelago. This article will explore the special position given to ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib in traditional Malay martial arts as well as marriage customs, and will show how ideas generated in other parts of the Islamic world – such as the futuwwah tradition – evolved into uniquely Malay forms of religious and cultural expression which transcend sectarian bounds.
ISSN:1748-9423
2051-557X
2051-557X
DOI:10.1353/isl.2013.0041