The Prophet's Heir

“Hassan Abbas has stepped skilfully and eloquently into a lacuna [and] has produced a book that is not only timely and germane, but which pleads the cause of Ali before a contemporary generation, offering him afresh as a fitting and relevant paradigm for an age in which people hunger for the things for which Ali hungered and struggled.”—Christopher Clohessy, Islamochristiana

“For Muslims, this book is a must, for non-Muslims, it is essential reading in order to understand the correct history and true spirit of Islam.”—Akbar Ahmed, AlBilad

“Professor Abbas’s writing style is powerful because he employs the perfect balance between reflection and narrative. The approachability of the text sets it apart from other biographies of Ali.”—Melanie G. Raza, Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies

“The Prophet’s Heir is likely to be a very popular book. It is lively and well-written, which will make it accessible to the broad reading public. Non-specialist Western audiences will acquire a detailed and compelling narrative of the events of early Islam.”—Jonathan P. Berkey, Medieval Review

“The book is balanced—often offering differing interpretations of historical events or prophetic sayings. . . . [It] is also replete with fascinating details. . . . Anyone interested in early Islamic history/world history, the Prophet and his holy progeny, and how today’s sectarianism is ahistorical, would find this book illuminating.”—Pouya Alimagham, author of Contesting the Iranian Revolution: The Green Uprisings, on Twitter

“Hassan’s work is admirable for bringing the life of Ali in its true perspective and elevating him above the sectarian divide.”—Hamid Hussain, Defense Journal

“This is the best biography of Ali that I have ever read.”—Reza Aslan, author of Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth

“An erudite and accessible biography of Ali, one that tells his life story, and discusses his teachings and values, and how his legacy continues to loom large over Muslim world.”—Vali Nasr, author of The Shia Revival

“This erudite but readable book shows why the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law Ali is central to Islam today, and should be both an inspiration and a figure for reconciliation.”—John McHugo, author of A Concise History of Sunnis & Shi’is

“Ali was a hugely gifted thinker and speaker, one of the earliest scribes and something of a poet. But it is hard to be objective about him. The evidence is often contradictory and he is shrouded by accretions, pious and otherwise. In The Prophet’s Heir, Hassan Abbas—an enthusiast for his subject, and an objective enthusiast—pursues Ali on the ground. Fantastic.”—Tim Mackintosh-Smith, author of Arabs