A Critical Examination of Imām ʿAlī’s Viewpoint and the Caliphs’ Motivations for the Conquests (Futūḥāt)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Level 3 Student in the History and Sīrah of Ahl al-Bayt, Specialized School of Quran and Etrat, Khorasan Islamic Seminary, Mashhad, Iran

2 Level Four Student in Khurasan Seminary; Ph.D. in Shīʿī History, Mashhad, Iran, Corresponding Author

10.52547/has.2025.2108.1077

Abstract

   The emphasis on territorial conquests (Futūḥāt) and the encouragement of Muslims to engage in jihād emerged as a major issue in the period immediately following the Prophet’s (S) passing. The dispute over his succession had plunged the community into unrest; thus, the caliphal administration sought to secure its legitimacy and to quell the objections raised by the Anṣār and other dissenting groups by sending Arab contingents toward the frontier regions, thereby shielding itself from criticism. After numerous military campaigns, the boundaries of the Caliphate expanded dramatically, and substantial wealth and spoils of war (ghanā’im) poured into its center. Some scholars consider the Caliphs’ conquests legitimate and infer Imām ʿAlī’s (ʿa) approval of them, while others regard the Futūḥāt as illegitimate and cite evidence indicating his disapproval. Accordingly, it is essential to examine the Caliphs’ motives in undertaking the conquests and to analyze Imām ʿAlī’s stance toward them. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the Imām approved or disapproved of the Caliphs’ policy of relying on the Futūḥāt. Employing a descriptive-analytical approach and drawing on library-based sources, this article investigates the objectives of the Caliphs and Imām ʿAlī’s responses to their policies.

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