Analysis and Critique of the Article on Imam Ali (AS) in Encyclopedia of Islam (EI3)

The Encyclopedia of Islam is the main source of Islamic studies in the West، but the articles in this collection present an image of Islam that needs analysis and critique. This image results from poor understanding of physical and spiritual aspects of Islam، and some of them are biased. In his article on Imam Ali (AS) in the third edition of the Encyclopedia of Islam، Robert Gleave uses Shia resources and empathic reviews، yet he declines to address some major points and even gives erroneous interpretations.