Ali

About Ali

Ali (601–661 CE) was a central and foundational figure in Islamic history, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, and the fourth Rashidun Caliph. His historical significance stems from his pivotal role in the early development of the Islamic community, his contributions to jurisprudence and Islamic theology, and his status as the progenitor of the Shia branch of Islam. MIT's Pantheon project recognizes this profound, lasting cultural impact by ranking him #135 in overall historical influence.

Despite this high historical ranking, Ali's modern internet presence shows a clear attention gap. In 2025, his Wikipedia page received 1.4 million views, placing him in a state of relative overattention (+3x) compared to his historical importance rank. This suggests that, while figures ranked significantly lower in historical importance might receive substantially more online attention, Ali maintains a strong, albeit potentially niche, level of contemporary digital interest.

However, this attention appears to be receding. Both the year-over-year change in views and the more immediate momentum data indicate a decline, with a -16.3% decrease in annual views and a sharp -37% drop between Q1 and Q3 of 2025, suggesting a diminishing digital footprint for this critical historical figure.