senior among the hashemites was a. muhammad's cousin husband of his one surviving don't fall to mother and father of the prophet's only living grandson. under hussein. but when the decision to choose the caliph was taken i was busy elsewhere. at the time of the prophet's death we know that he was ali who was in charge of the payroll arrangements. as a jew to full respectful son and all cousin with caring for the prophet's body. the next day in the medina mosque i walk was given by on the oath of allegiance by the majority of the muslim community. ali however was not one of them. what happened that day which saw the seeds of a political divide that would gradually evolve. into a deep religious schism. the division of a slam. into soon and she. if you ask a sunni or shia muslim about that moment of mohammed's death and the decision about the leadership you will get 2 very different answers the sunnies suggest that he hadn't actually made any clear plans for his succession eyes death the shia would say that he had and tha