The anniversary of the birth of Ali ibn Talib was commemorated the world over a few days ago. Ali was the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet. Ibn Muljam, a member of the dissenting Kharajite faction, fatally injured him while Ali was offering morning prayers. Despite his mortal wounds, Ali immediately asked for his assassin to not be manhandled and then stated that if he survived he would have the right to forgive his assassin but if he died and people decided to kill Ibn Muljam, they should not mutilate him. He then called his sons Hasan and Hussain and said to them that "if they forgive him [ibn Muljam] it would be nearer to piety." This is the example left by a man who to this day is a figure who is revered by many people, regardless of religion or denomination, as well as of course by all Muslims. Nowadays the murder of Ali, who was Caliph at the time and whose position was akin to that of a head of state nowadays, would be dubbed a terrorist attack. So what then differentiates murder from terrorism?