In Shia Islam, who is identified as the first rightly guided caliph?

• A. Abu Bakr
• B. Ali
• C. Umar
• D. Uthman

Answer: (B)

In Shia Islam, leadership after Prophet Muhammad is defined through the line of Imams, with the first Imam being Ali ibn Abi Talib. He is viewed as the rightful successor and divinely chosen leader, tracing spiritual authority through his descendants. The term “rightly guided caliphs” is a Sunni way of naming the first four rulers—Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali—but Shia tradition does not place the same sequence or legitimacy on that group. They regard Ali as the first in the prophetic succession, making him the correct answer in this context. The other figures are important early companions and rulers in Sunni history, but they do not hold the status of the first Imam in Shia belief.