Imams of the Shi'a: Difference between revisions

==Proofs of Imamate==

{{main|Proofs of Imamate}}

Proofs for [[Imamate]] have always been an important topic of books for [[Twelver Shi'a]] and Shi'a scholars have many works with different approaches about that. ''[[Kitab Sulaym b. Qays al-Hilali's]]'' written in late 1st/7th century is among the oldest works in which the Twelve Imams (a) are mentioned.<ref>Sulaym b. Qays al-Hilali. ''Kitab Sulaym b. Qays al-Hilali'', p. 227; Al-Najashi, ''Rijal'', p. 440</ref>

===Hadith of the Twelve Caliphs===

{{main|Hadith of the Twelve Caliphs}}

==Introducing the Imams (a) of Shi'a==

[[File:Imam Ali (a)-2.jpg|300px|thumbnail|right|The [[shrine of Imam 'Ali (a)]] in [[Najaf]], [[Iraq]].]]

{{main|Imam 'Ali (a)}}

====At the time of the Prophet (s)====

====After the Prophet (s)====

On the day the Holy Prophet (s) passed away, 'Ali (a) was 33 years old. He (a) was superior to anyone in all religious merits and was distinguished among the companions and in several occasions, such as the [[event of Ghadir]], when the Prophet (s) introduced him as the [[caliph]] after himself, but with the excuse that he (a) was young and had spilled much blood in the battles of the Prophet (s) which had made him had many enemies, they put him aside from [[caliphate]]. Thus he was completely removed from all public affairs. After some objections, he (a) was isolated for 25 years (which lasted to the end of caliphate of the third caliph). During these 25 years he compiled [[the Qur'an]] and trained some individuals. After [[the Third Caliph]] passed away, people gave allegiance to 'Ali (a) and chose him as the caliph.<ref>Tabataba'i, ''Shi'a dar Islam'', p. 201</ref>

====Merits====

As witnessed in the history and reported by his friends and enemies, [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] did not lack anything in human perfections and in Islamic merits, he was a perfect exemplar of the Holy Prophet's (s) education.<ref>Tabataba'i, ''Shi'a dar Islam'', p. 202</ref>

===Imam al-Hasan (a)===

{{main|Imam al-Hasan (a)}}

Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba (a) and his brother [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]] were two sons of [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] and [[Lady Fatima (s)]]. [[The Prophet (s)]] frequently is quoted saying, "al-Hasan (a) and al-Husayn (a) are my children".<ref>Tabataba'i, ''Shi'a dar Islam'', p. 205</ref>

====In Karbala====

{{main|Event of 'Ashura'}}

Imam al-Husayn (a) and his companions were besieged by the army of [[Yazid]] about 70 kilometers away from [[Kufa]] in the desert of [[Karbala]]. In 8 days, the siege became tighter and tighter and the number of the enemy's army increased. Soon, Imam al-Husayn (a), his family and his few companions were surrounded by circles of 30,000 armed soldiers.<ref>Tabataba'i, ''Shi'a dar Islam'', p. 211-212</ref>

====Captivity of the Ahl al-Bayt (a) of the Imam (a)====

{{main|Captives of Karbala}}

After the war finished, the army of enemy looted the tents of the Imam (a) and took the heads of martyrs and the [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]] of the Imam (a) to [[Kufa]] and then to [[Damascus]] to [[Yazid]].<ref>Tabataba'i, ''Shi'a dar Islam'', p. 213-214</ref>

=== Imam al-Sajjad (a) ===

{{main|Imam al-Sajjad (a)}}

Imam 'Ali b. al-Husayn (a) titled as "Sajjad" and "Zayn al-'Abidin" was the third child of Imam al-Husayn (a), whose mother was [[Shahr Banu]], daughter of Yazdegerd III, the last emperor of the Sassanid dynasty of [[Iran]]. His other three brothers were martyred in [[the event of Karbala]], but he (a) was very sick so he could not go to the war and was sent to [[Syria]] together with other [[The Captives of Karbala|captives]].<ref>Tabataba'i, ''Shi'a dar Islam'', p. 215-216</ref>

=== Imam al-Baqir (a) ===

{{main|Imam al-Baqir (a)}}

Imam Muhammad b. 'Ali (a), known as "Baqir al-'Ulum". This is a title the [[the Prophet (s)|Holy Prophet (s)]] had given him. Imam al-Baqir (a) was born in 57/733 and was 4 years old in [[the event of Karbala]]. After his great father, he (a) became the [[imam]] following the order of [[God]] and as his forefathers had mentioned. He (a) was [[martyr]]ed in 114/733 or 117/735. According to some [[hadith]]s from [[Shi'a]], the Imam (a) was poisoned by [[Ibarahim b. Walid b. 'Abd al-Malik]], the nephew of [[Hashim]], the Umayyad [[caliph]].<ref>Tabataba'i, ''Shi'a dar Islam'', p. 217</ref>

===Imam al-Sadiq (a)===

{{main|Imam al-Sadiq (a)}}

Imam Ja'far b. Muhammad (al-Sadiq), son of [[Imam al-Baqir (a)|the fifth Imam (a)]] was born in 83/702 and was poisoned and [[martyr]]ed by the inducement of [[Abbasid]] [[caliph]] [[Mansur]] at the age of 65.<ref>Tabataba'i, ''Shi'a dar Islam'', p. 218</ref> Except for [[Imam al-Mahdi (aj)]] who is in [[Occultation of Imam al-Mahdi (aj)|occultation]], Imam al-Sadiq (a) was the oldest [[imam]].  

===Imam al-Kazim (a)===

{{main|Imam al-Kazim (a)}}

The seventh Imam (a) lived contemporarily with [[al-Mansur]], [[al-Hadi]], [[al-Mahdi]] and [[Harun]], in a very dark and difficult time and practiced [[Taqiyya]]. When Harun went to [[Medina]] during the time of [[hajj]], ordered to arrest and chain Imam al-Kazim (a) when he (a) was praying in [[the mosque of the Prophet (s)]] and prison him. Then he took him (a) from Medina to [[Basra]] and from Basra to [[Baghdad]]. He (a) was taken from one prison to another for many years, so that he (a) was finally poisoned and [[martyr]]ed in the prison of [[Sandi b. Shahak]] and was buried in a place called "[[Maqabir Quraysh]]" which is now located in the city of [[al-Kazimayn]].<ref>Tabataba'i, ''Shi'a dar Islam'', p. 221</ref>

[[File:The shrine of al-Kazimayn (a) in Iraq.jpg|300px|thumbnail|right|The shrine of [[Imam al-Kazim (a)]] and [[Imam al-Jawad (a)]] in [[al-Kazimiyya]], Iraq]]

{{main|Imam al-Jawad (a)}}

Imam Muhammad b. 'Ali (titled as, Ibn al-Rida, al-Taqi, al-Jawad), son of [[Imam al-Rida (a)|the eighth Imam (a)]] was born in Medina in 195/811. According to Shi'a [[hadith]]s, he (a) was poisoned and martyred by his wife, daughter of [[al-Ma'mun]] induced by [[al-Mu'tasim]]. He (a) was buried in [[al-Kazimiyya]] beside his grandfather, [[Imam al-Kazim (a)]].<ref>Tabataba'i, ''Shi'a dar Islam'', p. 224-225</ref>

===Imam al-Hadi (a)===

{{main|Imam al-Hadi (a)}}

Imam 'Ali b. Muhammad (titled as al-Naqi and al-Hadi), son of [[Imam al-Jawad (a)|the ninth Imam (a)]] was born in Medina in 212/828 and (according to [[Shi'a]] reports) was poisoned and martyred by the Abbasid caliph al-Mu'tazz in 254/868.<ref>Tabataba'i, ''Shi'a dar Islam'', p. 225-226</ref>

=== Imam al-Mahdi (aj) ===

{{main|Imam al-Mahdi (aj)}}

The Promised Mahdi (a) (usually titled as "Imam al-'Asr" and "Sahib al-Zaman") is son of the [[Imam Hasan al-'Askari (a)|Eleventh Imam (a)]] whose name and [[Kunya]] was the same as [[the Prophet (s)|the Prophet's (s)]]. He (a) was born in Samarra in 256/870 and lived with his father hidden from people until 260/874 when his father was martyred and just few elites of [[Shi'a]] met him. After his father's (a) martyrdom, when he (aj) became the Imam (a), he (a) became hidden from people.  

==Sunni References==

In addition to what was mentioned above, [[Sunni]]s have always remembered the Imams (a) with great respect and dignity and this respect sometimes made an inspiration for writing books regarding their merits.  

==References==

{{references}}

* Abu Dawud. ''Sunan''. Cairo: Dar Ihya al-Sunna al-Nabawiyya

* Ahmad b. Hanbal. ''Al-Musnad Ahmad''. Cairo: 1313AH

* Bukhari, Muhammad b. Isma'il al-. ''Sahih al-Bukhari''. 1315AH

* Hakim al-Niyshaburi, Muhammad b. 'Abd Allah al-. ''Al-Mustadrak 'ala al-Sahihayn''. Hyderabad, 1334 AH

* Ibn Tulun, Shams al-Din Muhammad. ''Al-A'imma al-ithna 'ashar''. ed. Munjid, Salah al-din. Beirut, 1985

* Jawhari, Ahmad b. 'Ayyash al-. ''Muqtadab al-athar''. Qom, 1379

* Tusi, Muhammad b. al-Hasan al-. ''Al-Tibyan fi tafsir al-Qur'an''.  

* Sibt b. al-Jawzi, Yusuf. ''Tadhkirat al-khawas''. Najaf, 1964.

* Tabataba'i, ''Shi'a dar Islam''. Qom: Daftar Intisharat Islami, 1383 SH.

{{end}}

{{excellences of Ahl al-Bayt (a)}}