The Twelve Imams

The Twelve Imams are the spiritual and political successors to Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, in the Twelver or "Ithna Ashariya" branch of Shi'a Islam.cite encyclopedia| title=Shi'ite |year=2007| encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Britannica Online | accessdate=2007-11-06 |location=|publisher= |url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9067367/Shiite] According to the theology of Twelvers, the successor of Muhammad is an infallible human individual who not only rules over the community with justice, but also is able to keep and interpret the Divine Law and its esoteric meaning. The Prophet and Imams' words and deeds are a guide and model for the community to follow; as a result, they must be free from error and sin, and must be chosen by divine decree, or "nass", through the Prophet. [Nasr (1979), p.10] [Momen (1985), p.174]

It is believed in Twelver and Ismaili Shi'a Islam that Aql, a divine wisdom, was the source of the souls of the Prophets and Imams and gave them esoteric knowledge, called Hikmah, and that their sufferings were a means of divine grace to their devotees. [Nasr (1979), p.15] [Corbin (1993), pp.45-51] Although the Imam was not the recipient of a divine revelation, he had a close relationship with God, through which God guides him, and the Imam in turn guides the people. Imamate, or belief in the divine guide is a fundamental belief in the Twelver and Ismaili branches of Shi'a Islam and is based on the concept that God would not leave humanity without access to divine guidance.cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia = Encyclopaedia of Islam and the Muslim world; vol.1 | last = Gleave | first = Robert | title=Imamate | publisher = MacMillan | id = ISBN 0028656040]

According to Twelvers, there is always an Imam of the Age, who is the divinely appointed authority on all matters of faith and law in the Muslim community. Ali was the first Imam of this line, and in the Twelvers' view, the rightful successor to the Prophet of Islam, followed by male descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah Zahra. Each Imam was the son of the previous Imam, with the exception of Husayn ibn Ali, who was the brother of Hasan ibn Ali. The twelfth and final Imam is Muhammad al-Mahdi, who is believed by the Twelvers to be currently alive, and hidden till he returns to bring justice to the world.

List of Imams

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ee also

*Shia Islam
*Twelvers
*Ahl al-Bayt
*The Fourteen Infallibles
*Succession to Muhammad
*Islamic leadership
*Imamah (Shi'a twelver doctrine)
*Wali

Footnotes

References

External links

* [http://al-islam.org/twelve/7.htm A brief introduction of Twelve Imams]
* [http://www.balagh.net/english/shia/shia/10.htm#00011 A Brief History Of The Lives Of The Twelve Imams] a chapter of Shi'a Islam (book) by Allameh Tabatabaei
* [http://www.geocities.com/ahlulbayt14/12imams.html The Twelve Imams] Taken From "A Shi'ite Anthology" By Allameh Tabatabaei
* [http://www.ummah.net/khoei/imam.htm#12 A Short History of the Lives of The Twelve Imams]

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