Imamate in Islamic Thought Lesson 3 The Twelve Imams

• In addition to the plethora of traditions which speak of the status and authority of Ahlul Bayt, there are also a set of traditions in Sunni sources which highlight the existence of 12 guided leaders after the Prophet. • The Twelver Shias are the only sect within Islam who have been able to identify these twelve guides and share their wisdom and guidance. • The Twelver Shias , who constitute the majority of Shia Muslims, believe that the Prophet was succeeded by twelve imams: The Twelve Imams

• 1. Imam Ali b. Abi Talib (d. 40 AH) • 2. Imam Hassan b. Ali al-Mujtaba (d. 50 AH) • 3. Imam Hussein b. Ali al-Shahid (d. 61 AH) • 4. Imam Ali b. al-Hussein al-Sajjad(d. 95 AH) • 5. Imam Muhammad b. Ali al-Baqir (d. 114 AH) • 6. Imam Ja’far b. Muhammadal-Sadiq (d. 148 AH) • 7. Imam Musa b. Ja’far al-Kadhim (d. 183 AH) • 8. Imam Ali b. Musa al-Ridha (d. 203 AH) The Twelve Imams

• 9. Imam Muhammad b. Ali al-Jawad (d. 220 AH) • 10. Imam Ali b. Muhammad al-Hadi (d. 254 AH) • 11. Imam Hassan b. Ali al-Askari (d. 260) • 12. Imam Muhammad b. al-Hassan al-Mahdi The Mahdi

• After the death of his father in 260 AH, the twelve imam went into occultation, appearing only to a few leading Shia. • The belief in a savior is shared by most, if not all, religious traditions. • In Islam, the idea of a savior, is one of the most fundamental doctrines referenced in both the Quran and hadith literature. • Ayatollah Safi Gulpaygani, for instance, states that there are 6,207 traditions in Shia and Sunni sources about the Mahdi. • We’ll begin by examining the concept of the Mahdi and work backwards. The Mahdi

َو َﻟﻘَ ْد َﻛﺗَ ْﺑﻧَﺎ ﻓِﻲ اﻟ ﱠزﺑُو ِر ِﻣن ﺑَ ْﻌ ِد اﻟ ِذّ ْﻛ ِر أَ ﱠن ا ْﻷَ ْر َض ﯾَ ِرﺛُ َﮭﺎ ِﻋﺑَﺎ ِد َي اﻟ ﱠﺻﺎ ِﻟ ُﺣو َن “We have written in the Psalms after the Reminder: My righteous servants shall inherit the earth.” Quran 21:105

َوﻧُ ِرﯾدُ أَن ﻧﱠ ُﻣ ﱠن َﻋ َﻠﻰ اﻟﱠ ِذﯾ َن ا ْﺳﺗُ ْﺿ ِﻌﻔُوا ﻓِﻲ ا ْﻷَ ْر ِض َوﻧَ ْﺟﻌَﻠَ ُﮭ ْم أَﺋِ ﱠﻣﺔً َوﻧَ ْﺟﻌَﻠَ ُﮭ ُم ا ْﻟ َوا ِرﺛِﯾ َن “We wanted to endow those who were considered inferior on earth, and make them into leaders and make them inheritors.” Quran 28:5 The Mahdi

ﻟَ ْو ﻟَ ْم ﯾَ ْﺑ َق ِﻣ َن اﻟدﱡ ْﻧﯾَﺎ ِإﻻﱠ ﯾَ ْو ٌم " . َﻗﺎ َل َزا ِﺋدَةُ ِﻓﻲ َﺣ ِدﯾ ِﺛ ِﮫ " ﻟَ َط ﱠو َل ا ﱠُ ذَ ِﻟ َك ا ْﻟﯾَ ْو َم " . ﺛُ ﱠم اﺗﱠ َﻔﻘُوا " َﺣﺗﱠﻰ ﯾَ ْﺑﻌَ َث ِﻓﯾ ِﮫ َر ُﺟﻼً ِﻣ ِﻧّﻲ " . أَ ْو " ِﻣ ْن أَ ْھ ِل ﺑَ ْﯾ ِﺗﻲ ﯾُ َوا ِط ُﺊ ا ْﺳ ُﻣﮫُ ا ْﺳ ِﻣﻲ َوا ْﺳ ُم أَ ِﺑﯾ ِﮫ ا ْﺳ َم أَ ِﺑﻲ " . َزادَ ِﻓﻲ َﺣ ِدﯾ ِث ِﻓ ْط ٍر " ﯾَ ْﻣﻸُ اﻷَ ْر َض ِﻗ ْﺳ ًطﺎ َو َﻋ ْدﻻً َﻛ َﻣﺎ ُﻣ ِﻠﺋَ ْت ظُ ْﻠ ًﻣﺎ َو َﺟ ْو ًرا " . َو َﻗﺎ َل ِﻓﻲ َﺣ ِدﯾ ِث ﺳُ ْﻔﯾَﺎ َن " ﻻَ ﺗَ ْذ َھ ُب أَ ْو ﻻَ ﺗَ ْﻧ َﻘ ِﺿﻲ اﻟدﱡ ْﻧﯾَﺎ َﺣﺗﱠﻰ ﯾَ ْﻣ ِﻠ َك ا ْﻟﻌَ َر َب َر ُﺟ ٌل ِﻣ ْن أَ ْھ ِل ﺑَ ْﯾ ِﺗﻲ ﯾُ َوا ِط ُﺊ ا ْﺳ ُﻣﮫُ ا ْﺳ ِﻣﻲ If only one day of this world remained. God would lengthen that day (according to the version of Za'idah), till He raised up in it a man who belongs to me or to my family whose father's name is the same as my father's, who will fill the earth with equity and justice as it has been filled with oppression and tyranny (according to the version of Fitr). Sufyan's version says: The world will not pass away before the Arabs are ruled by a man of my family whose name will be the same as mine.- The Prophet (s)

Source: Sunan Abi Dawud, v. 4, p. 1831 The Mahdi

ا ْﻟ َﻣ ْﮭ ِد ﱡي ِﻣﻧﱠﺎ أَ ْھ َل ا ْﻟﺑَ ْﯾ ِت ﯾُ ْﺻ ِﻠ ُﺣﮫُ ا ﱠُ ِﻓﻲ َﻟ ْﯾ َﻠ ٍﺔ

”The Mahdi is one of us, the people of the Household. Allah will rectify him in a single night.”- The Prophet (s)

Source: Sunan Ibn Majah, v. 5, p. 541 The Mahdi

ا ْﻟ َﻣ ْﮭ ِد ﱡي ِﻣ ْن ِﻋﺗْ َر ِﺗﻲ ِﻣ ْن َو َﻟ ِد ﻓَﺎ ِط َﻣﺔَ

“The Mahdi will be of my progeny from the descendants of Fatima.”- The Prophet (s)

Source: Sunan Abi Dawud, v. 4, p. 1832 The Mahdi

ﻻَ ﺗَ َزا ُل َطﺎ ِﺋﻔَﺔٌ ِﻣ ْن أُ ﱠﻣ ِﺗﻲ ﯾُﻘَﺎ ِﺗﻠُو َن َﻋ َﻠﻰ ا ْﻟ َﺣ ِّق َظﺎ ِھ ِرﯾ َن ِإ َﻟﻰ ﯾَ ْو ِم ا ْﻟ ِﻘﯾَﺎ َﻣ ِﺔ - ﻗَﺎ َل - ﻓَﯾَ ْﻧ ِز ُل ِﻋﯾ َﺳﻰ ا ْﺑ ُن َﻣ ْرﯾَ َم ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﯾﮫ وﺳﻠم ﻓَﯾَﻘُو ُل أَ ِﻣﯾ ُرھُ ْم ﺗَﻌَﺎ َل َﺻ ِّل َﻟﻧَﺎ . ﻓَﯾَﻘُو ُل ﻻَ . ِإ ﱠن ﺑَ ْﻌ َﺿﻛُ ْم َﻋ َﻠﻰ ﺑَ ْﻌ ٍض أُ َﻣ َرا ُء . ﺗَ ْﻛ ِر َﻣﺔَ ا ﱠ ِ َھ ِذ ِه اﻷُ ﱠﻣﺔَ " . “A group of my nation will fight for the truth until the Day of Judgement. When Jesus, son of Mary, descends, and their leader will ask him to lead the prayer, Jesus will decline, saying: No, verily among you, God has made leaders for others to honor this nation.”- The Prophet (s)

Source: Sahih Muslim, v. 3, p. 1524 The Twelve Leaders/Caliphs

• In one set of hadith, the words ‘amir’ and ‘caliph’ are used to denote the twelve successors of the Prophet. • Jabir b. Samura said: I heard the Prophet saying: ﯾَﻛُو ُن اﺛْﻧَﺎ َﻋ َﺷ َر أَ ِﻣﯾ ًرا ـ ﻓَﻘَﺎ َل َﻛ ِﻠ َﻣﺔً َﻟ ْم أَ ْﺳ َﻣ ْﻌ َﮭﺎ ﻓَﻘَﺎ َل أَ ِﺑﻲ ِإﻧﱠﮫُ ﻗَﺎ َل ـ ﻛُﻠﱡ ُﮭ ْم ِﻣ ْن ﻗُ َر ْﯾ ٍش "There will be twelve leaders”. He then said a sentence which I did not hear. My father said, "All of them will be from Quraysh.”

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari, v. 11, p. 70 The Twelve Leaders/Caliphs

َﻋ ْن َﺟﺎ ِﺑ ِر ْﺑ ِن َﺳ ُﻣ َرةَ، ﻗَﺎ َل دَ َﺧ ْﻠ ُت َﻣ َﻊ أَ ِﺑﻲ َﻋﻠَﻰ اﻟﻧﱠ ِﺑ ّﻲِ ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﯾﮫ وﺳﻠم ﻓَ َﺳ ِﻣ ْﻌﺗُﮫُ ﯾَﻘُو ُل " ِإ ﱠن َھذَا اﻷَ ْﻣ َر ﻻَ ﯾَ ْﻧﻘَ ِﺿﻲ َﺣﺗﱠﻰ ﯾَ ْﻣ ِﺿ َﻲ ِﻓﯾ ِﮭ ُم اﺛْﻧَﺎ َﻋ َﺷ َر َﺧ ِﻠﯾﻔَﺔً " . ﻗَﺎ َل ﺛُ ﱠم ﺗَ َﻛﻠﱠ َم ِﺑ َﻛﻼَ ٍم َﺧ ِﻔ َﻲ َﻋﻠَ ﱠﻰ - ﻗَﺎ َل - ﻓَﻘُ ْﻠ ُت ﻷَ ِﺑﻲ َﻣﺎ ﻗَﺎ َل ﻗَﺎ َل " ﻛُﻠﱡ ُﮭ ْم ِﻣ ْن ﻗُ َر ْﯾ ٍش " . It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir b. Samura who said: I joined the company of the Prophet (s) with my father and I heard him say: This Caliphate will not end until there have been twelve Caliphs among them. The narrator said: Then he (the Prophet) said something that I could not follow. I said to my father: What did he say? He said: He has said: All of them will be from the Quraysh.”

Source: Sahih Muslim, v. 3, p. 1452 The Twelve Leaders/Caliphs

ﻻَ ﯾَ َزا ُل َھذَا اﻟ ِدّﯾ ُن َﻋ ِزﯾ ًزا ِإ َﻟﻰ اﺛْﻧَ ْﻰ َﻋ َﺷ َر َﺧ ِﻠﯾﻔَﺔً “This religion will be exalted as long as there are twelve caliphs.”- The Prophet (s)

• Each of these traditions mentioned above contain the phrase, “All of them are from Quraysh.”

Source: Sunan Abi Dawud, v. 4, p. 1830 The Twelve Leaders/Caliphs

ﻻ ﯾَ َزا ُل َھذَا اﻷَ ْﻣ ُر ِﻓﻲ ﻗُ َر ْﯾ ٍش، َﻣﺎ ﺑَ ِﻘ َﻲ ِﻣ ْﻧ ُﮭ ُم اﺛْﻧَﺎ ِن

”So long as there remains two people on earth, there will be one from Quraysh who will lead them.”- The Prophet (s)

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari, v. 6, p. 7 The Twelve Leaders/Caliphs

• These twelve leaders must be the imams of Ahlul Bayt, out of whom the last one will remain living until the end of this world. • So long as Islam exists, which is until the end of time, one of these twelve must be present. • Especially bearing in mind the traditions which indicate that even if there are only two people left on earth, one of them would be from Quraysh and they would lead. The Twelve Imams

• Some traditions mention the names of the twelve imams. • For example, the Prophet (s) addressed Jabir b. Abdillah al-Ansari, a companion who lived until the lifetime of the 5th Imam, Muhammad al-Baqir. As the Prophet listed the names of the imams, he reached the name of Imam al-Baqir, and then told Jabir to convey his salam to him, which Jabir did.

Source: Kamal al-Deen wa Tamam al-Ni’mah, v. 1, p. 253-254 The Twelve Imams

• Another example is the well-known , authentic tradition called “The Hadith of the Tablet”. • God had given it to the Prophet who then gifted it to Lady Fatima on the day of Imam Hussein’s birth. • This tradition is mentioned in many hadith sources, most notably by al-Kulani in al-Kafi. See al-Kafi v. 1, p. 527 • Some Sunni scholars have tried to explain that the twelve caliphs refer to those rulers whom everyone accepts, such as the first four calips, Muawiyah, Yazid, Abdul Malik and his four sons. The Authority of the Ahlul Bayt

• The authority of the Ahlul Bayt can be studied on two levels: • 1. The permissibility of referring to them as reliable sources in understanding Islam. • 2. The necessity of referring to the Ahlul Bayt in understanding Islam. The Authority of the Ahlul Bayt

• 1. The permissibility of referring to them as reliable sources in understanding Islam. • According to the Sunni school of thought, all companions of the Prophet were proofs (hujjah). • However, the term “companion” is defined quite broadly: a believer who met the Prophet at least once. The Authority of the Ahlul Bayt

• The dominant view among Sunnis is that whoever met the Prophet even for a single session while believing in him is considered a companion and can be relied upon for knowledge of Islam. • Bukhari defines a companion as: نﻣو بﺣﺻ ا ﻟ ﻧ ﻲﺑ ﻰﻠﺻ ﷲ ﻠﻋ ﮫﯾ ﻠﺳو م وأ آر ه نﻣ ا ﻟ ﻠﺳﻣ نﯾﻣ وﮭﻓ نﻣ ﺎﺣﺻأ ﮫﺑ ﺣأ ﻣوﻓ ﯾ ﺳ ن هآ أ ﺳ ﯾﻠ ﻠ ﺑﻧﻟا ﺣ ﻣ

“Whoever accompanied the Prophet or [even] saw him from among the Muslims is one of his companions.”

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari, v. 6, p. 74 The Authority of the Ahlul Bayt

• In Shia Islam, a companion of the Prophet is a person who believed in the Prophet and lived with him for a considerable period. • It seems unlikely that a strong relationship with the Prophet can occur within a short period of time as the development of a true friendship naturally occurs over a long period of time. • The Quran also confirms that not all those who lived with the Prophet can be assumed to be pious. The Authority of the Ahlul Bayt

َواﻟﱠ ِذﯾ َن اﺗﱠ َﺧذُواْ َﻣ ْﺳ ِﺟدًا ِﺿ َرا ًرا َوﻛُ ْﻔ ًرا َوﺗَ ْﻔ ِرﯾﻘًﺎ ﺑَ ْﯾ َن ا ْﻟ ُﻣ ْؤ ِﻣﻧِﯾ َن َوإِ ْر َﺻﺎدًا ِﻟّ َﻣ ْن َﺣﺎ َر َب ا ّ َ َو َرﺳُو َﻟﮫُ ِﻣن ﻗَ ْﺑ ُل َوﻟَﯾَ ْﺣ ِﻠﻔَ ﱠن إِ ْن أَ َر ْدﻧَﺎ إِﻻﱠ ا ْﻟ ُﺣ ْﺳﻧَﻰ َوا ُّ ﯾَ ْﺷ َﮭدُ إِﻧﱠ ُﮭ ْم َﻟ َﻛﺎ ِذﺑُو َن

“And those who built a masjid to cause harm and for unbelief and to cause disunity among the believers and an ambush to him who made war against God and His Messenger before and they will certainly swear: We did not desire anything but goodness and God bears witness that they are surely liars.” Quran 9:107 The Authority of the Ahlul Bayt

• Nonetheless, since Sunnis believe that all of the companions were reliable, sound and just, they cannot dispute the authority of the Ahlul Bayt as reliable sources for understanding Islam. • The importance of following the Ahlul Bayt becomes even more clear when we examine the traditions that highlight their superior knowledge of the Quran and the prophetic legacy. • The Authority of the Ahlul Bayt

• It is reported that Umar b. al-Khattab used to say: ﻻو ﻋ ﻠ ﻲ ﻟ ﮭ ﻠ ك رﻣﻋ .رﻋ ﻲﻠﻋ ﻻ “Were it not for [the knowledge of] Ali, Umar would have perished.” • It is reported that Abu Hanifa once said: ﻣﺎ رأﯾت أﺣداً أﻓﻘﮫ ﻣن ﺟﻌﻔر ﺑن ﻣﺣ ﱠﻣد. “I have never met anyone more knowledgeable than Ja’far b. Muhammad.” The Authority of the Ahlul Bayt

• There is no ambiguity in these statements, which is why many Sunni scholars clearly asserted that every Muslim is permitted to act according to one of the five Islamic schools of jurisprudence: Ja’fari, Hanafi, Hanbali, Maliki, and Shaf’i. • Even if Sunnis do not recognize Imam al-Sadiq’s superiority, they must at least hold him as an equally valid path to the sunnah of the Prophet. The Authority of the Ahlul Bayt

• 2. Is it necessary to refer to the Ahlul Bayt to understand Islam, or is it merely an option? • The following well-known traditions indicate its necessity: This tradition is : دﺣ ثﯾ ا ﻟ ﺛ ﻘ ﻠ نﯾ :Hadith of the Two Weighty Things • indisputable and was utterd by the Prophet on several occasions. • Despite minor differences in wording, the content is similar across all versions. • The following insights can be inferred from the hadith: The Authority of the Ahlul Bayt

• The Quran and the Ahlul Bayt will always be together from the time of the Prophet until the end of the world. • The Quran must have an interpreter who can speak on its behalf. • The Ahlul Bayt are infallible. The Authority of the Ahlul Bayt

Narrated by both Shia and Sunni : دﺣ ثﯾ ا ﻔﺳﻟ ﯾ ﻧ ﺔ Hadith of the Ark • Muslims, the Prophet likened his household to the ship of ark of Prophet Noah:

لﺛﻣ لھأ ﺑ ﯾ ﻲﺗ ﻲﻓ ﻲﺗﻣأ لﺛﻣﻛ ﯾﻔﺳ ﺔﻧ حوﻧ ﻲﻓ ،ﮫﻣوﻗ نﻣ ﺎﮭﺑﻛر ﺎﺟﻧ نﻣو ﺎﮭﻛرﺗ قرﻏ ﺎﮭﻛرﺗ نﻣو ﺎﺟﻧ ﺎﮭﺑﻛر نﻣ ،ﮫﻣوﻗ ﻲﻓ حوﻧ ﺔﻧ ﯾﻔﺳ لﺛﻣﻛ ﻲﺗﻣأ ﻲﻓ ﻲﺗ ﯾ ﺑ لھأ لﺛﻣ “The parable of my household among you is like the ship of Noah: Whoever embarked it was saved, and whoever refused was drowned.” The Authority of the Ahlul Bayt

The Prophet also likened his :ﺑﺎب ﺣ ّطﺔ The Gate of Repentance • household to the Gate of Hitta in which he asked the Israelites to enter: لﺛﻣو ﺑ بﺎ ﺔطﺣ نﻣ ﮫﻠﺧد ﺎﺟﻧ نﻣو ﻟ م ﮫﻠﺧدﯾ كﻠھ

“and the like of the Gate of Hitta. Whoever entered that door attained salvation, and those who refused were destroyed.” The Authority of the Ahlul Bayt

• The verses related to this hadith read: َوإِ ْذ ﻗُ ْﻠﻧَﺎ ا ْد ُﺧﻠُواْ َھـ ِذ ِه ا ْﻟﻘَ ْرﯾَﺔَ ﻓَﻛُﻠُواْ ِﻣ ْﻧ َﮭﺎ َﺣ ْﯾ ُث ِﺷﺋْﺗُ ْم َر َﻏداً َوا ْد ُﺧﻠُواْ ا ْﻟﺑَﺎ َب ﺳُ ﱠﺟداً َوﻗُوﻟُواْ ِﺣ ﱠطﺔٌ ﻧﱠ ْﻐ ِﻔ ْر ﻟَﻛُ ْم َﺧ َطﺎﯾَﺎﻛُ ْم َو َﺳﻧَ ِزﯾدُ ا ْﻟ ُﻣ ْﺣ ِﺳﻧِﯾ َن “And We said: Enter this town, and eat thereof freely whenever you wish, and enter prostrating at the gate and say, ‘Relieve [us of the burden of our sins], that We may forgive your iniquities, and soon We shall increase the virtuous.” Quran 2:58 The Authority of the Ahlul Bayt

َوإِ ْذ ﻗِﯾ َل ﻟَ ُﮭ ُم ا ْﺳﻛُﻧُواْ َھـ ِذ ِه ا ْﻟﻘَ ْرﯾَﺔَ َوﻛُﻠُواْ ِﻣ ْﻧ َﮭﺎ َﺣ ْﯾ ُث ِﺷﺋْﺗُ ْم َوﻗُوﻟُواْ ِﺣ ﱠطﺔٌ َوا ْد ُﺧﻠُواْ ا ْﻟﺑَﺎ َب ﺳُ ﱠﺟدًا ﻧﱠ ْﻐ ِﻔ ْر ﻟَﻛُ ْم َﺧ ِطﯾﺋَﺎﺗِﻛُ ْم َﺳﻧَ ِزﯾدُ ا ْﻟ ُﻣ ْﺣ ِﺳﻧِﯾ َن

“And when it was said to them, "Dwell in this city and eat from it wherever you will and say, 'Relieve us of our burdens,' and enter the gate prostrating; We will [then] forgive you your sins. We will increase the doers of good [in goodness and reward].” Quran 7:161 The Authority of the Ahlul Bayt

• Whoever entered the gate was forgiven, and whoever refused was punished. Similarly, those who follow the Ahlul Bayt, receive God’s mercy and forgiveness, and those who arrogantly refuse are punished. The Authority of the Ahlul Bayt

• Comparable to the Stars: In this hadith the Prophet likens his household to stars: موﺟﻧﻟا نﺎﻣأ لھﻷ ضرﻷا نﻣ قرﻐﻟا ، لھأو ﻲﺗﯾﺑ نﺎﻣأ ﻲﺗﻣﻷ نﻣ فﻼﺗﺧﻹا اذﺈﻓ ﺎﮭﺗﻔﻟﺎﺧ ﺔﻠﯾﺑﻗ ﺔﻠﯾﺑﻗ ﺎﮭﺗﻔﻟﺎﺧ اذﺈﻓ فﻼﺗﺧﻹا نﻣ ﻲﺗﻣﻷ نﺎﻣأ ﻲﺗﯾﺑ لھأو ، قرﻐﻟا نﻣ ضرﻷا لھﻷ نﺎﻣأ موﺟﻧﻟا نﻣ ا برﻌﻟ ﺗﺧإ ﻠ اوﻔ اورﺎﺻﻓ بزﺣ إ ﺑ ﻠ سﯾﻠﺑإ ز ارﺻ و ﺧ بﻌ ن “The stars help prevent the inhabitants of the earth from being drowned, and my Ahlul Bayt are the protectors of my community against disputes (in religious matters). Therefore, whichever Arab group opposes my Ahlul Bayt shall be split up by dissensions and will become a party of Satan.”