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Historical accounts confirm that the imamate was the first issue which gave rise to conflicting views and standpoints among Muslims. In specific, they failed to reach an agreement about the procedure. For choosing the imam leader who would succeed the prophet and about the person who would occupy this paramount position. Consequently, three nominees competed for the position of caliph. The Ansaris [early converts of Medina] assembled at al-Sakifa and chose Saad ibn Abada while a number of Muhajereen [emigrants] selected Abu Bakr, members of the Bani Hashim [the Prophet clan] as well as a number of Ansars and Muhajereens supported Ali's candidacy. Historically and ideologically, the issue of the imamate is one of the basic issues that helped in shaping the Shiite entity as supporters of Ali and his descendants. Followers of Ali and his posterity believed that Ali had an inalienable right to the Muslim's political and intellectual leadership because he possessed par excellence the qualities if leadership and rulership and was undeniably the highest intellectual authority whose final judgements settled disputes among Muslims. These followers of the Prophet Household were called the Shiite or partisans.
It is useful to find out when and how the term Shiite came into use, and how this Islamic group emerged as a school of though, a political group and a religious sect distinct from other such groups. Accordingly to Islamic scholars, the term was first used by Prophet Muhammad in interpreting the following verse: "Those who believe and perform good deeds are the best of creation"(25). In that context, it is reported that he turned to Ali and said: 'It [describes] you and your shiites'(26). Another mention of the word Shiite is found in the following tradition, quoted by Ibn al-Atheer, in which the prophet addressed Ali by saying: 'You and your shiites will come before God gratified and content while your foes will appear before him angry and chained'(27). Devotion to the prophet household and reciting prayers on them and, thus in effect becoming one of their followers or shiite is ordained by the Quran in the following verse: "Say for this I ask of you no recompense except love of my kindred"(28). Furthermore, the praying on the prophet which must be recited in every obligatory prayer performed by all Muslims must follow the following text prescribed by the Prophet: 'Say, God [we implore you] to pray on Muhammad and his household as you have prayed on Abraham and his posterity'.
After the death of the prophet, a number of the companions of the Ansars convened at the Sakifa to choose the prophet successor and they elected Saad ibn Abada. As soon as news of this reached the companions Abu Bakr, Omar ibn al-Khatab, Abdul Rahman ibn Awf and Abu ubaida ibn al- Jarah they hurried to the Sakifa where after a heated argument with the Ansars, Saad's appointment was annulled, and instead Abu Bakr received an oath of allegiance as the Caliph. When Ali and a group of companions were informed of this they refused to pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr declaring that Ali was the most entitled to the position of caliph and imam. Ali's supporters included al-Abbas (the prophet uncle), Fatima (the prophet's daughter) and a number of prominent companions such as al-Fadl ibn al-Abbas, al-Zubair ibn al-Awam, Khalid ibn Saeed, al-Muqdad ibn al- Aswad, Salman al-Farisi, Abu Thar al-Ghafari, Ammar ibn Yassir, al-Bura ibn Azib, Ubai ibn Kaab(29). As a result of this, the Shiite came into existence as a group and the companions were divided into two mainstreams and schools of though regarding the issue of the imamate and caliphate.
One of the basic principles underlying the concept of the imamate or leadership in shiite thought is the imam's possession of the attributes of perfect human begins and his isma, immunity or exemption from disobedience to God. This is what the Quran referred to as purification and was later known as infallibility. Shaikh al-Mufeed summarized the Shiite viewpoint on the necessity of the Imam's infallibility by stating that the "Imamiya [shiites] agree that the religious Imam must be infallible and exempt from disobeying God, knowledgeable of all aspects of religion, perfect in totality and distinguished from others by his excellence over them in deeds for which he deserves eternal happiness [Paradise]"(30). Imam Jafar al-Sadiq defined the infallible as "the one who desist by God's grace from all things forbidden by God"(31). It was also defined by another source as "a hidden grace bestowed by God on the chosen one so that he would not have cause to forsake obedience and commit transgressions despite his ability to do so"(32). The Shiite doctrine regards the traits of purity or infallibility and perfect knowledge of Islamic laws and rulings as the two basic traits required in the Imam. They assert that this doctrine is derived from Quranic and Sunna (tradition) sources, as shown in the following paragraphs. The most obvious support for the necessity of infallibility in the Imam is provided by the divine dialogue with Abraham on the entitlement to the position of Imam; God said to Abraham: "he said: I have appointed you an imam [leader] for mankind. Abraham asked: and what of my descendants? [will they be leaders?] He said: my covenant does not include wrongdoers"(33). On the basis of this revelation they inferred that the imamate is a divine convenant specific to those who are exempt from evil- doing and possess self purity and infallibility as defined earlier and given that this infallibility is unobtainable without knowledge of Islamic laws. The Quran also establishes that the Prophet Household have been purified or made infallible: "God wants to remove uncleanness from you the Prophet Household and purify you thoroughly"(34). It is the general consensus among tradition narrators and Quranic commentators that when this verse was revealed, the Prophet summoned Ali, Fatima al-Hassan al-Hussain and said: 'God, these are Muhammad Household, let your prayers and blessings be on them as you done with Abraham household"(35). Shiite thinkers also argue that the prophetic declaration in the Farewell pilgrimage strongly indicated that the Imams of the prophet household are endowed with purity and infallibility. They draw attention to the following part of his speech, which has been cited earlier"(36).
It should be obvious by now that the imamate constitutes a cornerstone in the structure of Islamic Shiite thinking. Identifying the Imams is significant per se since they are the political and intellectual leaders of the nation and the authorities in understanding the Quran, traditions and religious laws. In addition, the lives and deeds of these Imams who distinguished themselves in knowledge, piety and incomparable services to the faith provide further confirmation of the Shiite imamate doctrine. A brief biography of each of twelve imams of the prophet household follows:
Imam Ali was born in Mecca ten years prior to the beginning of the prophecy and was assassinated on the twenty first of Ramadan in 40 A.H. He was struck with a poisoned sword by Abdul Rahman ibn Muljam while prostrating himself in the dawn prayer. When every Muslim at Medina was instructed by the Prophet to accept another Muslim as his 'brother', the prophet chose Ali as his brother. He was the first male convert to Islam and for this unique honor he was repeatedly praised in the Quran. Quranic commentators enumerated tens of verses revealed in praise of Ali and his virtues especially his piety, leadership and sacrifices. Narrators of the traditions also reported several traditions and sayings of the Prophet which pay tribute to his high status, eminence and virtues - some of which have been referred to earlier.
He is the son of Ali ibn Abi Talib. His mother is Fatima, the prophet's daughter. He was born on the 15th of Ramadan in 3 A.H. and died of poisoning in 50 A.H.
He is also the son of Ali and Fatima, born on the 3rd of Shaban in 4 A.H. and martyred in Kerbala (in present-day Iraq) on the 10th of Muharam in 61 A.H. at the hands of the army sent by the Ummayid ruler, Yazid ibn Muawiyah. Al-Hassan and Al-Hussain are the Prophet's grandsons and members of his household to whom Muslims must offer affection, allegiance and prayer in compliance with God's commands. Numerous traditions have been transmitted and recorded proclaiming the prominence and virtues of the Prophet Household, i.e. Ali, Fatima, Al-Hassan and al-Hussain such as the Prophet's saying: "My Household are like Noah's Ark, Whoever goes aboard it will be safe, and whoever turns away from it drown"(37). Also the companion Ibn Abbas reported that when the following verse was revealed to the Prophet: 'say for this I ask of you no recompense except love of my kindred'(38), he was asked about These relatives whose love became obligatory and he replied: 'Ali, Fatima and their two sons,(39). In describing al-Hassan and al-Hussain the Prophet said they are 'my raihanatay [literally two beautiful trees or sons] in this world'(40).
He is the son of Imam Hussain ibn Ali, also known as al-Sajjad (the prostrator) and Zain al-Abideen (the best worshipper) because of his dedication to prayer and worship. He was born in 38 A.H. and died in 95 A.H. Ibn Hajjar described him as follows: "Zain al-Abideen inherited his father's knowledge, ascetic way of life and piety"(41). In praising him the Sunni imam Malik wrote that "there was no one in the Prophet Household similar to Ali ibn Al-Hussain"(42). Another prominent Sunni theologian, al-Shafi, called him "the most learned jurist and theologian of all the people of Medina"(43).
He is the son of Imam Ali ibn al-Hussain, born in 57 A.H. and died in 114 A.H. it is said that his excellence in religious learning was foretold by his great grandfather, the Prophet who entrusted the companion Jabir bin Abdullah al-Ansari to greet al-Baqir when he meets him. The imam was considered the grand teacher of all theologians and the ultimate authority to whose judgements jurists and Muslims deferred. Ibn al-Imad of the Sunni Hanbali school praised him as "one of the Medina's jurist, called al-Baqir because he [metaphorically] cut open the body of Islamic teachings, comprehended its origins and ambiguous aspects, and widened its scope"(44). Finally, Ibn Saad described him as 'authority who possessed immense learning and knowledge of the traditions'(45).
He is Imam al-Baqir's son, born in 83 A.H. and died in 148 A.H. Like his father before him, his excellence in learning and piety qualified him to become the teacher of prominent theologians and jurists. The list of his students is long and impressive and includes Ibn Malik, the founder of the Sunni Maliki school and Abu Hanifa, the eponym of the school of the Sunni Hanifas and numerous other jurists. Ibn Haban mentioned him in his book al-Thuqat as "one of the leaders of the Prophet Household whose religious knowledge, jurisprudence and eminence earned him this position. His rulings and arguments were referred to by notable jurists such as al-Thawri, Shuba, and Malik"(46). al-Nasai extold him as "an authority whom Malik said he used to visit and invariantly found him either praying, fasting or reading the Quran"(47).
He is Imam Jafar al-Sadiq' son, born in 128 A.H. and died in prison during the reign of the Abbasid ruler, Haroun al-Rasheed. al-Hafiz al-Razi wrote the following short biography of the Imam: "an authority, truthful, and one of the Muslim Imams"(48).
He is Imam Musa al-Kazim's son, born in 148 A.H. and died of poisoning in 203 A.H. He became the elder of the Prophet Household during his time. The Abbasid ruler, al-Mamoun was so impressed by the Imam's knowledge and the highest regard accorded to him by Muslims that he appointed him as his successor to the caliphate and gave him his daughter in marriage. He gained a high reputation for his religious learning, virtues and piety. The biographer, al-Waqidi praised him as an "authority who issued iftas (religious rulings or judgements) at the Prophet's Mosque when he was still in his twenties"(49). His succession to the Imamate was confirmed by his father when he said to his sons: 'your brother Ali is the imam of the prophet household, consult him about religious matters and commit to memory whatever he says to you'(50).
He is Imam al-Rida's son, born in 195 A.H. and died in 220 A.H. Sibt ibn al-Jawzi reported that the Imam "followed his father's model in learning, piety, ascetic way of life and generosity"(51).
He is Imam al-Jawad's son, born in 214 A.H. and died in 254 A.H. The historian, al-Thahabi, referred to him in his book, Tarikh al-Islam [History of Islam] as "the honourable sayyid [one of the prophet descendant], a jurist - and one of the twelve [Imams] and the Imamiya call him al- Hadi"(52). Abu al-Falah al-Hanbali described him as "a jurist and a devout Imam'(53).
He is Imam Ali al-Hadi's son, born in 232 A.H. and died in 260 A.H. He was extolled by Ibn al-Jawzi as "a learned authority who narrated the traditions from his father and grandfather"(54).
He is Imam al-Askari's son, born in 255 A.H. Several of the prophet traditions narrated by numerous companions mentioned Imam al-Mahdi of the prophet household, these companions include Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, Othman ibn Affan, Amar ibn Yassir, Abu Hurraira, Abdullah ibn Abbas, Abdullah ibn Massoud, Huthifa ibn al-Yaman, Umm Salamah, and many others. Two of these traditions foretold the coming of al-Mahdi: "al-Mahdi is one of us, the prophet Household for whom God will make Provisions in the single night"(55), and al-Mahdi is one of my Itra [posterity], the descendants of Fatima"(56). In conclusion, this section has reviewed evidence from the two principal sources, namely the Quran and the Prophet's Sunna [traditions] as well as testimonies from historians, jurists and learned men of various Islamic sects and persuasions referred to by shiites in support of the imamate of the twelve Imams. It has also been shown that each one of these Imams received his knowledge from his father and ultimately from the prophet and as such they represent a natural extension of the Islamic march began by the Prophet.
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