Imamah (Shi'a doctrine)

''This article is about the Shi'a concept, for the more general Islamic term, see Imam.

Imamah (Arabic:إمام) is an Shi'a Islamic term meaning Leadership. The Sunni equivalent to Imamah is Caliphat.

Introduction

Shi'a belive that at any given time, a certain leader titled The Imam of Time, is the Guardian of all Muslims.

Within Shi'ism, there are various sects that differ over the number of Imams, or path of succession. The issue of who is the rightful Imam has led to the growth of numerous sects within Shi'ism including: Twelvers (with Shaykhís), Ismailis (Seveners), Zaidis (Fivers), Alawites, Alevites, Druze, Ahl-e Haqq and others.

Imams

Twelver view

According to the majority of Shī'a, namely the Twelvers (Ithnā'ashariyya), the following is a listing of the rightful successors to Muhammad. Each Imam was the son of the previous Imam except for Hussayn ibn 'Alī, who was the brother of Hassan ibn 'Alī.

Alī ibn Abī Tālib (600 CE-661 CE)
Hassan ibn Alī (625-669)
Hussayn ibn Alī (626-680)
Alī ibn Hussayn (658-713), also known as Zayn al-Abideen
Muhammad al-Baqir (676-743)
Jafar as-Sadiq (703-765)
Musa al-Kazim (745-799)
Ali al-Rida (765-818) also known as Ali Reza
Muħammad at-Tāqī (810-835)''also known as Muhammad al-Jawad
Ali al-Hadi (827-868) also known as ˤAlī an-Nāqī
Hasan al-Askari (846-874)
Muhammad al-Mahdi (868-Present)

Ismaili view

The Ismailis believe that the first five of the first six Imams listed above are the rightful successors of Muhammad, but differ as to the seventh, believing that Ismail bin Jafar was the rightful successor, and not his brother Musa al-Kazim. From Ismail bin Jafar, the Ismaili line of Imams diverges to the descendants of Ismail, from whom the Aga Khans claim descent and their continuity. See ^*.

Ali ibn Abi Talib (600 CE-661 CE)
Husayn ibn Ali (626-680)
Ali ibn Husayn (658-713), also known as Zayn al-Abidin
Muhammad al-Baqir (676-743)
Jafar al-Sadiq (703-765)
Ismail bin Jafar

It is important to note that Hasan ibn Ali is not counted as Imam by the Ismailis on the ground that continuation of the Imamate can only occur from the current Imam to a male descendant. Since Hasan and Husayn were siblings, the Imamate could not pass from one of them to the other.

Zaydī view

The Zaydī believe that the first four Imāms listed above are the rightful successors of Muhammad but differ as to the fifth. The Zaydiyya believe that Zayd ibn ˤAlī and not his brother Muhammad al-Baqir was the rightful successor to the Imamate. For Zaydiyya, the Imamate was transferred from Zayd ibn ˤAlī to the Imāms who followed him; they often took the title of caliph. Unusually, the Zaydī caliphate was not hereditary, although the caliph has to be descended from ˤAlī ibn Abī Tālib.

Alī ibn Abī Tālib (600 CE-661 CE)
Hassan ibn Alī (625-669)
Hussayn ibn Alī (626-680)
Alī ibn Hussayn (658-713), also known as Zayn al-Abidin
Zayd ibn Alī (d. 740)

Not all "Zaydiyya" believe Zayd was the true Imām - Wasitis believe in the Twelve Imams and are considered Twelvers. Most Wasitī settled in India and Pakistan; the largest group is known as Saadat-e Bahra. Saadat means "descendants of Hussayn" and bahra means "twelve" in Hindi-Urdu. Saadat-e Bahra's biggest gathering is in Karachi, Pakistan and Muzaffarnagar, India.

External links

Lists of office-holders | Shia Imams