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Order of Holy Prophet(pbuh&hf) about 12 Imams
This article is in reference to the question that: Where did the twelve Imams(AS) come from and why should the number of Imams be twelve and twelve only?
As a matter of fact, the answer is right inside the Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim.
There are numerous Sunni collections of traditions which all recorded the
following authentic tradition from the Prophet (PBUH&HF). Here, for the sake of brevity, it has been quoted from Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal.
In Sahih al-Bukhari (Arabic-English version), the tradition is as follows:
Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith: 9.329
Narrated Jabir Ibn Samura:
I heard the Prophet saying, "There will be twelve commanders (Amir)." He
then said a sentence which I did not hear. My father said, the Prophet added, "All of them will be from Quraish."
In Musnad Ahmad, the tradition is as follows:
The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said: "There shall be twelve Caliphs
for this community, all of them from Quraish."Reference: Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v5, p106
In Sahih Muslim, the traditions are as follows:
Narrated Jabir Ibn Samura:
The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said: "The matter (life) will not end, until it is
passed by twelve Caliphs." He then whispered a sentence. I asked my father what the Prophet said. He said, the Prophet added: "All of them will be from Quraish."Sunni references:
- Sahih Muslim, Arabic version, Kitab al-Imaara, 1980 Edition Pub. in Saudi
Arabia, v3, p1452, Tradition #5- Sahih Muslim, English version, Chapter DCCLIV (titled: The People are
subservient to the Quraish and the Caliphate is the Right of the Quraish), v3, p1009, Tradition #4477
Again from Sahih Muslim:
The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said: "The affairs of people will continue to be
conducted (well) as long as they are governed by the twelve men."
references:
- Sahih Muslim, Arabic version, Kitab al-Imaara, 1980 Edition Pub. in Saudi
Arabia, v3, p1453, Tradition #6- Sahih Muslim, English version, Chapter DCCLIV (titled: The People are
subservient to the Quraish and the Caliphate is the Right of the Quraish), v3, p1010, Tradition #4478
Also:
The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said: "Islam will continue to be triumphant until
there have been twelve Caliphs."
references:
- Sahih Muslim, Arabic version, Kitab al-Imaara, 1980 Edition Pub. in Saudi
Arabia, v3, p1453, Tradition #7- Sahih Muslim, English version, Chapter DCCLIV (titled: The People are
subservient to the Quraish and the Caliphate is the Right of the Quraish), v3, p1010, Tradition #4480
Again:
The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said: "The Islamic religion will continue until the
Hour (day of resurrection), having twelve Caliphs for you, all of them will be from Quraish."references:
- Sahih Muslim, Arabic version, Kitab al-Imaara, 1980 Edition Pub. in Saudi
Arabia, v3, p1453, Tradition #10- Sahih Muslim, English version, Chapter DCCLIV (titled: The People are
subservient to the Quraish and the Caliphate is the Right of
the Quraish), v3, p1010, Tradition #4483
More Sunni references of similar traditions:
- Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v4, p501
- Sunan Abu Dawud, v2, p421 (three traditions).
- Others such as al-Tiyalasi, Ibn al-Athir, etc.
Also in another wording, the Messenger of Allah uses the word "Imam" instead of
"Caliph". It is widely narrated that:
The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said: "The Imams are from Quraish"
references:
- al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p149
- Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal
- Sahih al-Nisa'i, from Anas Ibn Malik
- Sunan, by al-Baihaqi
- al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqa, by Ibn Hajar al-Haithami, Ch. 11, section 2, p287
Few Facts About the Twelve Imams of Ahlul-Bayt:
The First Imam: The Commander of Believers, Abul-Hasan, ALI al-Murtadha, son of
Abu Talib, was born on the 13th of Rajab, 10 years before the declaration of the Prophethood (600 A. D.), INSIDE KA'BAH. He became Imam (according to order of holy prophet(pbuh&hf)), on the demise of the Prophet on the 28th of Safar 11/632, and was fatally wounded by the poisoned sword of Ibn Muljam while engaged in prayers at the Mosque of Kufa (Iraq), and expired two days later on the 21st of Ramadhan 40/661, and was buried at al- Najaf (Iraq).
The Second Imam: Abu Muhammad, AL-HASAN al-Mujtaba, son of Ali, was born on the
15th of Ramadhan 3/625 in Medina; martyred of poison on the 7th or 28th Safar 50/670 in Medina by the order of Mu'awiya.
The Third Imam: Abu Abdillah, AL-HUSAIN, The Chief of Martyrs (Sayyid al-Shuhadaa), son of Ali, was born on the 3rd of Sha'ban 4/626 in Medina; was
martyred with his sons (except one), relatives and companions, on the 10th of Muharram (Ashura) 61/680 in Karbala (Iraq) by order of Yazid (LA). He and his elder brother, al-Hasan, were sons of Fatima, the daughter of the holy Prophet.
The Fourth Imam: Abu Muhammad, ALI Zain al-Abidin, son of al-Husain, was born
on the 5th of Sha'ban 38/659; martyred of poison on the 25th of Muharram 94/712 or 95/713 in Medina by the order of Husham Ibn Abdul-Malik.
The Fifth Imam: Abu Ja'far, MUHAMMAD al-Baqir, son of Ali, was born on the 1st
of Rajab 57/677 in Medina; martyred of poison by Ibrahim on the 7th Dhul-Hajja 114/733 in Medina.
The Sixth Imam: Abu Abdillah, JA'FAR al-Sadiq, son of Muhammad, was born on the
17th of Rabi'ul-Awwal 83/702 in Medina; martyred there of poison on the 25th of Shawwal 148/765 by the order of al-Mansur.
The Seventh Imam: Abul-Hasan al-Awwal, MUSA al-Kadhim, son of Ja'far, was born
in al-Abwa (7 miles from Medina) on the 7th Safar 129/746; martyred of poison on the 25th of Rajab 183/799 in the prison of Harun al-Rashid in Baghdad and was buried at al-Kadhimiyya, near Baghdad (Iraq).
The Eighth Imam: Abul-Hasan al-Thani, ALI al-Ridha, son of Musa, was born in
Medina on the 11th Dhul-Qa'da 148/765; martyred of poison on the 17th of Safar 203/818 in Mash'had (Khurasan, Iran) by the order of Ma'mun.
The Ninth Imam: Abu Ja'far al-Thani, MUHAMMAD al-Taqi al-Jawad, son of Ali, was
born on the 10th of Rajab 195/811 in Medina; martyred of poison by the order of Mu'tasim in Baghdad on the 30th Dhul-Qa'da 220/835; was buried near his grandfather at al-Kadhimiyya.
The Tenth Imam: Abul-Hasan al-Thalith, ALI al-Naqi al-Hadi, son of Muhammad,
was born on the 5th of Rajab 212/827 in Medina; martyred of poison in Samirra (Iraq) on 3rd of Rajab 254/868 by the order of Mutawakkil.
The Eleventh Imam: Abu Muhammad, AL-HASAN al-Askari, son of Ali, was born on
the 8th of Rabi al-Thani 232/846 in Medina; martyred of poison by Mu'tamid in Samirra (Iraq) on the 8th of Rabi'ul-Awwal 260/874.
The Twelfth Imam: Abul-Qasim, MUHAMMAD al-Mahdi, son of al-Hasan, was born on
the 15th of Sha'ban 255/869 in Samirra (Iraq). He is our present and alive Imam. He went into Lesser Occultation in 260/874 which continued until 329/844. Then the greater occultation began which still continues. He will reappear when Allah allows him to establish the kingdom of Allah on earth and to fill the world with justice and equality as it would be full of injustice and tyranny. He is al- Qa'im (the one who shall stand to establish the rule of Allah); al-Hujja (the proof of Allah over His creatures); Sahib al-Zaman (the master of our time); and Sahib al-Amr (the one who is supported by divine authority).
SHIA
