{"id":328,"date":"2014-11-07T19:51:30","date_gmt":"2014-11-07T19:51:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fatwa-tt.com\/?p=328"},"modified":"2017-11-09T03:38:32","modified_gmt":"2017-11-09T07:38:32","slug":"what-are-our-beliefs-concerning-the-twelve-shia-imams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fatwa-tt.com\/index.php\/what-are-our-beliefs-concerning-the-twelve-shia-imams\/","title":{"rendered":"What are our Beliefs Concerning the Twelve Shia Imams?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Question<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

I have a twelver Shia friend,\u00a0 many times he has told me about the 12 imams and that they\u00a0 believe that imam mahdi is alive but in hiding for now.\u00a0 I would like to know the sunni view on the 12 imams and if imam mahdi is the 12 imam.\u00a0 How different are our beliefs\u00a0 ono the 12 imams and imam mahdi.<\/span><\/p>\n

Answer<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

As-sal<\/strong>\u0101mu <\/strong>\u2018<\/strong>alaykum wa-rahmatull<\/strong>\u0101hi wa-barak<\/strong>\u0101tuh.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The twelve Imams and their brief biography is mentioned hereunder[1]<\/sup><\/sup><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Sayyidina Ali bin Abi Taalib Radhiallahu Anhu<\/strong>[2]<\/sup><\/strong><\/sup><\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong> A well known Sahabi, the fourth Caliph in Islam, and the cousin as well as the son-in-law of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. His status is well known and he is one of the Ashura Mubashara (ten Sahaba given the glad tidings of jannah under a tree by the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam).<\/span><\/p>\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Sayyidina Hasan Radhiallahu Anhu<\/strong>[3]<\/sup><\/strong><\/sup><\/strong><\/a>: <\/strong>The elder son of Ali Radhiallahu Anhu. He was honored as being the fifth Caliph in Islam.\u00a0 He gave up his Caliphate after a mere six months when people attempted to instill conflict between him and Muawiyah Radhiallahu Anhu after the death of his father Ali Radhiallahu Anhu. Hadhrat Hasan Radhiallahu Anhu further went on and pledged allegiance at the hands of Hadhrat Muawiyah Radhiallahu Anhu to avoid any conflict and dispute between the people. He was also known for his great resemblance to Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. He was born in 3 A.H. and passed away in 50 A.H.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Sayyidina Husain Radhiallahu Anhu<\/strong>[4]<\/sup><\/strong><\/sup><\/strong><\/a>: <\/strong>The younger son of Ali Radhiallahu Anhu. He was born in 4 A.H. and was martyred at the incident of Karbala in the year 61 A.H. on the blessed day of Ashura. Hadhrat Hasan and Husain Radhiallahu Anhuma are given the title \u201cThe two leaders of the youngsters in Jannah\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Ali <\/strong>\u201cZain al-Abideen<\/strong>\u201d bin Husain Radhiallahu Anhu<\/strong>[5]<\/sup><\/strong><\/sup><\/strong><\/a>: <\/strong>The son of Husain Radhiallahu Anhu. He was a Tabi\u2019ee and known as \u201cAli al-Asghar\u201d (the younger Ali) in order to differentiate between him and his brother who was also named Ali. Much praise is mentioned about Zain al-Abideen Rahimahullah. Many scholars mention he was the best the Quraish had seen in their time. He possessed such knowledge of deen which can not be described in simple words. He was born in the year 38 A.H. and passed away in 94 A.H. in Madina.<\/span><\/p>\n

5)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Muhammad bin Ali al-Baaqir<\/strong>[6]<\/sup><\/strong><\/sup><\/strong><\/a>: <\/strong>The son of Zain al-Abideen Rahimahullah. He is also a Tabi\u2019ee. He is famous by the name \u201cAbu-Ja\u2019far\u201d. He was born in 56 A.H. and passed away in 115 A.H. in the city of Hameemah. He was a great scholar who is mentioned in all of the books of Saha\u2019ih Sittah. He was also capable of being a Caliph of Islam. When he was asked about Abu Bakr and Umar Radhiallahu Anhuma, he praised them greatly and admitted that they were much greater than himself. He had a habit of performing 150 Raka\u2019at of Salah daily and was considered to be one of the great Tabi\u2019ee Jurists of Madina. He was also the teacher of the great Imam Abu Hanifa Rahimahullah.<\/span><\/p>\n

6)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Ja<\/strong>\u2019far bin Muhammad as-Saadiq<\/strong>[7]<\/sup><\/strong><\/sup><\/strong><\/a>: <\/strong>The son of Muhammad Baaqir Rahimahullah. He is also a Tabi\u2019ee and was born in 80 A.H. and passed away in 148 A.H. He was known to be the Shaykh of Madina in his time. When Imam Abu Hanifa Rahimahullah was inquired about the most intelligent person in the field of jurisprudence, he replied that I have not seen anyone more intelligent in jurisprudence than Muhammad bin Ja\u2019far. Also, Abu Bakr Radhiallahu Anhu was his grandfather so when he was informed the Shias had a grudge against Abu Bakr Radhiallahu Anhu, he became very angry and started hating the Shias.<\/span><\/p>\n

7)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Musa bin Ja<\/strong>\u2019far al-Kaazhim<\/strong>[8]<\/sup><\/strong><\/sup><\/strong><\/a>: <\/strong>The son of Ja\u2019far as-Saadiq Rahimahullah. He was born in 128 A.H and passed away in 183 A.H. The Shia sect known as the \u201cIsmailiyyah\u201d are named after his brother, Isma\u2019il bin Ja\u2019far. He was a great worshipper of Allah Ta\u2019ala and known for his prolonged hours of worship. His generosity was also well known. If he was informed that someone was complaining about him regarding any form of hardship, he would send the person hundreds of Dinaars (gold coins) as a gift.<\/span><\/p>\n

8)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Ali bin Musa al-Ridha<\/strong>[9]<\/sup><\/strong><\/sup><\/strong><\/a>: <\/strong>The son of Musa al-Kaazhim Rahimahullah. He was born in 149 A.H. and passed away in 203 A.H. He possessed such knowledge that he was passing rules and verdicts at a very young age. The leader in his time was Ma\u2019moon al-Rasheed, the son of Haroon al-Rasheed. Although Ma\u2019moon was a Mutazili by creed, he had great love and respect for Ali al-Ridha Rahimahullah<\/em>. Ma\u2019moon desired for Ali al-Ridha Rahimahullah<\/em> to be his successor. However, as faith had it, Ali al-Ridha Rahimahullah <\/em>passed away before Ma\u2019moon and never had a chance to take the throne.<\/span><\/p>\n

9)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Muhammad bin Ali al-Taqi al-Jawaad<\/strong>[10]<\/sup><\/strong><\/sup><\/strong><\/a>: <\/strong>The son of Ali al-Ridha Rahimahullah. He was born in 195 A.H. and passed away in 220 A.H. Although he did not reach the lofty status of his forefathers, he was very intelligent, eloquent, pious and regarded to be one of the chiefs of his time. He was nicknamed \u201cal-Jawaad\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

10)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Abu al-Hasan Ali bin Muhammad al-Taqi al-Haadi<\/strong>[11]<\/sup><\/strong><\/sup><\/strong><\/a>: <\/strong>The son of Muhammad bin Ali al-Taqi Rahimahullah. He was born in 214 A.H. and passed away in 254 A.H. He was also very righteous and god-fearing. He was born in Madina but later on, the leader of his time, Ja\u2019far al-Mutawakkil lead him to Baghdad and then sent him to Sa\u2019marraa. He resided here for more than twenty years and this is where he met his end.<\/span><\/p>\n

11)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Abu-Muhammad Hasan bin Ali al-Askari al-Alawi<\/strong>[12]<\/sup><\/strong><\/sup><\/strong><\/a>: <\/strong>The son of Ali al-Taqi Rahimahullah. He was born in 232 A.H. and passed away in 260 A.H. He is the father of the awaited twelfth Imam the Shias believe in. He was known for his piety, excessive worship of Allah, and his status within the people. It is said that when he passed away, his city was struck by a powerful sound and all the people, commanders and chiefs included, left their posts and workshops to attend his funeral.<\/span><\/p>\n

12)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Muhammad bin Hasan al-Askari al-Qaaim <\/strong>\u201cal-Muntazhar<\/strong>\u201d al-Mahdi<\/strong>[13]<\/sup><\/strong><\/sup><\/strong><\/a>: <\/strong>This person is known as the \u201cMuntazhar\u201d or \u201cThe Awaited\u201d by the Shia. They tend to believe he will be the Imam Mahdi discussed in the Ahadith. They also believe he is well and alive but went into hiding to protect himself from harm and also possesses the rest of the Qur\u2019an (may Allah protect us all from saying such statements). After entering the basement of his father\u2019s house at a young age, he never came out and he will emerge once again before qiyaamah and fill the world with justice. Some also believe that his father, Hasan al-Askari never had any children. The Shias response to this is the father was hiding the child and was born after the father\u2019s death.<\/span><\/p>\n

We believe and bring Iman upon the Imam Mahdi mentioned in the Ahadith. However, the Imam Mahdi mentioned in the Ahadith is much different in comparison to the Imam Mahdi \u201cal-Muntzhar\u201d the Shias believe in.[14]<\/sup><\/strong><\/sup><\/strong><\/a> The twelfth Imam the Shias believe in is the only person we consider unreliable as he is unknown. He is also not the actual Imam Mahdi because it contradicts the statement of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam that Imam Mahdi will share the same name Muhammad and his father will also possess the same name as Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam\u2019s father Abdullah. Hence, his name will be Muhammad bin Abdullah and not Muhammad bin Hasan al-Askari. Imam Mahdi is also known to be born prior to the day of qiyamah and not known to be immortal\/alive for a very long time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Some of the Shia beliefs concerning the twelve Imams are as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n