The Twelve Imams
The Leaders After Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh&hf)
The References, that I have used are founded in the book "Islamic Belief"by: Muhammad Ibn Al-Mahdi
Al-Hussaini Al-Shirazi
Imam Ali (a.s)
Imam Ali Ibn Abu Talib (a.s), cousin, son-in-law and the successor of prophet Muhammad 
, as leader of
mankind and father of all Imams. Born in Makkah (only person
to be born inside the Ka'bah) on the 13th of
Rajab, 30 years after the birth of the holy prophet. He was
the first to become Muslim, never worshipped idols. In Imam
Ali's relation to the Truth, the prophet had said,
"Ali is with the Truth and Truth is with Ali."
Because of Imam Ali's (a.s) great virtuous attributes to Islam and his people, the prophet complimented him with, "Ali is the best judge among you."
Due to his vast knowledge the prophet also said,
"I am the City of
Knowledge and Ali is the Gate of this City."
In all and all Imam Ali (a.s) was
a lot like Prophet Muhammad , in dealing with his enemies, treating all people equally, he too, as the prophet did not indulge in worldly luxuries. He would give gold and silver to the needy. He also would help the poor and sit with them, also teaching the True Islam to them.
On the 19th of Ramadhan in the Mosque of Kufa, Imam Ali (a.s), while praying, was fatally wounded by the
sword of Ibrahim Ibn Muljim, at the age of 63. His sons Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain
buried their father in Najaf, where his shrine stands today.
Imam Hassan (a.s)
Imam Hassan, son of Imam Ali Ibn Abutalib and Fatima, peace and blessings be upon them all. Was born in
Medina on the 15th of Ramadhan in the second year of Hijrah. He was like his grandfather, the holy prophet, for his great love in worshipping Allah 
, knowledge and spiritual perfections. He was very kind hearted and most forbearing as well. Here are the acts that Imam Hassan (a.s) has done: "Once a house maid presented a bunch of flowers and because of this the Imam set her free." He then said, "that it was because of how Allah has disciplined us..." and he stated this from the holy Qur'an, "When you are greeted, you should respond in even a better way or just return the greeting."
Imam Hassan, was a remarkable being, he is a true model, like that of his grandfather, father, and mother, peace be upon them all. Imam Hassan (a.s) died as a martyr, someone had placed poison into his food, on the 27th of Safar in the year 49 after Hijrah. His younger brother, Imam
Hussain (a.s) prepared his body and buried him in Baqi' cemetery in Medina.
Imam
Hussain (a.s)
Imam
Hussain (a.s) son of Imam Ali and Fatima al Zahra was born in Medina on the 3 of Sha’ban in the same year as his older brother Imam Hassan. Peace and blessings be upon them. The holy prophet has said with great pride, “Imam Ali is from me and I am from Ali.” And this about his grandsons, “my two grandsons are the delight of my eyes. Imam Hassan and
Hussain are the leaders of the youth in Paradise. Both are Imams whether they will assume this position publicly or not.”
He had great knowledge as did his brother and father before him. He would pray a lot during the night like his father had and often after prayers he would deliver food to the needy. He was very kind, great and forbearing. He revived through his one of the kind revolution the Islamic Sharia (Islamic Law) and the religion that was sent down through his grandfather. In fact, he did a great service to the whole world. He is the leader of the martyrs and the best among the people after his older brother Imam Hassan (a.s).
He was martyred unjustly by the army of Yazid on the 10 of Muharram in the year 61 after Hijrah in Karbala, Iraq. His son Imam Ali Zaynul Abidin finally prepared his fathers decapitated body, after it had been abandoned for three days in the field, which is where his shrine stands today.
Imam Ali Zaynul Abidin (a.s)
Imam Ali Zaynul Abidin is the son of Imam
Hussain and Shahe Zanan daughter of Yazd gurd, King of Persia. He was born in Medina
on the 15th of Jimadi Al-awwal in the year 36 after Hijrah, which was the day that Imam Ali liberated the city of Basra, Iraq.
He was like that of his father and grandfather before him. Being full of knowledge, worshipping Allah , spiritual perfection’s, piety and helping the needy.
The jurists, when involving the Islamic Sharia (Law), quote him in many facts of spiritual guidance, prayer, and words of wisdom that he had left behind as his legacy.
Very often at night much like his father would deliver food and money to the needy, however he would hide hid identity by covering his face. He did not want any one to recognize him, for of fear they would feel obliged whenever they would meet him. When he left this world later the people understood that it was him who had delivered the food and helped the needy. He would loved to visit the orphans and share with them his lunch or dinner.
Every month he would hold a meeting for his employees and would ask them if they would need extra money for a wedding or something like that. Whenever someone would say they did he would say, “welcome to those who carry for me supplies to the next life.”
It has been said that Imam Ali Zaynul Abidin (a.s) would pray a thousand rakat of prayer in every 24 hours. At the time of prayers his face would change out of realization of the greatness of Allah , the Most High. Due to this his forehead and knees were clearly marked.
Once a relative spoke to him in an improper manner that would hurt some feelings. After a while the Imam stood up and went close to him and recited this from the Holy Qur’an, “… those who control their anger and forgive people, Allah loves those who do good.”
And then he said,
“ brother, I heard all that you said to me. If all that you said about me is true, then I ask Allah to forgive me and if all that you said about me is not true, then may Allah forgive you.”
Imam Ali Zaynul Abidin (a.s) died due to poison mixed in his food by his enemies, on the 25th of Muharram, in the year 95 after Hijrah, at the age of 57 and buried in Baqi’ cemetery in
Medina.
Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (a.s)
The fifth Imam was Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir, son of Ali Ibn
Al-Hussain and Fatima daughter of Imam Hassan. He was born on the 3rd of Safar in the year 57 after Hijrah.
He was a man of great virtue and leadership, a man of vast knowledge, great forbearance, great moral discipline, worship, generosity, and kindness.
A Christian man, mispronouncing the Imam’s name, once said to him, “are you Baqar?" (meaning, a “cow”). The Imam said, “no, I am Baqir.” The man then said, “are you the son of the female cook?” The Imam said, “that is her profession.” The man then said, “are you the son of the bad negro woman?” The Imam said, “if what you say is true, then may Allah forgive her and if what you say is not true then may Allah forgive you.” This changed the Christian man and he became a Muslim.
He had profound knowledge and would answer every question with out delay. Ibn Ata of
Makkah has said this about the Imam,
“I never saw the scholars look so small as they did in the presence of Imam Muhammad Baqir. I saw Ibn Utaybah, with all his prestige in the community, looked just like a child in the presence of Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir.”
Muhammad Ibn Muslim had said this;
“I asked Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir all the questions that would come in my mind and would ask him about 30,000 Hadith.”
The fifth Imam would recite the names and attributes of Allah very often. His son Imam Ja’far Assadiq (a.s) has said,
“my father would recite Allah’s names very often and even when walking he would keep reciting Allah’s names and people’s talking to each other would not distract him from reciting Allah’s names.”
He would pray a lot at night and his tears would flow tremendously during his worshipping.
Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir died of poisoning from one of his enemies, on the seventh of Zilhajj in the year 124 after Hijrah at the age of 57 and he is buried in the Baqi’ cemetery in
Medina.
Imam Ja’far Al-Sadiq (a.s)
The sixth Imam was Ja’far Al-Sadiq son of Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir and Fatima also known as Umm Farwah. He was born in
Medina in the year 17th of Rabi’Al-awwal in the year 83 after Hijrah.
He was unquestionably possessed the vast knowledge of wisdom, piety, simple living manners, truthfulness, and justice. He was very generous, of excellent moral perfection and of very well mannered in his social dealings. A sheik has once said that from none of the members of the family of the holy prophet so much Hadith is narrated as much as it is narrated from the sixth Imam. None of the members of the family of the holy prophet had the chance to meet so many of the narrators of Hadith or historians, as did the sixth Imam.
A list of the narrators of Hadith (as one of the sixth Imam’s students) the Imam of a certain school of law of the Muslims.
Imam Ja’far Al-Sadiq (a.s) lived a simple life. He himself would work in his garden, praying with a great deal of attention and often his body would not respond to any physical contact because his mind was totally on the meaning of worship.
One night Rashid, the caliph of the time wanted to meet him and had sent one of his servants to Imam Ja’far Al-Sadiq’s (a.s) house. The servant had said that he found the Imam in the state of prostration before Allah with his hands and face on the ground and his forehead and the sides of his face dust on them.
Imam Ja’far Al-Sadiq (a.s) had died on the 15th of Shawwal in the year 148 after Hijrah at the age of 65. He was poisoned by his enemies.
Imam Musa Al-Kazim (a.s)
Imam Musa Al-Kazim (A.S) was the son of Imam Ja’far Al-Sadiq (A.S) and Umm Hamida. He was born in Abwa between
Makkah and Medina on the seventh of Safar, in the year 128 after Hijrah.
The name Al-Kazim means having great control over one’s anger. Which his name suited him very well. Along with his great control over anger he was also very knowledgeable, generous, brave and of excellent spiritual perfection and worship.
Once a poor person asked him for some help. The Imam wanted to know what was the man’s state of mind and asked him some questions. When the man answered them properly, the Imam in appreciation of the man’s alertness had gave him 1000 Durham instead of 100 that he had asked.
Unfortunately he was unjustly put in a hostile confinement at Haroon’s jail for 14 years. That was where he had died. After he had been poisoned he had done what he loved to do the most and that was to pray, worshipping to Allah and prostrating before Him. His last breath was while in prostration before Allah .
It was on the 25th of Rajab, in the year 183 after Hijrah. His body of prepared for burial by his son Imam Ali Al-Raza (A.S) and was buried where his shrine stands today in Kazimiah, Baghdad, Iraq.
Imam Ali Al-Raza (a.s)
Imam Ali Al-Raza (a.s) was son of Imam Musa Al-Kazim (a.s) and Al-Sayyidah Najmah. He was born on the 11th of Zilqa’dah, in the year 148 in
Medina.
The Imam was of great knowledge, virtue, nobility, generosity, moral perfection’s, humbleness and worship of Allah.
Mamoon, the caliph of that time had asked the Imam to be administrator of the Islamic government. He had declined knowing that it would not go, as he would have wanted it to be. A case likes that of his great grandfather Imam Ali (a.s) who too did not accept the post of leadership do to his objection to combining the Holy Qur’an, traditions of the holy prophet with the policies of the two sheiks, (Abu Bakr and Umar).
When the Imam Ali Al-Raza (a.s) did not accept the post as administrator, Mamoon asked him to be his successor. The Imam accepted it but with one condition that he were not to partake in any governmental task during the lifetime of Mamoon.
As stated before the Imam was of great knowledge, he would be invited by Mamoon to attend seminars with other scholars from all over to debate about theological issues and matters of the doctrines of faith.
The Imam would worship Allah by praying a thousand times in 24 hour reading the entire Holy Qur’an in three days and fasting often. He was very generous and would help people during the night so that no one would know he was the eighth Imam.
He was a man of equality and never spoke very loud or rough. He never sat leaning on an object or laughed in the presents of others. He also would never eat alone. He would have his family and servants eat all together.
Unfortunately, he died by poison being mixed in his food by his enemies, on the last day of Safar in the year 203 after Hijrah. His son Imam Muhammad Al-Jawad (a.s) prepared his body for burial and was buried in Khurasan where his shrine stands now.
Imam Muhammad Al-Jawad (a.s)
Imam Al-Jawad (a.s) is the son of Imam Ali Al-Raza (a.s) and Al-Sayyidah Subaika. He was born on the 10th of Rajab in the year 195 after Hijrah in
Medina.
He excelled all others of his time in knowledge, spiritual perfection, and generosity. He had great moral manners in dealing with eloquent communications.
Many people became aware of his vast knowledge while returning from pilgrimage from
Makkah. About 80 scholars from all over had asked him all sorts of questions. The Imam answered all of them to their satisfaction. Once when the Imam was only nine years old, people gathered around him and asked him all sorts of questions that numbered to 30,000 and he answered them correctly. It is astonishing, but age was not the issue in the case of the members of the prophet’s family.
He would often carry gold and silver to spend on the needy.
The Caliph at that time had given his daughter’s hand in marriage to the Imam, after he had correctly answered his question for trial purposes.
His was poisoned to death by his enemies, in Baghdad at the end of the month of Zilqa’dah in the year 220. He was buried next to his grandfather in Kazimiah, Baghdad, Iraq where his shrine stands today.
Imam Ali Al-Hadi (a.s)
Imam Ali Al-Hadi (a.s) is the son of Imam Muhammad Al-Jawad (a.s) and Al-Sayyidah Samanah. He was born on the 15th of Zilhajj in the year 202 after Hijrah.
He was above average in fields of human perfection’s, especially in knowledge, generosity, politeness of manners, worshipping Allah , moral qualities and discipline.
One example of his generosity was the case of the Caliph of that time had given the Imam 30,000 Durham’s, in which the Imam had given it to an Arab man from Kufa saying, “pay your debts out of it and spend the rest on your family and people.” The man then, thanking the Imam said, “Sir, the debt on me is only one third of it but Allah knows who to entrust with His message of Divine guidance." Then he left.
He died of poisoning from his enemies, in Samarra, Iraq on the 3rd of Rajab in the year 254 after Hijrah and he was buried in Samarra where his shrine stands today.
Imam Hassan Al-Askari (a.s)
Imam Hassan Al-Askari (a.s) was the son of Imam Ali Al-Hadi (a.s) and Al-Sayyidah
Jiddah. He was born on the 10th of Rabi’ Al-Akhir in the year 232 after Hijrah.
The Imam was well known by all Muslims and Christians. It had been said that he had the knowledge, physical form and spirituality of his great great great great great great great great grandfather the holy prophet . The Christians thought of the Imam, as having the human perfection’s liked that of Prophet Jesus. Imam Hassan Al-Askari (a.s) had a personality that was majestic.
Ismeal once narrated:
Once I sat on the way waiting for the Imam to pass by and when he did I complained about my difficulties and asked him for financial help. The Imam said, “you swear by Allah falsely because you have buried one hundred Dinars as a saving and what I say is not to deny you financial help. He told the boys, give him all the money with you.”
His death was from being poisoned by his enemies on the 8th of Rabi’Al-Awwal. His son Imam Muhammad Al-Mahdi (a.s) prepared his body for burial and he was buried in the shrine next to his father in Samarra.
Imam Muhammad Al-Mahdi (a.s)
Imam Muhammad Al-Mahdi, Al-Hujjah (the authority) (a.s) was the son of Imam Hassan Al-Askari (a.s) and Al-Sayyidah Nurgis. He was born in Samarra, Iraq on the 15th of Sha’ban in the year 255 after Hijrah.
He is the last of the Imams for the people on earth and with him the line of succession to the holy prophet. He still, by the will of Allah is living in this world. The Imam will return towards the last days of human civilization at a time when the earth will become totally injustice and he will restore order and justice prevail.
The holy prophet and the other Imams had said that Imam Muhammad Mahdi (a.s) would live as long as he will until he have full control of the whole world, making justice and doing away with tyranny. He will make Allah’s religion prevail over all and the pagans will dislike it.
May Allah , give him permission to come in public very soon and let us be of his helpers. Since this great Imam disappeared from public site, by the will of Allah .
People have respected his house in Samarra, Iraq, as a house of Allah .
