Introduction to Islam

INTRODUCTION TO
ISLAM
The word "ISLAM" is derived from the Arabic words "salaam", which means peace and "taslim", which
means submission. The follower of Islam is a Muslim. The word "Muslim" translated to English literally
means "the one with peace". To the Muslim it has a greater meaning, Muslims believe that true peace is
experienced only when Mankind acknowledges, obeys and worships the Creator, i.e. submits to the One
God. So to the Muslim it means "the one who submits in peace". According to Muslims, Islam is the way
of God and the religion of all the prophets; from Adam to the final prophet of God Muhammad (peace be
upon them all). The prophet Moses (peace be upon him) said to his people; "Shalom I bring to you".
Shalom in Hebrew means Salaam (Arabic). The prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) said to the people;
"With Peace I was sent and Peace I bring to you."
Muslims call God "ALLAH", in Arabic it means "the One God", it does not have a plural equivalent and is
the only word in the Arabic language which does not have a gender.
The Holy Qu'ran is the book of the Muslims, it was revealed to the last of Allah's prophets and
messengers, Muhammad, about 570 years1 after Jesus, in Arabia and took 23 years2 to be fully revealed.
The Qur'an describes the nature of the Creator and their (His creatures) relationship towards Him. It
conveys the duties of Mankind: to the Creator, to the rest of creation and to itself. To become a Muslim a
person has to declare, " there is No god but Allah and Muhammad is His servant and messenger."-This
known as the Shahada or the bearing of witness. The message of Islam is:
1. Truth

2. Peace

3. Justice

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CONTENTS
1. Unity of God
2. Justice of God
3. Prophethood
4. Imamate
5. Revelations
6. Resurrection
7. The Hereafter
8. The Angels and the Jinn
9. Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
10. Salaat
11. Siyam
12. Zakat & Khums
13. Hajj
14. Jihad
15. Muslims
16. Social Justice
17. The Different Schools of Thought

ARTICLES OF FAITH
IMAN ..........faith or belief.
1. UNITY OF GOD
a) Belief in the ONE GOD (TAWHEED), Allah (Arabic)...... the One God); He is neither male nor female,
He has no partners, He does not beget nor was He begotten, He is Omnipotent and Omnipresent, He is the
All Compassionate and All Merciful. God does not occupy space, nor is He restricted by time, He does not
eat, He does not sleep nor slumber and does not need rest. He is the Master of Time and there is none
comparable to Him. He is not like anything or resembles any of His creation and He is the Most Just.

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2. DIVINE JUSTICE
Allah has commanded Mankind to be just while He Himself treats us with something even better, namely,
grace. He says; "Whoso bringeth a good deed will receive tenfold the like thereof, while whoso bringeth
an evil deed will be awarded the like thereof; and they shall not be wronged." [Qur'an 6:161]
Justice (al-'adl) means that He requites a good act with a good act and an evil act with an evil act. The
Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.&f) said; "None ever enters Paradise by virtue of their (good) actions, except
by the mercy of Allah the Glorious and Mighty.

3. PROPHETHOOD
The belief in the prophets and Messengers that Allah sent as a Mercy and Guide to Mankind so that they
would arrive at the truth and be at peace. Some of the prophets came with the Holy Books and are known
as Messengers. Some of the prophets of Islam, mentioned in the Holy Qur'an are: Adam - the first man,
Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, Saleh, John, Jesus and
Muhammad - the Last of the prophets and Messengers (peace be upon them all). The belief in One God
and the finality of the Prophethood of Muhammad is an article of faith.

4. IMAMATE
The prophets were truthful and never committed mistakes3. They always left behind infallible vicegerents4
(deputies) and sometimes generations of vicegerents, to continue guiding in the same manner as they had
done. Through the Imamate the covenant made with Abraham (as) is preserved.

5. DIVINE REVELATIONS
The books mentioned in the Qur'an are: Torah - Moses, Psalms - David and Solomon, Evangel - Jesus, and
Qur'an - Muhammad.

6. RESURRECTION
Belief in the Day of Judgement when all of Mankind will be Resurrected from the dead and questioned on
how they spent their time in the material universe. According to Islam all mankind above the age of
puberty will be judged on their knowledge and how they acted upon it. For example a knowledgeable
person will not be judged like a ignorant person. If a person knowingly commits an act which is evil/bad
then he/she has sinned in the 'eyes of God'; for this reason Muslims believe that some non-Muslims will go
to Heaven ( those who unknowingly committed mistakes).

7. THE HEREAFTER
The Hereafter which is Eternal and consists of Heaven and Hell. The good will occupy one of the seven
Heavens and the Evil will occupy Hell.

8. THE BELIEF IN THE EXISTENCE OF ANGELS AND JINN

Belief in The Jinn and in The Angels. The Angels being created of the purest form of light, i.e. light with
no heat; The Jinn being created of the purest form of fire, i.e. heat with no smoke and of course 5Man

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being created of the purest form of matter i.e. something that is affected by time, has mass and occupies
space.

9. ENJOINING GOOD AND FORBIDDING EVIL (Amar bil Ma'ruf wa Nahy an al-Munkar)
To believe and practice; that the duty of all Muslims is to abstain from evil and direct others to goodness.

ARTICLES OF ISLAMIC ACTS

10. SALAT...... submission five times daily.
This is the five daily submission and remembrance of Allah the Creator. Muslims must face the Ka'bah
(the First House built by Mankind) in Makkah (Mecca) in Arabia. Salat also incorporates a prayer (du'a)
but the prayer does not necessarily have to be said during salat. Prayers can be said at any time.
Salat is performed by every Muslim above the age of puberty6 , who is sane and in good health; at dawn,
afternoon, before sunset, after sunset and after nightfall. It involves physical movements of the limbs and
recitation of short verses, in Arabic, from the Qur'an.
Salat involves making the intention of submission to the Creator, recitation of short verses from the Holy
Qur'an, bowing, standing, sitting and prostrating on the earth with the forehead and praising God while
doing these acts. We commence salat by saying "God is Great" (Allahu Akbar) once and ending it by
saying "God is Great" three times.
The intention for the Dawn Salat is: "Oh Allah my Creator and my Lord, I intend to offer two rakath of
salat for Fajr. I face the Ka'bah and I submit only to You".
Each unit of: Recitation, bowing, standing, prostrating and sitting is called the Rakath.
The five daily prayers are:
Fajr (the Dawn Salat) must be performed after the first appearance of light and before sunrise - two
rakath.
Dhur (the Mid-day Salat) time for salat starts immediately after "proper" noon and must be
performed before the afternoon salat - four rakath.
Asr (the Afternoon Salat) starts immediately after the Mid-day Salat and must be performed before
sunset - four rakath.
Maghrib (the Dusk Salat) starts in between dusk and nightfall and can be said up to mid-night
"proper"- three rakath.
Isha' (the Night Salat) starts immediately after the Dusk salat has been performed and must be
completed before Dawn - four rakath.
While travelling the Dhur, Asr and Isha' prayers are shortened7 to two rakath.

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If two or more people are present, the salat should be said in congregation, where the salat is lead by one
person ( imam).

When performing salat the person has to be physically and ceremonially/spiritually clean. Physical
cleanliness is maintained by washing unclean (najis) things away from the body, i.e. washing after using
the toilet, touching dead or unclean animals, blood etc...... . Spiritual cleanliness is carried out by
performing ablution; before praying or reading the Holy Qu'ran. The place of salat has to be clean and the
consent of the owner of that place must be obtained beforehand in order to perform salat.

11. SIYAM..... fasting in Ramadan.

It is obligatory for a sane person who has attained the age of puberty to fast during the month of Ramadan
except if the person is travelling or is ill; or if a woman is in her monthly periods or is bleeding after the
delivery of a child. The intention of fasting from Dawn to Dusk must be made beforehand. e.g. "I intend to
fast tomorrow in the month of Ramadan to attain nearness to you Oh Allah, my Lord and Creator, I only
fast for You."
Fasting for Muslims is abstaining from all things which invalidate it. According to Shari'ah (Islamic Law)
the following in validate a fast:
eating

drinking

sexual intercourse

to take liquid enema

to allow dust, smoke or steam to enter into the throat

to remain in the state of uncleanness until dawn

to submerge ones' head under water to tell lies (by words, writing or sign) about Allah, His Prophets
or Imams
to vomit

to become ill.

The end of Ramadan is celebrated as Eid-ul-Fitr one the 1st of Shawwal (the 1st day after the end of the
month of Ramadan) by giving alms (zakat-ul-fitr) to the needy, attending morning prayers (Salat-ul-Eid)
and a feast. Children receive presents on this day.
(For more on fasting - SIYAM)

12. Zakath and Khums8 ......... poor-tax and one-fifth tax.

ZAKAT poor-tax: to be distributed to the poor One and a half percent of the total value of the9 following
items after all expenses have to be paid as zakat:
foodstock

livestock

gold coins

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silver coins.

It is also recommended to pay zakat on business capital; and also on profits gained from business. It is
obligatory to make intention when paying zakat.

II. KHUMS one-fifth or wealth-tax; payable by the wealthy.

In addition to Zakat it is an obligation on wealthy Muslims to pay Khums.
Khums means one-fifth from the word khamsa in Arabic for five. Twenty percent of the total value on the
following items must be paid as khums:
wealth which is gained after a just war

minerals like: gold, silver, oil, iron, salt ...etc.. extracted from ores or the ground buried treasure

wealth from the sea e.g. pearls.

wealth where halal & haram has been unintentionally mixed and the amounts are unknown

all profits from business, agriculture, industry or rent from land or property or any other source of
income. After deducting yearly expenses Khums becomes due on net profit.
land bought by non-Muslim Zimmi (a non-Muslim citizen paying a fixed tax) from a Muslim.

Khums is divided into five parts and each part is allocated for:
Jihad

Propagation of Islam

needy Muslim relatives of the Prophet

the poor and the orphans

travellers who have unwittingly become short of funds

Khums can only be distributed by a legitimate ruler of an Islamic State or a 10 mujtahid or a pious
descendent of the Holy Prophet.
The following Qur'anic Verse commands Muslims to pay the Khums and how to distribute it: "And know
that out of all that ye may gain a 11 fifth share is assigned to Allah and to the apostle and to near relatives,
orphans, the needy and the wayfarer if ye do believe in Allah and in the revelation We sent down to Our
servant on the day of testing the day of the meeting of the two forces. For Allah hath power over all
things." (Qur'an 8:41)
It is clear from the above Qur'anic verse and the Hadeeth12 , that to pay the khums is obligatory on all
Muslims. In the above verse Allah says ..only those who pay the khums believe in Allah and the
Revelations.

13. Hajj..... pilgrimage to Makkah (MECCA)

The yearly Pilgrimage13 to Makkah where the First House that was built by Adam and rebuilt by Abraham
(Arab-Ibraham) and his first born - Ishmael (Arab-Ismail). This House is known as the Holy Ka'bah. The
pilgrimage day also commemorates the day when Abraham was commanded by God to give his first born

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as a sacrifice. The last day of Hajj and the two days following are called Eid-ul-Ahza, day of sacrifice, on
this day a special congregational morning salat is offered and an animal is sacrificed to thank Allah for the
sparing the life of Abraham's son, the meat (4/5th) being distributed to the poor. All the rituals performed
during Hajj are re-enactments of the deeds and actions of Prophet Abraham (a.s) and his Household.
On one corner of the Ka'bah, which is a cubic shaped house built of bricks and covered by a black cloth, is
placed the black stone. The stone was sent from heaven as a sign to mankind and Adam (peace be upon
him) was instructed to place it in one corner of the House of God. The black stone is the corner stone of
the building!

The Holy Ka'ba in Makkah, Arabia

14. JIHAD..... Striving in the way of God.

Working for an honest living, studying to obtain knowledge, being kind to fellow creatures, helping the
needy, being obedient to parents and teachers is Jihad. It is also Jihad when fighting to liberate the
oppressed (the oppressed can be any of Allah's creatures) against the aggressors. Striving for justice in the
way animals are treated can be classified as Jihad. The ultimate Jihad in Islam is fighting within one's self
in order to destroy false pride, hate, envy and greed.

15. THE MUSLIM SOCIETY

The Muslims adhere to a strict dress code (hijab), abstain from certain types of food and drink. The
Muslim men and women have to be modest in the way they dress. They must not dress provocatively in
order not to offend others. They must not dress too extravagantly in order to avoid others envy.
Muslims are not allowed to eat pork or the flesh of unclean animals. They are not allowed to eat the flesh
of animals which may be clean, but they have not been bled since blood is also forbidden. When the
animal is slaughtered without invoking the name of God, then the meat is also forbidden (haram). Alcohol,
drugs and all intoxicants are haram. Anything that is acquired by haram means i.e. theft, selling alcohol is
haram.
Everything that is forbidden is called haram, and everything that is permissible is known as halal.

16. SOCIAL JUSTICE AND RACIAL EQUALITY

Islam places great importance on social justice and equality of man. Muslims are taught that all mankind is
14equal in the eyes of God, be he rich or poor, black or white, man or woman, Arab or non-Arab, except

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for the pious who are always superior. We believe that each individual is responsible for his or her actions
so that the parent is not responsible for the actions of the child and nor the child responsible for the action
of the parent. We also believe that God the Most Just (al-Adhil) will only judge us according to our
knowledge and how we acted upon that knowledge.

17. THE SHI'AH AND SUNNI (The two Orthodox Islamic Schools)
After the death of the Holy Prophet the Muslims were divided into two schools - the Shi'ah and the Sunni.
Both agree that the religious rites and law (Shari) depend on existence of a vicegerent (deputy) and the
representative of the Prophet. This person is the religious leader (Imam) of the faith and the faithful, the
Supreme Jurist (Marja) and the Head of the Muslim Nation (Caliph).
According to the Shi'ah school, this leadership can only be occupied by the descendants of Abraham
through his son Ishmael (peace be upon them) and his descendants (i.e. Muhammad and his descendants).
The Imam (leader) must also be infallible (masoom) and cannot perform any sin or mistake, since God
will not allow the Muslims to be led astray by a wrongful person because he will not send any other
Prophet after Muhammad to guide mankind. The Shi'ah also believe after Muhammad (peace be upon him
& his descendants) there are only Twelve Imams; the first being Ali (peace be upon him), the cousin, the
adopted son and son-in-law of the Holy Prophet (also accepted by the Sunni's as the fourth Caliph); and
the last being the Mahdi (peace be upon him), the Awaited Saviour. Both Shi'ah and Sunni believe that the
prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) will reappear during the time of the Twelfth Imam.
Islam teaches the Muslims to live their lives according to what is revealed in the Holy Qur'an and the way
or example of the Prophet Muhammad (the Sunnah). The Shi'ah claim that the Sunnah can only be taught
by the Twelve Imams (peace be upon them), because only they, like the prophets are infallible; and cannot
knowingly or unknowingly mislead the People. The Shi'ah also believe that the head of the government
(Caliph) is a function of the Imam.
The Sunni school believe the head of the government (Caliphs) does not have to be infallible and also does
not have to be a descendant of Ishmael. After the death of the Prophet they accepted the caliphate of Abu
Bakr a companion of the Prophet. They accept the Twelve Imams as very pious scholars; along with
others, but do not accept them as leaders of the community. They accept religious teachings from the
Imams as well as from the companions of the Prophet; and even some disciples of these companions; and
make religious decisions on consensus (the Shi'ah accept only the teachings from the Imams who
according to them are the direct authority from Allah and his Messenger and there is no need for
consensus regarding their judgement).
The Sunni's themselves are divided into four other schools which have some minor differences in religious
law.
Although differences exist between the Shi'ah and the Sunni schools, they cannot be compared to the
differences between, for example, the Catholics and Protestants in Christianity since; both Shi'ah and
Sunni follow the same Holy Book (The Qur'an), they accept each other as Muslims, they pray in the same
mosques, and Shi'ah-Sunni marriages are accepted by both schools.

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Today, the World Muslim population is around two billion, the majority (70%) comprising the four Sunni
schools and the rest being Shi'ah.
Heretical Sects.
There are other groups such as: the Nusairi, the Ismaili, the Nation of Islam, the Qadhiani etc...
comprising less than 5% of the total Muslim population, who claim to be Muslim but are rejected as
heretics by both Shi'ah and Sunni schools.

FOOTNOTES
1 The Prophet was born on 29 August 570 A.C. (after Christ).

2 Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) declared his Messengership (Risalaa) at the age of 40 years, the Qur'an was
revealed piecemeal over 23 years and the Prophet passed away six months after its completion.

3 Infallible.

4 Imams. According to some of the Muslims the Imam does not necessarily have to be appointed by
Allah and neither be infallible. To them the matter of Imamate is not different from the position of
Caliphate (governorship) and is an issue of fiqh (jurisprudence) and not a part of belief. All Muslims
agree that after the death of the Holy Prophet a person had to replace his leadership to such an extent
that some of the people decided to elect a leader even before the burial rites of the Prophet (sawas) had
been performed.

5 Man was created in body and soul last; according to the Qur'an, long after the creation of the Jinn,
but the Spirits (ruh') of Man were the first of all creation.

6 9-10 years of age for girls and 14-15 years age for boys, in general.

7 Known as kasr.

8 Zakat and Khums are not payable on jewellery worn by women, regardless of quantity. How much is
for personal use i.e. for wearing and how much is for investment is solely left at the discretion of the
female owner. However, zakat and khums is payable on gold and silver owned as an investment by both
men and women. It is haram for men to were gold articles. Gold plated articles like watches etc. may be
worn by men. (Articles of Islamic Acts by Imam Al-Khoei)

9 Basically surplus food, clothes and wages.

10 Recognised Islamic Jurist.

11 Arabic-khums: English- a fifth.

12 Utterances and actions of Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family, recorded in different

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collections of books. Completely different than the Qur'an which is the Revelation from God,
Muhammad being only the conveyer of this Revelation. These Collections are similar to the Four
"Gospels" recorded by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John making up the New Testament of the Christian
Bible, since they are not the revelations from God but only what the authors claim to be the actions and
utterances of the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him).

13 A Muslim must perform Haj at least once in his or her lifetime if physically and financially able.
14 The Sermon of the Mount, delivered by the Last Prophet and Messenger of Allah; Muhammad,
peace be upon him and his descendants, on his farewell Pilgrimage in Makkah a few months before his
death. (.............All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a
non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; the wealthy have no superiority over the poor nor the poor
have superiority over the wealthy; ; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any
superiority over white except by piety and good action........).

Author: Syed Hussein Ahmed

For further information e-mail:

ahlulbayt@yahoo.com

Contents | Islam | The Centre | Muhammad | Abraham | Prophets | Imamate

Imams | Shia | Fathima bint Muhammad | Khadija bint Khuwalyd
The Lantern of the Path

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 The Prophets of Allah

The Prophets of Allah

( Peace be upon them all )

Infallibility of the Prophets and the Inerrability of their Guidance

The prophets of God were men who propagated the call of revelation and prophecy and brought
definitive proofs for their call. They propagated among people the elements of the religion of God
(which is the same divine law that guarantees happiness) and made it available to all men. Since
in all periods of history the number of persons endowed with the power of prophecy and revelation
has been limited to a few individuals, God--the Most Exalted--has completed and perfected the
guidance of the rest of mankind by placing the mission of the propagation of religion upon the
shoulders of His prophets. That is why a prophet of God must possess the quality of inerrancy
('ismah). In receiving the revelation from God, in guarding it and in making possible its reaching
the people, he must be free from error. He must not commit sin (ma's yah).
The reception of revelation, its preservation and its propagation are three principles of ontological
guidance; and error in existence itself is meaningless. Furthermore, sin and opposition to the
claims of the religious call and its propagation are impossible in a prophet for they would be a call
against the original religious mission; they would destroy the confidence of the people, their
reliance upon the truth and the validity of the call. As a result they would destroy the purpose of
the religious call itself.
God, the Exalted, refers in His word to the inerrancy of the prophets, saying, "And We chose them
and guided them unto a straight path" (Qur'an, VI, 88). And also, "(He is) the Knower of the
Unseen, and He revealeth unto none His secret, save unto every messenger whom He hath
chosen, and then He maketh a guard to go before him and a guard behind him, that He may know
that they have indeed conveyed the messages of their Lord" (Qur'an. LXXII. 26-28).

The Prophets and Revealed Religion.

What the prophets of God received through revelation and as a message from God and conveyed
to mankind was religion (din), that is, a way of life and human duties which guarantee the real
happiness of man.

Revealed religion in general consists of two parts:

doctrine
practice or method.

The doctrinal part of revealed religion conconsists of a series of fundamental principles and views
concerning the real nature of things upon which man must establish the foundations of his life. It
is comprised of the three universal principles of:
unity (tawhid)
prophecy (nubuwwat)
eschatology (ma'ad).

If there is any confusion or disorder in one of these principles the religion will not be able to gain
any following. The practical part of revealed religion consists of a series of moral and practical
injunctions covering the duties man has before God and human society. That is why the secondary
duties which have been ordered for man in different Divine laws are of two kinds: morals (akhlaq),
and actions (a'mal). The morals and actions related to the Divine are of two kinds, such as: first,
the quality of faith. sincerity, surrender to God, contentment and humility; and second. the daily

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prayers, fasting, and sacrifice (called acts of worship and symbolising the humility and servitude of
man before the Divine Throne). The morals and actions related to human society are also of two
kinds, such as: first, the quality of love for other men, wishing well for others, justice and
generosity; and second, the duty to carry out social intercourse, trade and exchange, etc. (called
transactions).

Another point that must be considered is that since the human species is directed toward the
gradual attainment of perfection, and human society through the passage of time becomes more
complete, the appearance of a parallel development must also be seen in revealed laws. The Holy
Qur'an affirms this gradual development, which reason has also discovered. It can be concluded
from its verses that each Divine Law (Shari'ah) is in reality more complete than the Shari'ah
before; for instance, in this verse where He says, "And unto thee have We revealed the Scripture
with the truth, confirming whatever Scripture was before it, and a watcher over it." (Qur'an, V,
48)'3

Of course, as scientific knowledge also confirms and the Qur'an states, the life of human society in
this world is not eternal and the development of man is not endless. As a result, the general
principles governing the duties of man from the point of view of doctrine and practice must of
necessity stop at a particular stage. Therefore, prophecy and the Shari'ah will also one day come
to an end when in the perfection of doctrine and expansion of practical regulations they have
reached the final stage of their development. That is why the Holy Qur'an, in order to make clear
that Islam (the religion of Muhammad) is the last and most complete of the revealed religions,
introduces itself as a sacred book that cannot be abrogated (naskh), calls the Prophet the "Seal of
the Prophets" (khatam al-anbiya'), and sees the Islamic religion as embracing all religious duties.
As He says, And lo! it is an unassailable Scripture. Falsehood cannot come at it from before it or
behind it" (Qur'an, XLI, 41-42). 14 And also, "Muhammad is not the father of any man among you
but he is the messenger of Allah and the Seal of the prophets" (Qur'an, XXXIII, 40).'5 And, "We
reveal the scripture unto thee as an exposition of all things" (Qur'an. XVI. 89) l6
The Prophets and Proof of Revelation and Prophecy

Many modern scholars who have investigated the problem of revelation and prophecy have tried
to explain revelation, prophecy and questions connected with them by using the principles of
social psychology. They say that the prophets of God were men of a pure nature and strong will
who had great love for humanity. In order to enable mankind to advance spiritually and materially
and in order to reform decadent societies, they devised laws and regulations and invited mankind
to accept them. Since people in those days would not accept the logic of human reason, in order
to make them obey their teachings the prophets, according to such modern scholars, claimed that
they and their thoughts came from the transcendent world. Each prophet called his own pure soul
the Holy Spirit; the teachings which he claimed came from the transcendent world were called
"revelation and prophecy"; the duties which resulted from the teachings were called "revealed
Shari'ah"; and the written record of these teachings and duties were called a "revealed book."

Anyone who views with depth and impartiality the revealed books and especially the Holy Qur'an,
and also the lives of the prophets, will have no doubt that this view is not correct. The prophets of
God were not political men. Rather they were "men of God," full of truthfulness and purity. What
they perceived they proclaimed without addition or diminution. And what they uttered they acted
upon. What they claimed to possess was a mysterious consciousness which the invisible world had
bestowed upon them. In this way they came to know from God Himself what the welfare of men
was in this world and the next, and propagated this knowledge among mankind.

It is quite clear that in order to confirm and ascertain the call of prophecy there is need of proof
and demonstration. The sole fact that the Shari'ah brought by a prophet conforms to reason is not
sufficient in determining the truthfulness of the prophetic call . A man who claims to be a prophet,
in addition to the claim of the truth of his Shari'ah, claims a connection through revelation and
prophecy with the transcendent world, and therefore claims that he has been given by God the
mission to propagate the faith. This claim in itself is in need of proof. That is why (as the Holy
Qur'an informs us) the common people with their simple mentality always sought miracles from

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 The Prophets of Allah

the prophets of God in order that the truthfulness of their call might be confirmed.

The meaning of this simple and correct logic is that the revelation, which the prophet claims is his
cannot be found among others who are human beings like him. It is of necessity an invisible
power which God miraculously bestows upon His prophets, through which they hear His word and
are given the mission to convey this word to mankind. If this be true, then the prophet should ask
God for another miracle so that people would believe the truth of his prophetic call.

It is thus clear that the request for miracles from prophets is according to correct logic and it is
incumbent upon the prophet of God to provide a miracle at the beginning of his call, or according
to the demand of the people, in order to prove his prophecy. The Holy Qur'an has affirmed this
logic, relating miracles about many prophets-at the beginning of their mission or after their
followers requested them. Of course many modern investigators and scientists have denied
miracles, but their opinions are not based upon any satisfactory reasons. There is no reason to
believe that the causes which until now have been discovered for events through in: investigation
and experiment are permanent and unchanging, that no event ever occurs for reasons other than
those which usually bring it about. The miracles related about the prophets of God are not
impossible or against reason (as is, for example, they claim that the number three is even).
Rather they are a "break In what is habitual" (kharq-i 'adat), an occurrence which, incidentally,
has often been observed in a lower degree among people following ascetic practices.
The Number of the Prophets of God

It is known through tradition that in the past many prophets appeared, and the Holy Qur'an
affirms their multitude. It has mentioned some of them by name or by their characteristics, but
has not given their exact number. Through definitive traditions also it has not been possible to
determine their number except in the well-known saying which Abu Dharr Ghifari has recited from
the Holy Prophet, according to which their number has been set at 124,000.
Some of the Prophets (A.S.) Mentioned in the Holy Qur'an.

Adam
Job Imran
Jonah Moses
Noah Aaron
Lot
Abraham
David
Ismael
Solomon
Isaac
Saleh
Jacob
Zakaraia
Joseph
John the
Hud Baptist
Elias Jesus
Elijah Muhammad
Ezekail

The Prophets Who are Bringers of Divine Law

From what can be deduced from the Qur'an, it can be concluded that all the prophets of God did
not bring a Shari'ah. Rather, five of them-- Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and the Prophet
Muhammad, are "possessors of determination" (ulu'l-'azm), those who have brought a Shari'ah.
Other prophets follow the Shari'ah of those who "possess determination." God has said in the
Qur'an, "He hath ordained for you that religion which He commended unto Noah, and that which

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 The Prophets of Allah

We inspire in thee (Muhammad), and that which We commended unto Abraham and Moses and
Jesus" (Qur'an, XLII, 13).18 He has also said, "And when We exacted a covenant from the
Prophets, and from thee (O Muhammad) and from Noah and Abraham and Moses and Jesus son of
Mary, We took from them a solemn covenant" (Qur'an, XXXIII, 7).

Refference: SHI'A by Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai

Contents | Islam | The Centre | Muhammad | Abraham

Prophets | Imamate | Imams | Shia Fathima bint Muhammad
Khadija bint Khuwalyd | The Lantern of the Path

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 The Prophet (sawas)

A Brief Biography of the Life of

The Holy Prophet Muhammad
The Seal of Prophethood and Final Messenger of God
( Peace be upon him and his pure and cleansed progeny )

The last prophet of God is Hadrat-i-Muhammad upon whom be blessings and peace, who
possesses a book and a Shari'ah and in whom Muslims have placed their faith. The Prophet
(sawas) was born fifty-three years before the beginning of the hijra calendar in Mecca in the Hijaz
amidst the family of Banu Hashim of the Tribe of Quraysh, who were considered the most
honoured of the Arab families.

His father was called 'Abdallah and his mother, Aminah. He lost both parents at the beginning of
childhood and was placed under the care of his paternal grandfather, 'Abd al-Mutalib, who also
soon passed away. At this time the Prophet (sawas)'s uncle, Abu Talib, took charge of him and
became his guardian, taking him into his own house. The Prophet (sawas) grew up in his uncle's
house and even before reaching the age of adolescence used to accompany his uncle on journeys
by caravan.

The Prophet (sawas) had not received any schooling and therefore did not know how to read and
write. Yet, after reaching the age of maturity he became famous for his wisdom, courtesy, and
trust- worthiness. As a result of his sagacity and trustworthiness, one of the women of the tribe of
Quraysh, well-known for her wealth, appointed him as the custodian of her possessions and left in
his hands the task of conducting her commercial affairs.

The Prophet (sawas) once journeyed to Damascus with her merchandise and as a result of the
ability he displayed was able to make an outstanding profit. Before long she asked to become his
wife and the Prophet (sawas) accepted her proposal. After the marriage, which occurred when he
was. twenty-five years old, the Prophet (sawas) began the life of a manager of his wife's fortunes,

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 The Prophet (sawas)

until the age of forty, gaining meanwhile a widespread reputation for wisdom and trust-
worthiness. He refused, however, to worship idols, as was the common religious practice of the
Arabs of the Hijaz. And oc- occasionally he would make spiritual retreats (khalwah)/)) in which he
prayed and discoursed secretly with God.

At the age of forty, in the cave of Hira', in the mountains of the Tihamah region near Mecca, when
he was in spiritual retreat, he was chosen by God to become a prophet and was given the mission
of propagating the new religion. At that moment the first chapter of the Qur'an ("The Blood-Clot"
[Surah-i 'alaq]) was revealed to him. That very day he returned to his house and on the way met
his cousin, Ali ibn Abl Talib, who after hearing the account of what had occurred declared his
acceptance of the faith. After the Prophet entered the house and told his wife of the revelation,
she likewise accepted Islam.

The first time the Prophet (sawas) invited people to accept his message he was faced with a
distressing and painful reaction. Of necessity he was forced henceforth to propagate his message
in secret for some time until he was ordered again by God to invite his very close relatives to
accept his message. But this call was also fruit- less and no one heeded it except Ali ibn Abi Talib,
who in any case had already accepted the faith. (But in accordance with documents- transmitted
from the Household of the Prophet (sawas) and extant poems composed by Abu Talib, the
Followers of Ahlul Bayt believe that Abu Talib had also embraced Islam; however, because he was
the sole protector of the Prophet (sawas), he hid his faith from the people in order to preserve the
outward power he had with the Quraysh.)

After this period, according to Divine instruction, the Prophet (sawas) began to propagate his
mission openly. With the beginning of open propagation the people of Mecca reacted most
severely and inflicted the most painful afflictions and tortures upon the Prophet (sawas) and the
people who had become newly converted to Islam. The severe treatment dealt out by the Quraysh
reached such a degree that a group of Muslims left their homes. and belongings and migrated to
Abyssinia.

The Prophet (sawas) and his uncle, Abu Talib, along with their relatives from the Banu Hashim,
took refuge for three years in the "mountain pass of Abu Talib," a fort in one of the valleys of
Mecca. No one had any dealings or transactions with them and they did not dare to leave their
place of refuge. The idol-worshipers of Mecca, although at the beginning they considered inflicting
all kinds of pressures and tortures such as striking and beating, insult, ridicule and defamation on
the Prophet, occasionally would also show kindness and courtesy toward him in order to have him
turn away from his mission. They would promise him great sums of money or leadership and the
rule of the tribe. But for the Prophet (sawas) their promises and their threats only resulted in the
intensification of his will and determination to carry out his mission. Once, when they came to the
Prophet (sawas) promising him wealth and power, the Prophet (sawas) told them, using
metaphorical language, that if they were to put the sun in the palm of his right hand and the
moon in the palm of his left hand he would not turn away from obeying the unique God or refrain
from performing his mission.

About the tenth year of his prophecy, when the Prophet (sawas) left the "mountain pass of Abu
Talib," his uncle Abu Talib, who was also his sole protector, died, as did also his devoted wife.
Henceforth there was no protection for his life nor any place of refuge. Finally the idol-worshipers
of Mecca devised a secret plan to kill him. At night they surrounded his house from all sides with
the aim of forcing themselves in at the end of the night and cutting him to pieces while he was in
bed. But God, the Exalted, informed him of the plan and commanded him to leave for Yathrib.

The Prophet (sawas) placed Ali in place of himself in his bed and at night left the house under
Divine protection, passing amidst his enemies, and taking refuge in a cave near Mecca. After three
days when his enemies, having looked everywhere, gave up hope of capturing him and returned
to Mecca, he left the cave and set out for Yathrib. The people of Yathrib, whose leaders had
already accepted the message of the Prophet (sawas) and sworn allegiance to him, accepted him
with open arms and placed their lives and property at his disposal. In Yathrib for the first time the
Prophet (sawas) formed a small Islamic community and signed treaties with the Jewish tribes in

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 The Prophet (sawas)

and around the city as well as with the powerful Arab tribes of the region. He undertook the task
of propagating the Islamic message and Yathrib became famous as "Madinat al-rasul" (the city of
the Prophet).

Islam began to grow and expand from day to day. The Muslims, who in Mecca were caught in the
mesh of the injustice and inequity of the Quraysh, gradually left their homes and property and
migrated to Medina, revolving around the Prophet (sawas) like moths around a candle. This group
became known as the "immigrants" (muhajirun) in the same way that those who aided the
Prophet (sawas) in Yathrib gained the name of "helpers" -ansar).

Islam was advancing rapidly but at the same time the idol- worshipers of Quraysh, as well as the
Jewish tribes of the Hejaz, were unrestrained in their harassment of the Muslims. With the help of
the "hypocrites" (munafiqun) of Medina, who were amidst the community of Muslims and who
were not known for their holding any particular positions, they created new misfortunes for the
Muslims every day until finally the matter led to war.

Many battles took place between the Muslims and the Arab polytheists and Jews, in most of which
the Muslims were victorious- . There were altogether over eighty major and minor battles. In all
the major conflicts such as the battles of Badr, Uhud, Khandaq, Khaybar, Hunayn, etc., the
Prophet (sawas) was personally present on the battle scene. Also in all the major battles and
many minor ones, victory was gained especially through the efforts of Ali. He was the only person
who never turned away from any of these battles. In all the wars that occurred during the ten
years after the migration from Mecca to Medina less than two hundred Muslims and less than a
thousand infidels were killed.

As a result of the activity of the Prophet (sawas) and the selfless effort of the muhajirun and ansar
during this ten-year period, Islam spread through the Arabian peninsula. There were also letters
written to kings of other countries such as Persia, Byzantine and Abyssinia inviting them to accept
Islam. During this time the Prophet lived in poverty and was proud of it. He never spent a moment
of his time in vain. Rather, his time was divided into three parts: one spent for God, in
worshipping and remembering Him; a part for himself and his household and domestic needs; and
a part for the people. During this part of his time he was engaged in spreading and teaching Islam
and its sciences, administrating to the needs of Islamic society and removing whatever evils
existed, providing for the needs of the Muslims, strengthening domestic and foreign bonds, and
similar matters.

After ten years of stay in Medina the Prophet (sawas) fell ill and died after a few days of illness.
According to existing traditions the last words on his lips were advice concerning slaves and
women.

The Prophet (sawas) and the Qur'an

It was demanded of the Prophet (sawas), as it had been of other prophets, that he produce a
miracle. The Prophet (sawas) himself also confirmed the power of prophets to produce miracles as
has been asserted clearly by the Qur'an. Many miracles by the Prophet (sawas) have been
recounted, the transmission of some of which is certain and can be accepted

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 The Father of the Prophets

The Prophet Ibrahim

(peace be upon him and his pure progeny)

Father of the Prophets

The birth of a Great Prophet

Ibrahim was born when his father Tarakh was seventy-five years old at the time. Both his parents
passed away when he was of very young age and he ended up in the care of his uncle Azhar. As
was the custom of the Babylonians he was known as the son of Ahzar after his parents death.
Ahzar was an idolator like the rest of the people of the Kingdom of Babylon and Ibrahim (a.s.) was
brought up in a house of idolaters.

His "father" Aazar was a well known idol sculptor that his people worshipped. As a young child,
Ibrahim used to watch his father sculpting these idols from stones or wood. When his father was
done with them, Ibrahim would use them as toys, riding on their backs, and kicking them at
times. Then after a while, he would see these same statues in the temple, and people prostrating
in front of them! Ibrahim asked his father: "Why do you take these toys to the temple?" His father
said: "They are statues that represent our gods. We worship them, we ask favors from them, and
we offer them presents." Ibrahim's mind rejected this idea, and he felt a repulsion towards the
idols.

In search for the Truth

Time went by, and Ibrahim became a young man. He still could not believe that his people were
worshipping the statues. He laughed whenever he saw them entering the temple, lowering their
heads, silently offering the statues the best of their food, crying and asking forgiveness from
them. He started feeling angry towards his people, who could not realize that these are only
stones that could neither benefit nor harm them. They could not be gods, they have no power.
God is Greater than what his people were worshipping, Most Powerful, Most Magnificent. One
could not find Him sitting on a table in a temple!

One night, Ibrahim went up to the mountain, leaned against a rock, and looked up to the sky. He
saw a shining star, and told his people: "Could this be my Lord?" But when it set he said: "I don't
like those that set." The star has disappeared, it could not be God. God is always present. Then he
saw the moon rising in splendor and told them: "Could this be my Lord?" But it also set. At
daybreak, he saw the sun rising and said: t "Could this be my Lord, this is bigger?" But when the
sun set he said: "O my people I am free from all that you join as partners with Allah! I have
turned my face towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give
partners to Allah." Our Lord is the Creator of the heavens and the earth and everything. He has
the power to make the stars rise and set. Ibrahim then heard Allah calling him: "O Ibrahim!"
Ibrahim said trembling: "Here I am O my Lord!" "Submit to Me! Be a Muslim!" Ibrahim fell on the
ground, prostrating and crying, he said: "I submit to the Lord of the universe!" Ibrahim kept
prostrating until night came again. He got up and went back to his home, in t peace, full of
conviction that Allah has guided him to the Truth.

Ibrahim invites his father to Islam

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 The Father of the Prophets

A new life started for Ibrahim. His mission now was to call his people to the Truth. He would start
with his father who was the closest person to him, and whom he loved so much. He said to him in
the softest and kindest voice: "O father! Why do you worship that which doesn't hear, doesn't see,
and cannot avail you in anything? O father, I have got knowledge which you have not, so follow
me. I will guide you to a straight path." His father replied angrily: "Do you reject my gods, O
Ibrahim? If you don't stop I will stone you. Get away from me before I punish you." Ibrahim said:
"Peace be on you! I will ask forgiveness of my Lord for you."

Ibrahim confronts his people and rejects their idols

He left his father after he lost hope to convert him to the right path, and directed his efforts
towards the people of the town, but they rejected his call and threatened him. By Allah, he said, I
shall plot a plan to destroy their idols. He knew that a big celebration was coming soon, where
everybody would leave town for a big feast on the riverbank. After making sure that nobody was
left in town, Ibrahim went towards the temple armed with an ax. Statues of all shapes and sizes
were sitting there adorned with decorations. Plates of food were offered to them, but the food was
untouched. "Well, why don't you eat? The food is getting cold." He said to the statues, joking;
then with his ax he destroyed all the statues except one, the biggest of them. He hung the ax
around its neck and left.

How big was the shock when the people entered the temple! They gathered inside watching in awe
their gods broken in pieces. They wondered who might have done this? Then they all remembered
that the young Ibrahim was talking evil of their idols. They brought him to the temple and asked
him: "Are you the one who has done this to our gods?" Ibrahim said: "No, this statue, the biggest
of them has done it. Ask them if they can speak." "You know well that these idols don't speak!"
They said impatiently. "Then how come you worship things that can neither speak nor see, nor
even fend for themselves? Have you lost your minds?"

They kept silent for a while, for he got a point there. Their minds and their senses were telling
them that the Truth is with Ibrahim, but their pride prevented them to accept it, and reject the
idols they were worshipping for generations. This they thought would be total defeat. They started
yelling at him and shouting: "Burn him! Burn him! Take revenge for your gods !"

The Miracle: Allah saves Ibrahim from the fire.

The decision to burn Ibrahim to death was affirmed by the priests and the king of Babylon,
Nimrod. The news spread like a fire in the kingdom, and people were coming from all places to
watch the execution. A huge pit was dug up and a large quantity of wood was piled up. Then the
biggest fire people ever witnessed was lit. The fire flames were so high up in the sky that the birds
could not fly over it for fear of being burned ! Ibrahim's hands and feet were chained, and he was
put in a catapult to throw him into the fire. At that time, Angel Jibreel came to him and said: "O
Ibrahim! Is there anything you wish for?" Ibrahim could have asked to be saved from the fire, to
be taken away, but no, he said: "I only wish that Allah be pleased with me." The catapult was
released, and Ibrahim was thrown in the heart of the fire. But Allah would not allow His Prophet to
be killed, He ordered the fire: "O fire! Be coolness and safety for Ibrahim!" And the miracle
happened. The fire obeyed and burned only his chains. Ibrahim came out from it as if he was
coming out from a garden, peaceful, his face illuminated, and not a trace of smoke on his clothes.
People watched in shock and said: "Amazing ! Ibrahim' s God has saved him from the fire!"

Ibrahim debates the Babylonian king, Nimrod

Ibrahim's notoriety grew bigger after this event and the king of Babylon felt that his throne was in
danger, and that he was loosing power, because he was pretending that he was a god. He sent for
Ibrahim. He wanted to debate with him and show his people that he, the king is indeed the god,
and Ibrahim was a liar. He asked Ibrahim: What can your god do that I cannot?

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 The Father of the Prophets

-My Lord is He Who gives life and death." Ibrahim said

-I give life and death. I can bring a person from the street and have him executed, and I can
grant my pardon to a person who was sentenced to death and save his life." The king said proudly
-Well my Lord Allah makes the sun rise from the East. Can you make it rise from the West?
The king was confounded. He was beaten at his own game, on his own territory, in front of his
own people! Ibrahim left him there speechless and went back to his important mission, calling
people to worship the one and only God, Allah.

Allah blesses Ibrahim with a son to become a prophet

Only a woman named Sarah and a man named Lot believed in Allah, and followed Ibrahim. He
realized that nobody else would listen to him, and decided to emigrate for the cause of Allah, and
to spread His Message elsewhere. Before leaving, he tried once again to convert his father to
Islam, but to no avail. Ibrahim said to his father and his people: "We are free of you and of
whatever you worship besides Allah. We have rejected you and there has arisen between us and
you enmity and hatred forever unless you believe in Allah and Him alone."

Ibrahim, Lot and Sarah started their long travel. They crossed Babylon, went through Syria and
Palestine calling people to Allah, helping the poor and doing good deeds. By that time Ibrahim
married Sarah. Their hope was to have children who would spread the Message of Allah after their
death. As for Lot, he emigrated to the land of Sodom and settled there.

Time went by and no children were born to Sarah. She realized she was sterile. She accepted her
fate and submitted to the will of Allah. Ibrahim and Sarah moved to Egypt where the king gave
Sarah a woman to be her servant. The woman's name was Hajar. Sarah was seeing Ibrahim' s
hair getting white, and it grieved her to see his chance of having any child slipping away. She
offered Hajar her servant as a wife to her husband, and prayed Allah to bless Hajar and Ibrahim
with a child. And so came Ismail, a baby boy born to Hajar. How unselfish Sarah was! For her, the
need to have an offspring who would carry the Message after Ibrahim was greater than her pride.
Fourteen years later Allah rewarded Sarah with a son, Ishaq in spite of her old age.

Young Ismail and his mother alone in the desert of Makkah

Ibrahim woke up one day and asked Hajar to prepare herself and baby Ismail for a long travel.
Ibrahim and Hajar kept walking, crossed a fertile land followed by barren mountains till they
arrived at the Arabian desert. Ibrahim brought Hajar to a high hill called al-Marwa, made her and
her baby sit under a tree, placed a bag of dates and some water near her, and set out homeward.
Hajar ran after him and said: "Are you going to leave us in this desert where there is no one to
keep us company?" She repeated this many times but he would not look back at her. She asked:
"Has Allah ordered you to do so?" He said yes. "Then He will not neglect us." She said. Ibrahim
walked away until he got out of their sight, he raised his hands and prayed Allah: "O our Lord! I
have made some of my offspring dwell in a valley with no cultivation, by Your Sacred House, in
order that they may offer prayers. So fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and
provide them with fruits, so that they may give thanks."

Zamzam

Hajar went on nursing Ismail and drinking from the water until it was all used up. She became
very thirsty and the child was crying. She left him on the al-Marwa hill and hurried to the nearest
hill, as-Safa. She stood there and started looking at the valley keenly so that she might see
somebody, but she could not see anybody. She descended from as-Safa, crossed the valley
running and reached al-Marwa hill. She stood and started looking but could see nobody. She kept
running between as-Safa and al-Marwa seven times. When she reached al-Marwa for the last
time, she was exhausted, she sat next to the baby. Then she heard a voice. She stood up and

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 The Father of the Prophets

said: "O whoever you might be! Have you got something to help me?' She saw an angel, Angel
Jibreel, digging the earth until water flowed! She built a little basin around it. She scooped water
with her hands, drank, filled her water-skin, and nursed her baby. The place from which water
flowed was Zamzam. Muslims till this day drink from the holy water of Zamzam, and during Hajj
they walk between as-Safa and al-Marwa seven times to commemorate this event.

Some Arabs traveling through Makkah saw birds flying around alMarwa. "They must be flying
around water." They said. When they arrived at the water, they found Hajar and asked her:
"Would you allow us to stay with you, and use the water from your well?" She agreed and was
pleased by their company. The people sent for their families, settled there and became permanent
residents. The whole valley became alive. Ismail grew up, learned Arabic, and later married a
woman from amongst the Arabs.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim who had not seen his son since he was a baby, came back to Makkah to visit
him. Upon arriving, he heard that Hajar had died, but Ismail was still living there. Ibrahim was
yearning to see his son whom he loved and missed a lot. He saw Ismail under a tree near
Zamzam, sharpening his arrows. When he saw his father, Ismail rose up, hugged him and greeted
him. It was the happiest moment for both father and son. But Allah wanted to put them to test,
and it was a tough test indeed. During one night, Ibrahim had a dream. He came to Ismail and
said: "O my son ! I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you as a sacrifice to Allah, so
what do you think?" They both realized that this was an order from Allah. Ismail said without
hesitation: "Do what you are commanded, you shall find me very patient insha Allah." They had
both submitted to the will of Allah. Ibrahim laid his son prostrate, put his forehead on the ground
and directed a sharp knife towards his neck. At this very moment, Allah called him: "O Ibrahim!
You have fulfilled the dream! Thus do We reward the good doers !" A big sheep was sent down
from heaven to be slaughtered instead of Ismail, which Ibrahim did, and they both had a big
celebration that day. This event is celebrated every year by all Muslims. It is Eid al-Adha where we
slaughter the sacrificial sheep.

Ibrahim and Ismail kept on calling people to worship Allah. At that time there was no place built
for the worship of Allah. Ibrahim wished there could be such a place where people would be in
peace, and concentrate solely for the worship of Allah. His wish was answered when Allah ordered
him to build the Sacred House, the Ka'bah. Ibrahim said to Ismail: "O Ismail, Allah has given me
an order, will you help me execute it?" "Yes I will." Ismail said. "Allah has ordered me to build a
house here." He said, pointing to a hillock higher than the land surrounding it. They went towards
the place and started building the foundations of the Ka'bah Ismail brought the stones and
Ibrahim built the walls, and when the walls became high, Ismail brought a large stone and put it
in front of his father who stood over it and carried on building, while Ismail was handing him the
stones. Both of them went on building and going around the Ka'bah, saying: "O our Lord accept
this service from us." When they finished the building, Angel Jibreel descended from heaven and
showed Ibrahim the rituals of Hajj. Then Ibrahim stepped on the stone and called on people: "O
people obey your Lord." This large stone which Ibrahim stepped on is still there to this day near
the Ka'bah. It is called Makam Ibrahim.

Thus ends the story of Ibrahim, the father of the prophets. From him descended all the prophets
who came later, including Muhammad, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam. Ibrahim devoted all his life
calling others to the True religion: Islam. Alone he stood against his people, his father, and even
the mighty king of Babylon, and never flinched. Yet his method was always to gradually persuade
them by bringing irrefutable proofs, that most often embarrassed those who refused to accept the
Truth, but as Allah said: "Any whom Allah leaves to stray, there is none to guide!"

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The Father of the Prophets

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 Imamate

Imamate
According to the School of Ahlul Bayt (as)

Imamate is the Leadership or Authority of the Muslim Ummah. Imamate can also encompass the
stations of Risalaa (Messengership), Nubawaa (prophethood), Walia (nearness to Allah and
guidance to mankind) and Khilafa (government).

The Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.) was an Imam, but he did not hold the position of Khilafa, we know
from Al-Quran that he did hold the positions of Risaala, Nubuwaa and Walia. These Quranic Verses
clarify the positions of Ibrahim (a.s.):-
And remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord with certain commands which he fulfilled; He
said: "I will appoint thee an Imam to the nations." He pleaded: "And also (Imams) from my
offspring!" He answered: "But my promise is not within the reach of evil-doers." (2:124)

Allah did choose Adam and Noah the family of Abraham and the family of Imran above all people.
(3:33)

Or do they envy mankind for what Allah hath given them of His bounty? But We had already given
the people of Abraham the Book and Wisdom and conferred upon them a great kingdom. (4:54)

Who can be better in religion than one who submits his whole self to Allah does good and follows
the way of Abraham the true in faith? For Allah did take Abraham for a friend. (4:125)

All the Prophets (a.s) were Imams and Walis (Guardians) of the people, some of them had a large
number of followers and others did not. Not all the Prophets were Messengers (Rasul), in fact
there were only five Messengers out of the One hundred and twenty four thousand that were sent
to us. The Messenger was the prophet who brought with him a new Law (Shariath) and a new
Book (kithab Allah) and they were; Noah , Ibrahim, Musa, Isa and Muhammed (a.s.). All the
prophets left behind them an executor of their message and will (wasi) and they were Imams and
Guardians over the people.

Muhammed (s.a.w.a.s.) was the Last Prophet and Messenger but the position of Imamate is
continuos and remains with the descendants of Ibrahim (a.s.), since Allah made a covenant with
Ibrahim (a.s.) that all Prophets and Imams will be from his progeny hence forth, because before
the advent of Ibrahim (a.s.) this position could be occupied by all the children of Adam (a.s.).

And We sent Noah and Abraham and established in their line Prophethood and
Revelation(messengership): and some of them were on right guidance but many of them became
rebellious transgressors. (57:26)

Without doubt among men the nearest of kin to Abraham are those who follow him as are also this
Apostle and those who believe; and Allah is the Protector of those who have faith. (3:68)

And remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord with certain commands which he fulfilled; He
said: "I will make thee an Imam to the nations." He pleaded: "And also (Imams) from my
offspring!" He answered: "But my promise is not within the reach of evil-doers." (2:124)

From the above verses we learn that:

the Imams will only be from the descendants of Ibrahim
they will be safe from wrong actions (masum).

Allah also says in Al-Quran that it is an obligation to obey the Imams:

59. O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the messenger and those of you who are in authority;
and if ye have a dispute concerning any matter, refer it to Allah and the messenger if ye are (in
truth) believers in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and more seemly in the end. (4:59)

Here Allah is commanding the Believers to obey:

1. Himself

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2. The Holy Prophet

3. Those in Authority

We have to question ourselves:

Who are those in Authority?

Are they to be elected by some of the people? Or are they to be nominated or elected by one or a
handful of the Muslims? Or are the Imams to be chosen by Allah and appointed by the Prophet?

Some may argue that since Muhammed (s.a.w.a.s.) is the Last Prophet and Messenger and the
Imam after him can be from amongst any of the Muslims, this belief is however, contrary to the
above verse (2:124) and also contrary to their own belief that the Last Imam ( Al-Mahdi) being
from the descendants of Muhammed i.e. Ibrahim (peace be upon them all). The following hadeeth
from Bukhari may clarify this point:

Narrated Jabir bin Samura: I heard the Prophet saying, "There will be twelve imams of the
Muslims. He then said a sentence which I did not hear. My father said, "All of them (caliphs) will
be from Quraish." (Sahih Bukhari vol.9 no.329)

Compare the Hadith narrated by Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (as) from Salman Farsi (ra)in his book
"Lantern of the Path" to Bukhari's hadeeth:

One day I was very troubled and visited Rasulullah (s) and asked him," Oh Prophet, what are we
to do when you are no longer with us, who will give us guidance ?" Rasul (s) replied," After me the
Ummah will be left with twelve successors from my Ahlul Bayt and it will be an obligation on my
Ummah to follow and aid them in all that they command."
I replied. " Oh Rasulullah., how are we to recognise them".
Rasul(s) replied" Oh, Salman you know Allah is AL-Hamid ( the Praise worthy) and I am
Mohammed (the one with praise) and you Know Allah is AL-Aliy (the Most Exalted) and you have
Ali (the one exalted above others) and you know Allah is al-Fathir (the Creator out of Nothing) and
you have Fathima the mother of my descendants and you know Allah is Al-Ihsan and you have
Hasan and you know Allah is al-Muhsin and you have Al-Hussein. My first successor will be Ali, my
brother, the one who is loved by Allah, then after him Hasan and then Hussein the sons of Ali and
Fathima and then Ali ibn Hussein then Mohammed ibn Ali and then Jafar ibn Mohammed and the
Musa ibn Jafar and the Ali ibn Musa and then Mohammed ibn Ali and then Ali ibn Mohammed and
then Hasan ibn Ali and finally ibne Hasan, the one named after me, the one with my kunya Abul
Qasim, he will be known as Mim Ha Dal al-Mahdi the one with Authority Al-Qaim. He will be
awaited by those who are weak and oppressed."
I replied, "Oh Rasullullah may I and my parents be your ransom, a great burden has been
removed from my heart."

I then left the prophet (s) at peace with the World and the World at peace with me and prayed to
Allah, " Oh Allah your servant Salman is now ready to meet death when ever it is your will." [See:
The Lantern of the Path]

We are also told in Al-Quran that the Imam must be the most qualified among ourselves; he must
be:
the most knowledgeable
a Mu'min
the most trustworthy.

Their Prophet said to them: "Allah hath appointed Talut in authority over you." They say: "How
can he exercise authority over us when we are better fitted than he to exercise authority and he is
not even gifted with wealth in abundance?" He said: "Allah hath chosen him above you and hath
gifted him abundantly with knowledge and bodily prowess; Allah granteth His authority to whom
He pleaseth. Allah careth for all and He knoweth all things." (2:247)

From the above discussion the following can be concluded about Imamate:
There are twelve Imams
Imams are of the line of Ibrahim and therefore of Muhammed
Imams must be free from committing mistakes
Imams must be the most knowledgeable

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The Imam must be the most trust worthy

Imams are chosen by Allah and appointed by the Prophet before them
Following the Imam is an obligation for the Muslims
Al-Mahdi (a.s) is the Last Imam.

Ali the Deputy and Successor of the Prophet

Sura Ta Ha chapter 20 verses 25-36:

25. He said: O my Lord! Expand my breast for me,

26. And make my affair easy to me,
27. And loose the knot from my tongue,
28. (That) they may understand my word;
29. And give to me an aider from my family:
30. Haroun, my brother,
31. Strengthen my back by him,
32. And associate him (with me) in my affair,
33. So that we should glorify Thee much,
34. And remember Thee oft.
35. Surely, Thou art seeing us.
36. (He) said: You are indeed granted your petition, O Musa.

Muhammed (saws) is the Last and Final of the Prophets. His message is conclusive and therefore,
must succeed and stay forever.

Allah (swt) runs the affairs of the World usually according to the law of cause and effect and
through natural courses. Therefore, He did not order His Messenger Muhammed to face the whole
society at once with the invitation to Islam, because this would lead to the failure of the mission
rather to its success. Wanting him to go gradually in his invitation, He issued him a command
(after three years from the beginning of his messengership) to begin with his close relatives. Allah
says in al-Qur'an:

"And warn thy nearest kinsman. And lower thy wing to the believers who follow thee."
(26:214-215)

When this command came down the Messenger of Allah 1 invited the descendents of
Abdul-Muttalib (they were forty men) to a banquet which contained little amounts of food and
milk. They ate and drank to their fill. The Messenger then spoke, saying: "O children of
Abdul-Muttalib, by Allah, I do not know of any young man from among the Arabs who has ever
brought to his people better than I what Im bring to you. I bring to you the goodness of the World
and of the Hereafter, and Allah has commanded me to invite you to it. Who is among you willing
to be my brother, my executor and my successor in you?" None of them responded but Ali who
was the 2 youngest among them. He stood up and said: "Messenger of Allah, I will be you minister
in this mission."
The Prophet repeated his invition, but none responded except 'Ali who repeated his words. the
Prophet put his hand on the neck of 'Ali and said: "This is my brother, my executor and my
successor in you. Listen to him and obey him."

They laughed, saying to Abu Talib: " He ordered you to listen to your son and obey him. Thus, the
Messenger of Allah invited the nearest of his relatives to embrace islam, but his main purpose was
to find among them a person who would be willing to assist him in spreading the message.

The Prophet was about to confront all the idol-worshippers of Makkah. Therefore, he needed a
minister who had courage, sincerity and firmness. Forty men from the children of Abdul-Muttallib
would be an important asset for Islam if they adopted it. But if they were ordinary people they
would not be able to face the masses of Makkah and Arabia. Allah would soon command His
Messenger to extend his invitation to all the Arabs, and eventually to the rest of the nations, all of
whom would violently resist the invitation for years to come.

Forty average persons would be terrified by the hostiles of Makkah and Arabia; yet one man of
high courage will be able to face whatever the Messenger would face. This man we know was
Assudullah fil Ghaib (the Lion of God the Unseen) Ali ibn Abu Talib.

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When Allah commanded the Prophet to invite his kinsman Allah knew only Ali would accept and
become the Prophets deputy and aid, just as Allah accepted Aaron as the minister and aid of
Moses.

GHADEER KHUM

Appointment of Ali (a.s.) by the Prophet (s.a.w.s) in his 3 LAST Sermon to the Muslims after
commandment from Allah when the following verse was revealed:

"O Apostle! Deliver what has been sent down to you from your Lord; and if you don't do it, you
have not delivered His message (at all); and Allah will protect you from the people ..." (Quran
5:67).

There after, the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) alighted at the Pool of Ghadeer and ordered Hazrath Bilal (r.a)
to call adhan so that all the Muslims be gathered together before they dispersed to the towns and
villages between Makkha and Medina.
The Sermon of Ghadeer Khumm
(as related in Tirmidhi and Muslim)

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith
Hadith 6094 Narrated by: Al-Bara' ibn Azib and Zayd ibn Arqam

When Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) alighted at the pool of Khumm, he took Ali by the
hand and asked those present, "Do you not know that I am closer to the believers that they
themselves?" They replied, "Certainly." He then asked, "Do you not know that I am nearer to
every believer than he himself?" They replied, "Certainly." He then said, " Allah, he whose patron I
am has Ali as his patron. O Allah, be friendly to those who are friendly to him and hostile to those
who are hostile to him." After that Umar met him and said, "Congratulations, son of AbuTalib.
Morning and evening you are the patron of every believing man and woman."
Ahmad transmitted it.

Sahih Muslim Hadith

Hadith 5920 Narrated by: Zayd ibn Arqam

Yazid ibn Hayyan reported: I went with Husayn ibn Sabrah and Umar ibn Muslim to Zayd ibn
Arqam and, as we sat by his side, Husayn said to him: Zayd, you have been able to acquire great
virtue him that you saw Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him), listened to his conversation,
fought by his side in (different) battles and offered prayer behind him. Zayd, you have in fact
earned a great virtue. Zayd, narrate to us what you heard from Allah`s Messenger (peace be upon
him). He said: I have grown old; I have almost reached the end of my life-span and I have
forgotten some of the things which I remembered in connection with Allah's Messenger (peace be
upon him). So accept whatever I narrate to you, and those which I do not narrate, do not compel
me to narrate them. He then said: One day Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) stood up to
deliver a sermon at a watering-place known as Khumm, situated between Mecca and Medina. He
praised Allah, extolled Him, delivered the sermon, exhorted (us) and said: Now to our purpose, O
people: I am a human being. Perhaps I am about to receive a messenger (the angel of death)
from my Lord, and I, in response to Allah's call, (shall bid good-bye to you). But I am leaving
among you two weighty things: the one being the Book of Allah in which there is right guidance
and light, so hold fast to the Book of Allah and adhere to it. He exhorted (us) (to hold fast) to the
Book of Allah, and then said: The second are the members of my household; I remind you (of
your duties) to the members of my family. He (Husayn) said to Zayd: Who are the members of his
household? Aren't his wives the members of his family? Thereupon he said: His wives are the
members of his family (but here) the members of his family are those for whom acceptance of
Zakat is forbidden. And he said: Who are they? Thereupon he said: Ali and the offspring of Ali, Aqil
and the offspring of Aqil, the offspring of Ja'far and the offspring of Abbas. Husayn said: These are
those for whom the acceptance of Zakat is forbidden. Zayd said: Yes.

The Relationship between The Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) and Ali (a.s)

The Relationship between The Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) and Ali (a.s) was similar to the

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Relationship between the prophets Musa (a.s.) and Haroon (a.s.).

Narrated Sad:

Allah's Apostle set out for Tabuk. appointing 'Ali as his deputy (in Medina). 'Ali said, "Do you want
to leave me with the children and women?" The Prophet said, "Will you not be pleased that you
will be to me like Aaron to Moses? But there will be no prophet after me." Bukhari vol. 5 no.700)

Sura Ar'af chapter 7 verse 142

142. We appointed for Moses thirty nights and completed (the period) with ten (more): thus was
completed the term (of communion) with his Lord forty nights. And Moses had charged his brother
Aaron (before he went up): "Act for me amongst my people: do right and follow not the way of
those who do mischief."

Sura Anbiya chapter 21 verse 48

48. In the past We granted to Moses and Aaron the Criterion (for judgment) and a Light and a
Message for those who would do right.

Sura Mu'mineen chapter 23 verse 45

45. Then We sent Moses and his brother Aaron with Our Signs and authority manifest

Sura Furq'an chapter 25 verse 35

35. Before this We sent Moses the Book and appointed his brother Aaron with him as Minister;

Sura Saafat chapter 37 verse 114

114. Again (of old) We bestowed Our favor on Moses and Aaron.
Conclusion:

From the above verses of al-Qur'an we can conclude that the relationship between Moses and
Aaron was not just of blood brotherhood, but of Prophet and successor. This was also the same
relationship between the Prophet and Ali but there would be no Prophet after him. So, with the
exception of prophethood, Ali inhereted from Muhammed all that Aaron inhereted from Moses.
Peace be upon them all.

Footnotes:

1. This hadeeth is recorded by the following Authors: i. Ibn Al-Atheer, Al Kamil, part 2, p. 22 ii.
Al-Tabari, History of Nations, Messengers and Kings, part 2, p217. iii. Abu Al-Fida in his History,
part1 p.116. iv. Imam Ahmab bin Hambal, Al-Musnad, part 1, pp.116-119.

2. 'Ali was 9 years old.

3. The Sermon of the Mount where the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) gave his sermon after Haj is wrongly
called the Last Sermon, this was done in order to mislead the people and to try to negate the
Sermon at Ghadeer Khumm where Ali (a.s) is appointed successor once again. After the sermon of
Ghadeer (the Last Sermon) was delivered the following verse of the Qur'an was revealed: .....This
day have those who reject faith given up all hope of your religion: yet fear them not but fear Me.
This day have I perfected your religion for you completed my favor upon you and have chosen for
you Islam as your religion. But if any forced by hunger with no inclination to transgression, Allah is
indeed Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful. (5:3)
All Qur'anic texts from "The Holy Qur'an" Translation & Commentary by Abdullah
Yusuf Ali.

Author: Syed Hussein Ahmed

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Contents | Islam | The Centre | Muhammad | Abraham | Prophets | Imamate | Imams | Shia |
Fathima bint Muhammad | Khadija bint Khuwalyd |
The Lantern of the Path

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