The Fourteen Infallibles
The Fourteen Infallibles (Arabic: معصومون Ma‘sūmūn) are Twelver Shī‘ah Islam religious figures from between the 6th and 9th century whom Twelvers believe are infallible, i.e. "divinely bestowed [with] freedom from error and sin". This quality of infallibility is known as Ismah.[1] The Fourteen Infallibles are Muhammad, his daughter Fatima Zahra and the Twelve Imams.
Background[edit]
According to Twelver theologians, infallibility is considered a rational necessary precondition for spiritual and religious guidance. They state that since Allah has commanded absolute obedience from these figures they must only order in accordance with Islam. The state of infallibility is based on the interpretation of the verse of purification:
And stay in your houses and do not display your finery like the displaying of the ignorance of yore; and keep up prayer, and pay the poor-rate, and obey God and His Messenger. Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! and to purify you a [thorough] purifying.
[2] Thus they are the fourteen most pure ones, the only immaculate ones preserved from and immune to all impurities.[3] It does not mean that supernatural powers prevent them from committing a sin, but it is due to the fact that they have an absolute submission to God that they do not sin.[1]
They have also complete knowledge about God's will, given to them by the First Infallible, the Prophet Muhammad. They are in possession of all the knowledge brought by the angels to the prophets. Thus they act without fault in religious matters.[4]
The ascription of infallibility to the Imams is encountered as early as the first half of the 8th century, second century of Islamic calendar, and it was soon extended to the prophets. The doctrine came to exclude the commission on their part of any sin or inadvertence, either before or after their assumption of office. As for Fatimah, her infallibility derives from her being a link between prophethood and imamah, the two institutions characterized by infallibility, as well as by her association with the imams and their attributes in numerous Hadiths. There is general agreement among Shia authorities that all fourteen are superior to the rest of creation, including even the major prophets.[5]
Family tree[edit]
| Muhammad | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fātimah | ‘Alī | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hasan | Husayn | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| ‘Alī Zaynul ‘Ābidīn | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Muhammad al-Bāqir | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ja‘far as-Sādiq | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mūsā al-Kādhim | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ‘Alī ar-Ridhā | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Muhammad at-Taqī | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ‘Alī an-Naqī | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hasan al-‘Askarī | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Muhammad al-Mahdī | |||||||||||||||||||||||
List of Infallibles[edit]
| Number | Name Kunya |
Arabic Title[6] Turkish title [7] |
Designation | Birth–Death CE Birth–Death AH[8] |
Birthplace (present day country) | Place of death and burial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muhammad ibn Abdullah محمد بن عبدالله Abu al-qasim أبو القاسم |
Rasul Allah (the Messenger of God) --- |
The Seal of All Prophets | 570–632[9] 50(before Hijra)–13 |
Mecca, Saudi Arabia | Died on death bed due to natural causes in Medina, Saudi Arabia. Before his death, Muhammad predicted that Fatima would be the first to die of his family and he also predicted how Ali, Hassan, and Hussein would die, all of which were realized. |
| 2 | Ali ibn Abu Talib علي بن أبي طالب Abu al-Hassan أبو الحسن |
Amir al-Mu'minin (Commander of the Faithful)[10] Birinci Ali[11] |
The first Imam and the rightful successor of the Prophet of all Shia; however, the Sunnis acknowledge him as the fourth Caliph as well. He holds a high position in almost all Sufi Muslim orders (Turuq); the members of these orders trace their lineage to Muhammad through him.[10] | 600–661[10] 18(before Hijra)–40[12] |
Mecca, Saudi Arabia[10] | Assassinated by Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam, a Kharijite in Kufa, who slashed him with a poisoned sword.[10][13] Buried at the Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf, Iraq. |
| 3 | Fatimah فاطمة |
al-Zahara (the shining one) --- |
The leader of all women in this world and in Paradise.(Arabic: سيدة نساء العالمين Sayyidatu n-Nisā'i l-‘alamīn)[14] | 605 or 615–632 or 633[15][16][17] 17 or 7 (before Hijra)–10 or 11 |
Mecca, Saudi Arabia | Most Shias believe that she was injured when defending Ali against the first Khalifa that this incident lead to her death in her very young age.[18] She was buried in Jannat al-Baqi in the city of Medina, though the exact location of her grave is unknown. |
| 4 | Hassan ibn Ali ألحسن بن علي Abu Muhammad أبو محمد |
al-Mujtaba Ikinci Ali[11] |
The Second Imam[19] | 624–680[20]
3–50[21] |
Medina, Saudi Arabia[20] | Poisoned by his wife Ja'da in Medina, Saudi Arabia on the orders of the Caliph Muawiya.[22] Buried in Jannat al-Baqi. |
| 5 | Husayn ibn Ali ألحسین بن علي Abu Abdillah أبو عبدالله |
Sayed al-Shuhada Ūçüncü Ali[11] |
The Third Imam[23][24] | 626–680[23]
4–61[25] |
Medina, Saudi Arabia[23] | Killed and beheaded at the Battle of Karbala.[23] Buried at the Imam Husayn Shrine in Karbala, Iraq. |
| 6 | Ali ibn al-Hussein علي بن الحسین Abu Muhammad أبو محمد |
al-Sajjad, Zain al-Abedin
Dorduncu Ali[11] |
The Fourth Imam[27] | 658-9[26] – 712[27]
38[26]–95[27] |
Medina, Saudi Arabia[26] | According to most Shia scholars, he was poisoned on the order of Caliph al-Walid I in Medina, Saudi Arabia.[27] Buried in Jannat al-Baqi. |
| 7 | Muhammad ibn Ali محمد بن علي Abu Ja'far أبو جعفر |
al-Baqir al-Ulum (splitting open knowledge) [28] Besinci Ali[11] |
The Fifth Imam[28][29] | 677–732[28]
57–114[28] |
Medina, Saudi Arabia[28] | According to some Shia scholars, he was poisoned by Ibrahim ibn Walid ibn 'Abdallah in Medina, Saudi Arabia on the order of Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik.[27] Buried in Jannat al-Baqi. |
| 8 | Ja'far ibn Muhammad جعفر بن محمد Abu Abdillah أبو عبدالله |
al-Sadiq[30]
Altinci Ali[11] |
The Sixth Imam[30][31] | 702–765[30]
83–148 [30] |
Medina, Saudi Arabia[30] | According to Shia sources, he was poisoned in Medina, Saudi Arabia on the order of Caliph Al-Mansur.[30] Buried in Jannat al-Baqi. |
| 9 | Musa ibn Ja'far موسی بن جعفر Abu al-Hassan I أبو الحسن الاول [32] |
al-Kazim[33]
Yedinci Ali[11] |
The Seventh Imam[34] | 744–799[33]
128–183[33] |
Medina, Saudi Arabia[33] | Imprisoned and poisoned in Baghdad, Iraq on the order of Caliph Harun al-Rashid. Buried in the Kazimayn shrine in Baghdad.[33] |
| 10 | Ali ibn Musa علي بن موسی Abu al-Hassan II أبو الحسن الثانی[32] |
al-Rida, Reza[35]
Sekizinci Ali[11] |
The Eighth Imam[35] | 765–817[35]
148–203[35] |
Medina, Saudi Arabia[35] | According to Shia sources, he was poisoned in Mashad, Iran on the order of Caliph Al-Ma'mun. Buried in the Imam Reza shrine in Mashad.[35] |
| 11 | Muhammad ibn Ali محمد بن علي Abu Ja'far أبو جعفر |
al-Taqi, al-Jawad[36]
Dokuzuncu Ali[11] |
The Ninth Imam[35] | 810–835[36]
195–220[36] |
Medina, Saudi Arabia[36] | Poisoned by his wife, Al-Ma'mun's daughter, in Baghdad, Iraq on the order of Caliph Al-Mu'tasim. Buried in the Kazmain shrine in Baghdad.[36] |
| 12 | Ali ibn Muhammad علي بن محمد Abu al-Hassan III أبو الحسن الثالث[37] |
al-Hadi, al-Naqi[37]
Onuncu Ali[11] |
The Tenth Imam[37] | 827–868[37]
212–254[37] |
Surayya, a village near Medina, Saudi Arabia[37] | According to Shia sources, he was poisoned in Samarra, Iraq on the order of Caliph Al-Mu'tazz.[38] Buried in the Al Askari Mosque in Samarra. |
| 13 | Hassan ibn Ali ألحسن بن علي Abu Muhammad أبو محمد |
al-Askari[39]
Onbirinci Ali[11] |
The Eleventh Imam[40] | 846–874[39]
232–260[39] |
Medina, Saudi Arabia[39] | According to Shia, he was poisoned on the order of Caliph Al-Mu'tamid in Samarra, Iraq. Buried in Al Askari Mosque in Samarra.[41] |
| 14 | Muhammad ibn al-Hassan محمد بن الحسن Abu al-Qasim أبو القاسم |
al-Mahdi, Hidden Imam, al-Hujjah [42]
Onikinci Ali[11] |
The Twelfth and Final Imam.[43] He is also the Mahdi who will descend with the Messiah, Jesus Christ, to defeat ad-Dajjal. | 868–alive[44]
255–alive[44] |
Samarra, Iraq[44] | According to Shia doctrine, he has been living in the Occultation since 872, and will continue as long as God wills it and they are awaiting his return.[44] |
See also[edit]
- Shia Islam
- Twelvers
- Ahl al-Bayt
- Twelve Imams
- Imamah (Shi'a twelver doctrine)
- Ahl al-Bayt
- Ahl al-Kisa
Footnotes[edit]
- ^ a b Dabashi (2006), p.463
- ^ Momen (1985), p.155
- ^ Corbin (1993), pp.48–49
- ^ Corbin (1993), p.48
- ^ Algar, Hamid. [cahardah-masum "Chahardah M'asum"]. Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
{{cite encyclopedia}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ The Imam's Arabic titles are used by the majority of Twelver Shia who use Arabic as a liturgical language, including the Usooli, Akhbari, Shaykhi, and to a lesser extent Alawi
- ^ Turkish titles are generally used by Alevi, a fringe Twelver group, who make up around 10% of the world Shi'a population. The titles for each Imam literally translate as "First Ali", "Second Ali", and so forth. Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa. Gale Group. 2004. ISBN 9780028657691.
{{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ The abbreviation CE refers to the Common Era solar calendar, while AH refers to the Islamic Hijri lunar calendar.
- ^ Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. "Muhammad". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
- ^ a b c d e Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. "Ali". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 2007-10-12.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa. Gale Group. 2004. ISBN 9780028657691.
{{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ Tabatabae (1979), pp.190–192
- ^ Tabatabae (1979), p.192
- ^ Ordoni (1990) p.117
- ^ "Fatimah". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 2008-07-05.
- ^ Ordoni (1990) pp.42–45
- ^ Amin. Vol. 4. p.103
- ^ "Fatima", Encyclopedia of Islam. Brill Online.(see:Umar at Fatimah's house)
- ^ Madelung, Wilferd. "Hasan ibn Ali". Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
- ^ a b "Hasan". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
- ^ Tabatabae (1979), pp.194–195
- ^ Tabatabae (1979), p.195
- ^ a b c d "al-Husayn". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
- ^ Calmard, Jean. "Husayn ibn Ali". Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
- ^ Tabatabae (1979), pp.196–199
- ^ a b c d Madelung, Wilferd. "'ALĪ B. AL-ḤOSAYN". Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
- ^ a b c d e Tabatabae (1979), p.202
- ^ a b c d e Madelung, Wilferd. "AL-BAQER, ABU JAFAR MOHAMMAD". Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
- ^ Tabatabae (1979), p.203
- ^ a b c d e f Tabatabae (1979), p.203–204
- ^ "Wasil ibn Ata". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
- ^ a b Madelung, Wilferd. "'ALĪ AL-HĀDĪ". Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
- ^ a b c d e Tabatabae (1979), p.205
- ^ Tabatabae (1979) p. 78
- ^ a b c d e f g Tabatabae (1979), pp.205–207 Invalid
<ref>tag; name "Ali al-Reza" defined multiple times with different content - ^ a b c d e Tabatabae (1979), p. 207
- ^ a b c d e f Madelung, Wilferd. "'ALĪ AL-HĀDĪ". Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
- ^ Tabatabae (1979), pp.208–209
- ^ a b c d Halm, H. "'ASKARĪ". Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
- ^ Tabatabae (1979) pp. 209–210
- ^ Tabatabae (1979), pp.209–210
- ^ "Muhammad al-Mahdi al-Hujjah". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
- ^ Tabatabae (1979), pp. 211–214
- ^ a b c d Tabatabae (1979), pp.210–211
References[edit]
- Encyclopedias
- Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
{{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - Encyclopædia Iranica. Center for Iranian Studies, Columbia University. ISBN 1568590504.
{{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - Vacca, V. "Fāṭima". In P.J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs (ed.). Encyclopaedia of Islam Online. Brill Academic Publishers. ISSN 1573-3912.
{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link) - Martin, Richard C. Encyclopaedia of Islam and the Muslim world; vol.1. MacMillan. ISBN 0028656040.
{{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa. Gale Group. 2004. ISBN 9780028657691.
{{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - Amin, Hassan (1968–73). Islamic Shi'ite Encyclopedia. Beirut: SLIM Press.
{{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty|title=(help)CS1 maint: date format (link)
- Books
- Corbin, Henry (1993 (original French 1964)). History of Islamic Philosophy, Translated by Liadain Sherrard, Philip Sherrard. London; Kegan Paul International in association with Islamic Publications for The Institute of Ismaili Studies. ISBN 0710304161.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|year=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Dabashi, Hamid (2006). Theology of Discontent: The Ideological Foundation of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. Transaction Publishers. ISBN 1412805163.
- Momen, Moojan (1985). TAn Introduction to Shi`i Islam: The History and Doctrines of Twelve. Yale University Press. ISBN 0300035314.
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External links[edit]
- A Chronological List of The Fourteen Infallibles
- The Fourteen Infallibles by Hamid Algar, an article of Encyclopædia Iranica
- A Brief History of The Fourteen Infallibles by WOFIS World Organization for Islamic Services Tehran -Iran
- The Brief History of THE FOURTEEN INFALLIBLES by Mohammad Hussein il’adeeb
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