It is by means of this notion that they are proving the...

It is by means of this notion that they are proving the legitimacy of the caliphate of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar and that the ummah erred in not choosing ‘the most deserving one’ (viz., ‘Ali ( ‘a )) but their error does not reach the level of transgression { fisq }. Also, they declare ‘Uthman as an infidel { kafir }.

Batriyyah: [^10] Their beliefs are similar to that of Sulaymaniyyah with the only difference that they suspend their judgment concerning ‘Uthman.[^11] Isma‘iliyyah is also divided into three groups: One group is of the opinion that the Imam after Imam as-Sadiq ( ‘a ) is Isma‘il who did not die as he is alive and the promised Mahdi.

The second group believes that Isma‘il died and the Imamate transferred to his son, Muhammad, who is in occultation { ghaybah } and shall appear and fill the world with justice and equity. The third group, like the second one, believes in the Imamate of Muhammad ibn Isma‘il with the only difference that Muhammad died and the Imamate has remained in his offspring.[^12] Of course, most of these sects did not last long, and they could hardly be called “sects”.

Rather, they were groups that faded away with the death of their respective leaders, and they had no appearance in the sociopolitical scenes. Among these sects, Kaysaniyyah, Zaydiyyah and Isma‘iliyyah emerged and remained in the first, second and third centuries AH.

Of course, although during the second century AH and after the martyrdom of Imam as-Sadiq ( ‘a ) the Isma‘ili sect was separated from the body of Shi‘ism, it had no appearance up to the middle of the third century AH, and in a sense, their Imams were in hiding.[^13] During the first century AH, next to the Shi‘ah Imamiyyah and prior to the emergence of Zaydiyyah, Kaysaniyyah had been the most influential Shi‘ah sect. Kaysaniyyah emerged and made its appearance in the uprising of Mukhtar.

Although we do not regard Mukhtar himself as a Kaysani, many of his forces were adhering to Kaysaniyyah.[^14] This sect struggled politically until the end of the first century AH, and Abu Hashim, ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad al-Hanafiyyah, who was the leader of this sect, had for the first time used the terms “ da‘i ” {propagator} and “ hujjat ” {proof} for his preachers. Later on, these terms were used by other groups such as the ‘Abbasids, Zaydis and Isma‘ilis.