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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Islam: Faith, Practice & History Lesson 15: Amir Al-Mu’minīn ‘Ali: The Chosen Successor of the Prophet The Successor of the Prophet The Shi‘a Ithnā `Ashari Muslims believe that after the Prophet of Islam, the leadership of the world of Islam fell to Amir al-Mu'minin, ‘Ali (a.s.), and then to his eleven infallible descendants.

This belief is as clear as the rays of the morning sun, and those who are unprejudiced and impartial will have no cause to doubt it.

Jābir bin ‘Abdullāh, one of the prominent companions of the Prophet (a.s.), said, "The day the verse concerning obedience to Allah, the Prophet and the Ulu 'l-Amr was revealed (4:59), I asked the Prophet: `We know Allah and the Prophet, but who is the third?' He said, `They are the Imams, my successors, the first of whom is ‘Ali bin Abi Tālib, then, in order, Hasan, Husayn, ‘Ali ibn Husayn, Muhammad bin ‘Ali, who was called Bāqir in the Torah, and whom you, Jābir, will meet and to whom you will convey my salām; then, after him, Ja‘far ibn Muhammad as-Sādiq, Musa ibn Ja`far, ‘Ali ibn Musa, Muhammad ibn ‘Ali, ‘Ali bin Muhammad, Hasan ibn ‘Ali, and in the end the son of Hasan ibn ‘Ali will come, whose name will be the same as mine (Muhammad Abu 'l-Qāsim).'"[^1] The First Leader No society, at any time or place, can stand free and liberated without a leader.

We also know that if a ruler is dedicated to the wellbeing of the society, then he must strive to protect it and he must also take into consideration the present as well as the future of that society. It is because of this necessity that rulers, even during short journeys, appoint a deputy. This is evident in every case of leadership. A head of the family, a principal or headmaster of the school, a foreman in a factory, all put a deputy in their place for the absence of even a few hours.

This matter is so obvious that it needs no proof. The great Prophet of Islam, who was the leader of the Islamic world, observed this very principle. Wherever the light of Islam shone for the first time, he always appointed an administrator for that place to look after its affairs. When he sent armies for jihad, he appointed a commander, and sometimes appointed several persons as deputy commanders so that if one was killed, the army would not be left without a commander.