We have read in Islamic history that the Muslims including...

We have read in Islamic history that the Muslims including the Holy Imams often addressed their contemporary Caliphs as Imams. In this connection it may be borne in mind that the Imam in this sense may either be just or unjust. In either case the Muslims have certain duties. According to a well-known hadith, which is considered to be authentic by both the Shi'ah and the Sunni, the Holy Prophet said: "The best jihad is to say what is true before an unjust Imam".

Similarly the Holy Prophet is reported to have said "Three persons cause damage to religion: an unjust Imam, an ignorant pietist and an immoral scholar". On the top of all these the Qur'an itself mentions the Imams who invite the people to Hell. " We have made them Imams inviting to Hell ". (al-Qasas, 28 41) Anyhow, there is no doubt that the word "Imam" is applied mostly to the just and virtuous leaders.

According to the Shi'ah terminology it is applied exclusively to the twelve infallibles whose names are • Imam Ali b. Abi Talib—al-Murtaza • Imam Hasan b. Ali—al-Mujtaba • Imam Husayn b. Ali—al-Shaheed • Imam Ali b. Husayn—al-Sajjad • Imam Muhammad b. Ali—al-Baqir • Imam Ja'far b. Muhammad—al-Sadiq • Imam Musa b. Ja'far—al-Kazim • Imam Ali b. Musa—al-Riza • Imam Muhammad b. Ali - al-Taqi • Imam Ali b. Muhammad—al-Naqi • Imam Hasan b. Ali—al-Askari • Imam Muhammad b.

Hasan—al-Mahdi, (May peace be upon Muhammad and his vicegerents) [^1]: From the Shi'ah point of view, since the Major Occultation of Mahdi, the Imam of the Age in 329 A.H. no particular person has been appointed to be the head and leader of the Muslim ummah. That is why in the hadiths related to leadership during this period only the general qualities and characteristics required to be possessed by a leader have been mentioned.

This shows that it is up to the people themselves to choose a person as their leader, having those qualities and characteristics. The main qualifications of a ruler during Occultation are: (a) Faith in Allah, His revelations and the teachings of His Prophet. The Holy Qur'an says: "Allah will never let the disbelievers triumph over the believers". (al-Nisa, 4 141). (b) Integrity, adherence to the laws of Islam, and earnestness about their enforcement.

When Allah told Prophet Ibrahim that he had been appointed the Imam, the latter asked whether anyone of his family would also attain that position. In reply Allah said "My covenant does not include the wrong-doers". (al-Baqarah, 2:124).