In this view...

In this view, this issue is proved by presenting various traditions and we will find out that Imamate existed after the Prophet (a.s) and this continued through the ages. Whenever a bright star from this Household of the Holy Prophet (the ) set, another would rise and hence the earth would never be without a Hujjah . Then in proceeding with this research, we deal with our Imams’ characteristics in order to distinguish them.

So, Imamate is first proved as a vast circle and then this circle is gradually reduced to include only the Twelve Imams.

With this introduction, the issues will be discussed in the following order: -The meaning of Imamate and leadership, -The continuation of Imamate and the necessity of knowing the Imam, -The number of the Imams and that they are twelve in number and all from Quraysh, -The (a.s) and Imamate, -The intended concept of the (a.s) -The leadership of the (a.s) -Presence of people from the (a.s) until the Resurrection Day, -Belonging of Imams to the Prophet’s Household (a.s), -Names and identity of Imams.

Before getting to this last step and finding the names and identification of the Imams in ahadith (traditions of the Holy Prophet), traditions from Sunni books have been used. In each chapter, care is taken as to include stipulation of Sunni clerics for at least some of the traditions.

This makes the Sunni readers realize that even in the most authentic books of their owns, there are successive traditions clearly proving Imamate of the Twelve Imams, and that in spite of all the political, cultural, financial and physical pressures for diminishing the light of the and eliminating such traditions from the hadith lexicon of the Prophet, and secluding their traditions, the ray of truth is glittering from the most certified Sunni hadith books, saturating everyone who has insight, knowledge and conscience.

It will also increase the belief and strengthen the faith in the hearts of the Shi’a readers, since they realize that the ’s Imamate is provable even through the books of those who do not believe in them. But in this last step, although some wordings ( nass ) of Imams are narrated by the Sunni and are mentioned in many sources, including the present book, for more certitude, a few of the traditions of the Shi’a, though little more than a drop in the ocean, are given.