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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Muhammad the Messenger of Allah Light of Islam In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

"...and giving good tidings of a Messenger who will come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad;..." Holy Qur'an (61:6) "And from among you there should be a group inviting to good and bidding what is right and forbidding what is wrong,..." Holy Qur'an (3:104) PUBLISHER'S WORD Praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings of Allah on Muhammad, his infallible household and on the pious ones among his companions.

Al-Balagh Foundation has, since its establishment, tried to shoulder the heavy responsibility of disseminating Islamic knowledge among the world people irrespective of race, religion, language or colour, by relying on Allah, the Most High and Great. In order to convey Islam's ideas to as many people as possible, our foundation has chosen to put before them Islamic concepts in an easy-to-read and simplified way through various series of books.

The study of the life of Muhammad (s.a.w.) and the Imams of his Household is an advanced means of Islam to introduce its objectives and great concepts.

How truthful are the words of Allah: "Certainly you have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent exmplar..." Holy Qur'an (33:21) "...Allah only wishes to keep away uncleanness from you, O people of the House and purify you (with) a thorough purification." Holy Qur'an (33:33) In view of this, Al-Balagh Foundation has decided to publish a new series of book on the life and teachings of , his daughter Fatimah, and twelve Imams who succeeded him beginning from Imam Ali to the last luminary Imam Al-Mahdi (a.s.) -may Allah hasten his reappearance.

The lives of these 14 infallibles and the lofty principles they uphold, provide model par excellence for all time. They were torchbearers of guidance, the spring of flowing wisdom, the paragons of perfection and the live paradigms of the divine message. May Allah guide mankind on the right path, and help the ummah to sincerely tread the footsteps of His last Messenger (s.a.w.) and his blessed progeny. He is the All-hearing and All-answering. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

Al-Balagh Foundation INTRODUCTION Abridging the life of the Messenger of Allah Muhammad bin Abdullah (s.a.w.) in a small book is by no means an easy task, for his life is, actually spread over thick volumes than can never be condensed to a few pages.