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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Your Questions Answered (volume 5) Q. 30:number of Imams Was any number fixed for this chain of the Guides? A. Yes, according to many accepted traditions, the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) has said: "Imams after me will be twelve." Q. 31: THE TWELVE IMAMS Who are those twelve Imams? A. They are as follows: 'Ali Hasan Husayn 'Ali Zaynul 'Abdeen Muhammad Baqir Ja'far Sadiq Musa Kazim 'Ali Rida Muhammad Taqi Ali Naqi Hassan 'Askari Muhammad Mahdi Q.

32:WHY SUNNI SCHOLARS, IN SPITE OFNARRATING HADITH OF GHADEER,DO NOT ACCEPT 'ALI (A.S.) AS FIRST KHALIFA? If there are so many Sunni scholars who have narrated the traditions that 'Ali was the appointed successor of the Prophet and that after him 12 Imams were to follow, how come the Sunni majority still believes in the three Caliphs etc. How can those scholars be called Sunni, if they narrate these traditions which prove Shi'a belief? A.

It is because in their eyes Imamate is synonymous with ruier-ship; and, as such, depends on acceptance of people. Allah or Rasul, in Sunni theology, have no role in it. A famous Sunni writer had once written in India, "I accept that it was the Prophet's ardent wish that 'Ali should be his immediate successor. But also it should be accepted that the Ummah decided otherwise". So this is their way of thinking. For details, see my book, Imamat, available from the Mission. Q.

33: DID 'ALI (A.S.) ACCEPT ABU BAKR AS THE RIGHTFUL KHALIFAH? In The "Light" (June, 1986) in the article The Origin of the Shiahs' appears this passage: "Both the Sunni and the Shia sects agree that when allegiance was being taken from Muslims, 'Ali (a.s.) did not accept the authority of Abu Bakr."The question arises, whether 'Ali (a.s.) ever accepted the - Khilafat of Abu Bakr? A.

The sentence ("Both the Sunni and the Shi'a sects agree that when allegiance was being taken from Muslims, 'Ali (a.s.) did not accept the authority of of Abu Bakr") is correct The difference is about the later period, whether after the death of Hazrat Fatima (a.s.), 'Ali (a.s.) gave the oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr. The Sunnis claim, as mentioned in Bukhari, that he did. The Shi'as deny it. I do not have time to go into detailed explanations.

Suffice it to say that Bibi Fatima and Hazrat 'Ali (peace be on them) both were sinless and Ma'sum; and the verse of "Purity" confirms their freedom from every error and sin.