Among the sects of the Shi'a are the Imamis. Also they are called the Ja'fariya because they are ascribed to Ja'far b. Mohammed, peace be on him, who became a school. (In the following pages you will know) how he has become a school out of the rest of the Imams while they were all a school in the rules.
The Imamis have believed in the Imamate of the twelve (Imams): 'Ali, al- Hasan, al- Husayn, 'Ali b. al- Husayn, Mohammed b. 'Ali, Ja'far b. Mohammed, Musa b. Ja'far, 'Ali b. Musa Mohammed b. 'Ali, 'Ali b. Mohammed, al- Hasan b. 'Ali, and his son al- Mahdy, the hidden, to whose coming they look forward the blessings of Allah be on them all.
The Imamis believe that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, had decided the Imamate of the above- mentioned Imams with the clear public nomination from Allah, the Great and Almighty, and that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, nominated the Imamate and Caliphate of the Commander of the Faithful (Amir al- Mu'minin) and he nominated him as his brother and testamentary trustee. The textual nomination (nass) by the Prophet was on several occasions, for example, the Day of al- Ghadir. Also the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, told (people) about the Caliphs and the Imams who would rule one by one after the Commander of the Faithful (Amir al- Mu'minin) peace be on him, as we have mentioned their names earlier.
Then the Imams handed down that textual nomination (nass) from one to another. So, 'Ali nominated al- Hasan, al- Hasan nominated al- Husayn, al- Husayn nominated his son 'Ali, In this manner the father nominated his son till the textual nomination ended at b. al- Hasan, (who called) al- Muntazar (the awaited one). Besides, the Imamis believe that al- Muntazar has been alive since he was born on the night of 15th of Sha'ban in the year 255 (A. H.) (869), and that he has been away from view because of the unjust rulers of his time, and that he is al- Mahdi (the most guided one), who will fill the earth with justice and fairness as it was filled with oppression and tyranny. 53
53 Many Sunnis mentioned Imam al- Mahdi b. al- Hasan al-'Askary. They have admitted his existence and that he is al- Mau'ud (the promised one) See: Matalib al-Sa'ul, Al- Hjja by b. 'Arab, Lawaqih Al- Anwar, Al- Tadhkira, Sharh Al- Da'ira, Al-Fusul Al- Muhima, Fara'id Al- Simtayn, and the like. Rather, some of them claimed that they had seen and met him.
Also the Imamis believe that these Imams are protected from the sin, the mistake, forgetfulness, and heedlessness as it is in our Prophet and all the prophets, peace be on them, and that their knowledge is not acquisitive, rather it is inspiration and inheritance from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family. The son inherited it from his father and the brother from his brother as it is in al- Hasan and al- Husayn.
As the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, was the Inheritor of the knowledge of Prophets and Apostles and had the knowledge of the past people and of the last people, so the Commander of the Faithful (Amir al-Mu'minin) had all that knowledge, because the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said: "I am the city of knowledge and 'Ali is its gate." Apart from this tradition, there are many traditions and verses of the Book (the Koran).54
Also, concerning the Imams, the Imamis believe that they were the servants of Allah, the Glorified, created by Him, provided with the means of subsistence by Him, and that they did not deal conclusively with the affairs of mankind, such as life, death, giving, forbidding, and the like but with the permission from Allah, the Exalted, just as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, did in connection with men. About 'Isa, peace on him, the Book (the Koran) reports: "That I determine for you out of dust like the from of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird with Allah's permission." 55
The Imamis have concluded that with the intellectual proofs, traditions, and reports. Some of these maybe mentioned in this book.
Also the Imamis have concluded the textual nomination concerning the Imams with the traditions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family.
These traditions have been reported by the two parties (i.e., the Sunnis and the Shi'a). Among them is: "The Imams are from Quraysh, they are twelve, 56 they are from the sons of 'Ali and Fatima, and their nomination is with their names one by one." 57
Moreover, the Imamis produced Allah's favor (lutf) as evidence for the Imamate when he confined it to them (the Imams), then if there was an Imam, (people) should follow his Imamate, obey and know him.
The Imamis refer to these Imams to know the commandments of religion, so every commandment which has been proved by the Prophet or by them, they adopt it. But if the traditions are differ about a certain commandment, they apply the rules of equilibrium and preference according to the established fundamentals of Islamic jurisprudence.
Concerning Islamic commandments, apart from the Book (the Koran) and the Sunna (the traditions and acts of the Prophet or Infallible Imams), the Imamis adopt the unanimous resolution and the irrefutable commandment of intellect.
When these four sources are not able to give them the Islamic commandment, they refer to their practical fundamentals according to what situations require, which are general juridical rules proven with evidences.
The Imamis think that the traditions which have been reported (by men) from the Imams are some of the sunna, because they knew the knowledge of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, by heart, and protected his law (Shari'a), so what they had was from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, not from their own independent reasoning and ideas.
The sunna is one of the four sources which are used to deduce practical laws of Islam.
These four sources, as we have mentioned are: The Book (Koran), the Sunna (the traditions and acts of the Prophet or infallible Imams), consensus (ijma'), and intellect ('aql). The explanation of evidence of these sources and how to refer to them have been mentioned in the books of the fundamentals of Islamic jurisprudence.
As for their belief in Allah, the most Exalted, the Imamïs believe that He, the Glorified, is a thing but He is not similar to other things. He has no body or physical form, and cannot be seen by eyes in this world or the Hereafter."
Vision comprehends Him not, and He comprehends (all) vision. His Attributes are the same as His self He, the Exalted, is just, and He does not oppress anyone of His servants, because oppression is indecent by a sane mind, and He created all things out of nothing.
As for their belief in our Prophet Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family, the Imamis believe that he was infallible from the error, the slip, forgetfulness, heedlessness, mortal and venial sins, that he did not commit any of them before or after his prophethood, and that he was sent for all the world. This is their belief in the infallibility of apostles and prophets.
The Imamis believe that the Imamate is among the fundamentals (of Islam), which should be proved with the rational evidence in addition to the narrated texts, and of the rational evidence. is the rule of Allah's favor (qa'idat al- Lutf).
Concerning ma'ad (the Return), the Imamis believe that Allah, the Glorified, will return men for resurrection with those bodies which were in the world, and they are (the bodies) which will be rewarded and will live eternally in Paradise (janan) or will be punished and live eternally in hell (niran).
As for the acts of men, the Imamis believe that they are a matter between two matters; neither compulsion nor authorization. Namely, Allah, the Glorified, does not force men to achieve their action so as not to oppress them when He will punish them for their sins, rather they have the ability and option in what they do. Nor Allah has authorized them to act freely with the creation of their actions, then He has no ability to control His servants, rather He has the decision and the order, and He is able to do everything and encompasses His servants.
Also, He may hold back him from the factors of disobedience and misguidance as a favor from Him for His servant, and this is what we call tawfiq (Allah's blessing on someone for doing good actions).
These are some beliefs of the Imamis about the existence and the oneness of Allah, the attributes of Allah, prophethood, the Imamate, the hereafter, and the actions of men.
We have briefly mentioned the beliefs of the Imamis. But they have been explained in detail in the books of theology and beliefs.
Today, the Imamis constitute the great majority of the Shi'a all over the Islamic countries. Since the first day of the beginning of writing, their books about all sciences have been spread among nations. The urban, the Bedouin, the ignorant, and the scholar read their books.
At the present time, their is no obvious well known sect except that were during the time of al- Sadiq, peace on him, so we have neglected those sects that took place after him, peace on him, such as the Fatahiya, the Nawusiya, and the Waqifiya.