Shia traditional reports on the topic that Imams are twelve in number

Reports narrated through Shia sources on this topic are so numerous that they cannot be computed; we mentioned only some of them here:

I heard Abdullah bin Ja’far Tayyar [husband of Zainab] say: We were in the company of Muawiyah: I, Hasan, Husain, Abdullah bin Abbas, Umar bin Umme Salma and Usamah bin Zaid when an argument arose between us; I said to him: I heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say: “I have more authority on the believers than they have on themselves. After me, my brother Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s) has more authority on the believers than themselves. When Ali (a.s) is martyred, Hasan Ibn Ali (a.s) will have more authority on the believers than themselves, followed by my son Husain (a.s), who will have more authority on the believers than themselves. When Husain (a.s) is martyred, his son, Ali Ibn Husain (a.s) will have more authority on the believers than themselves. O Ali! Soon you will meet him. Then his son Muhammad Ibn Ali will have more authority on the believers than themselves. Thereafter, the Messenger of Allah (s) completed the list of twelve Imams, nine of whom will be from the descendants of Husain (a.s).” Abdullah Ibn Ja’far continues, ‘I sought testimony from Hasan, Husain, Abdullah Ibn Abbas, Umar Ibn Umm Salma and Usamah Ibn Zaid and they all verified my statement before Muawiyah.’ Sulaym bin Qays says, ‘And indeed I heard the same from Salman, Abu Zar and Miqdad and they in turn heard it from the Messenger of Allah (s).

“O Ali! I, you and eleven of my descendants are the buttons of the earth, its pegs and its mountains. Due to us Allah has prevented the earth from swallowing its inhabitants. When the twelfth of my descendants will pass away, the earth will swallow all its inhabitants and they will not be given respite.”

‘I came to Fatima (a.s) and a tablet was placed before her with names of the successors from her progeny. I counted upto twelve, one of them was Al-Qaim (a.s), three were named Muhammad and three were named Ali (peace be on them all).’

“After Husain (a.s), there will be nine Imams. The ninth of them is their Qaim.”

“Surely Allah sent Muhammad (s) to the Jinn and the humans and He has appointed twelve successors after him. Some have passed, while others are yet to come. The practice continues through each successor. The successors of Muhammad (s) are on the practice of the successors of Isa (a.s) and they are twelve in number. Amirul Momineen (a.s) was on the practice of Masih (a.s).”

Narrated to me a group of scholars from Abu Muhammad Talakbari from Abil Husain Muhammad bin Ja’far Asadi from Sahal bin Ziyad Adami from Hasan bin Abbas bin Harish Razi from Imam Jawad (a.s) that Amirul Momineen (a.s) said to Ibn Abbas: “Surely, the night of power (Lailatul Qadr) occurs every year. In this night, the affairs of that year descend. For this affair, there are masters after the Messenger of Allah (s).” Ibn Abbas inquired, ‘Who are they?’ He (a.s) replied, “I and eleven Imams from my progeny, with whom the angels converse (Muhhaddithun).”

“Surely Allah chose the prophets from the people and chose the messengers from the prophets and chose me from the messengers and chose Ali (a.s) from me. He granted him (Ali) superiority over all the successors. From Ali (a.s) He chose Hasan (a.s) and Husain (a.s) and from Husain (a.s), He chose the successors from his descendants. The ninth of them is their Qaim (a.t.f.s.) and he is their apparent and their concealed.”

My father, Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s) said to Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari: ‘I have some work with you. So, when would it be possible for you to give me some time so that I may ask you something?’ Jabir replied, ‘Whenever you wish.’ Thus, when my father (a.s) met him in privacy, he (a.s) asked, “O Jabir! Tell me about the Tablet, which you saw with my mother, Fatima, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (s) and what did she tell you as to what was written in it?” Jabir replied, ‘I hold Allah as witness that I went to visit your mother, Fatima (a.s) during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (s) to congratulate her for Husain’s birth. I saw in her hand a green Tablet, which I thought to be of emerald and its writing was as bright as sunlight. I asked her, ‘May my parents be sacrificed for you, O daughter of Allah’s Messenger (s)! What is this Tablet?’ She (s) replied, “This is the Tablet, which Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, has gifted to the Messenger of Allah (s). In it is the name of my father, the name of Ali, the name of my two sons and the names of the successors from my progeny. In turn, my father gave it to me so that I may rejoice through it.” Jabir said, ‘Thus, your mother Fatima (a.s) gave it to me. I read it and copied it.’ My father (a.s) asked, “O Jabir! Can you show it (the copied manuscript) to me?” He replied in the affirmative. My father (a.s) accompanied Jabir to his house, where he took out a book from a parchment and giving it to my father said, ‘I hold Allah as witness that this is what I saw written in the Tablet: [Text of the Tablet of Fatima (Lauh Fatima)] In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful This is a Book from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise to Muhammad, His light, His ambassador, His veil and His proof. The trustworthy spirit (Jibraeel) has descended with it from the Lord of the worlds. O Muhammad! Magnify my names, be grateful for My bounties and do not deny My endowments. Verily I am Allah; there is no god, but Me, the Destroyer of the oppressors, the Degrader of the tyrants and the Establisher of the Day of Judgment. Verily I am Allah, there is no god, but Me. Whoever expects grace from other than Me or fears other than My justice and My punishment, I will punish him in such a way that I will not punish anybody in this manner in the worlds. Hence, worship only Me and rely only on Me. Indeed, I did not raise a messenger, completed his days and terminated his duration, but that I appointed for him a successor. Certainly, I made you superior over all other Prophets and made your successor superior over all other successors. After him, I honored you with your two grandsons: Hasan and Husain. I made Hasan the mine of My knowledge after the end of the days of his father and I made Husain the treasure-chest of My revelation, honored him with martyrdom and sealed it for him with eternal bliss. So, he is the best of the martyrs and the highest of them in grade before Me. I have placed My perfect word with him and the complete proof near him. Through his progeny, I shall reward and I shall punish. The first of them is the chief of the worshippers and the adornment of My past friends, then his son (Muhammad), who resembles his grandfather al-Mahmud , the splitter of My knowledge and the mine of My wisdom. Soon, those who doubt concerning his son, Ja’far will be destroyed. He who rejects him has rejected Me. I speak the truth, I will indeed honor the position of Ja’far and make him happy vis-à-vis his Shias, his helpers and his friends. After him, I have selected Musa and there will be a blinding, dark corruption so that the spark of My obedience is not terminated, My proof is not hidden and My friends are not afflicted with misfortune. Beware! Whoever denies even one of them, he has denied My bounty. Whoever changes one verse from My Book, then indeed he has attributed a lie unto Me. Then woe unto the liars, the deniers with the termination of the duration of My servant, My beloved and My chosen one, Musa. Verily, the one who denies the eighth is as if he has denied all My friends (Imams). Ali is My friend, My helper and the one, upon whom I have placed Prophethood’s burden of proof and conferred upon him mastership. An arrogant devil will murder him. He will be buried in a city, which the righteous servant has built, next to the worst of My creatures. I speak the truth; I will soothe his eyes with Muhammad, his son and his successor after him. He is the heir of My knowledge, the mine of My wisdom, the place of My joy and My proof upon My creatures. None shall believe in him, but that Paradise will be his abode and I will allow him to intercede for seventy of his family members, even if all of them are eligible for Hell. I will complete his bliss with his son Ali, My friend, My helper, My witness amongst My creatures and My trustee upon My revelation. From him, I will bring forth Hasan, the caller to My path and the treasurer of My knowledge. Thereafter, I will complete this (chain of Imamate) with his son, M-H-M-D, mercy for the worlds. He will possess the perfection of Musa, the brightness of Isa and the patience of Ayyub. Soon, My friends will be humiliated in his time and their heads will be gifted as trophies like the heads of Turks and Daylamites. They will be killed, they will be burnt, they will live in a state of fear, terror and trepidation. The earth will be colored with their blood and wailing and sobbing will be commonplace among their womenfolk. They are My true friends! Through them, I will repel all blinding and dark mischief, remove the earthquakes and do away with the burdens and the chains. They are those upon them is the blessing of their Lord and mercy. And they are the guided ones. Abdur Rahman bin Saalim said: Abu Basir says, ‘If you do not hear in your time anything, but this tradition, it will suffice for you. Hence, conceal it, except from those who are worthy of it.’

The Messenger of Allah (s) said on the eve of his departure from the world: “O Abul Hasan, bring a scroll and pen and ink.” Then he dictated his will, till he came to the words: “O Ali, very soon after me there will be twelve Imams and after them there would be twelve Mahdis. And you are the first of the twelve Imams. The Almighty Allah has named you as Ali Murtadha, chief of believers, the great truthful one (who testified to the Prophet), the great discriminator (and through you truth would be distinguished from falsehood) and named you as Mamun and Mahdi, these names are not appropriate for anyone else other than you.” “O Ali, you are my successor and in charge of my Ahle Bayt (a.s), whether I am alive or dead. In the same way, you will be my successor on my wives, thus ones you leave in my marriage contract would meet me tomorrow on Judgment Day and I am aloof from one you divorce; and on Judgment Day neither would she see me nor would I see her. After me you are the successor and Caliph on my Ummah. When your death approaches, you will transfer my successorship and legateeship to my son, Hasan, the righteous and rightful. When his death comes, he would entrust it to my son, Husain, the pure and the martyr and when his death comes, he would hand it over to the chief of the worshippers and the owner of corns (Ali) and when his end comes, he would transfer it to his son, Muhammad Baqir and when his last moments approach, he would entrust it to his son, Ja’far Sadiq and when his death comes, he would leave it to his son, Musa Kadhim and when his death comes, he would leave it to his son, Ali (Ridha) and when his end comes, he would give it to his son, Muhammad, the trustworthy (Taqi) and when his death arrives, he would present it to his son, Ali (Nasih). And when his death comes, he would transfer it to his son, Hasan (Fazil) and when his death arrives, he would leave it to his son (Muhammad), who is the protector of the Shariah of Muhammad. These were the twelve Imams and after them there will be twelve Mahdis. When the last moments of the twelfth Imam will approach, he will hand it over to his son, who is the foremost proximate; and he has three names: My name, name of my father: Abdullah and Ahmad; and third will be Mahdi and he will be the first of the believers.”

I heard Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s) say: Twelve Imams from Aale Muhammad (a.s) were all Muhaddath and they were from the descendants of the Messenger of Allah (s) and Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s). Thus the Messenger of Allah (s) and Imam Ali (a.s) are their fathers.

I was present when Abu Bakr died and Umar succeeded him. A Jew from Medina, who was a leader of Jews and whom the Jews considered to be the most knowledgeable person of the time, came to Umar and said: O Umar, I want to embrace Islam at your hands. If you can answer my questions, I would know that you are the most knowledgeable follower of this Book and Sunnah. Umar said: “I am not having this capability, but I will show you one who is the most knowledgeable about our Book and Prophet’s Sunnah and you can ask all you want from him and it is him.” And he pointed to Imam Ali (a.s)” The Jew said: O Umar, if it is as such as you say, what right do you have that people should pay allegiance to you while that person is most knowledgeable of you all? Umar told him to shut up and warned him. After that the Jew arose and came to Ali (a.s) and asked: “Are you like Umar has told?” Imam Ali (a.s) asked: what did Umar say? The Jew explained the situation to him and said: I will ask you some questions and I want to know whether anyone has asked you about them; and whether you are true in your claim that you are the best and the most knowledgeable of nation, so that I may also enter the fold of Islam. Imam Ali (a.s) said: Yes, I am as Umar has told you. Ask me whatever you like and I will answer, if Allah wills. The Jew said: I will ask you about three, three and one thing. Imam Ali (a.s) said: Why don’t you say: I’ll ask you about seven things? The Jew said: No, first I will ask you about three and if you give the right answers, I will ask you about another three and if you give the right answers, I will ask you the last one. If you fail to answer the first three, I will keep quiet and not ask you anything else. Imam Ali (a.s) said: Ask whatever you like. The Jew said: Which was the first stone to be placed on the earth, the first tree that has grew on the earth and the first fountain that flowed on the earth? Amirul Momineen (a.s) replied to all three questions. Then the Jew asked: How many Imams of guidance are there in this nation? In what position Muhammad would be in Paradise? Who would be with Muhammad in Paradise? Imam Ali (a.s) said: This nation has twelve guiding Imams from the progeny of the Prophet of this nation and they are from my descendants. The position of Muhammad (s) is in the best and the most honored location of the Garden of Eden. As for those from this nation, who would be in the company of the Messenger of Allah (s) are the same twelve from his progeny and their mother and their grandmother – mother of their mother and their progeny – no one else will share this.

Amirul Momineen (a.s) entered Masjidul Haraam accompanied by Imam Hasan (a.s) and leaning on Salman; and he sat down (in the Masjid). A man with an elegant appearance and dress nicely entered and saluted Amirul Momineen (a.s). His Eminence returned his salutations. He said, “O Amirul Momineen (a.s), I wish to ask you about three things. If you give me correct replies, I would know that those who claimed caliphate before you were false and that their world and hereafter are not safe. If you do not reply correctly, I will know that your path is the same as those who preceded you. Amirul Momineen (a.s) said: “Ask me whatever you like”. He asked: “When a person sleeps, where does his soul go? How does man remember one thing and forgets the other? Whom does a child resemble more, the paternal uncles or the maternal.” His Eminence told Imam Hasan (a.s): O Abu Muhammad, reply to him. And Imam Hasan (a.s) replied to him. The man said, “I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and I have always borne witness thus. And I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and I have always testified to it. And I bear witness that you are the legatee of the Messenger (s), and one who establishes his proof and evidence (pointing towards Amirul Momineen (a.s) he said, “I have always testified this.” Then gesturing to Imam Hasan (a.s), he said, “I bear witness that you are the legatee of Amirul Momineen (a.s) and one who shall establish his proof and evidence. That is you and the one who proves the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (s). And I bear witness that Husain bin Ali (a.s) is the legatee of his brother and he is the one to establish the proof after him. And I bear witness that Ali bin Husain (a.s) is the Imam after Husain (a.s). And I bear witness that Muhammad bin Ali (a.s) is the Imam after Ali bin Husain (a.s). And I bear witness that Ja’far bin Muhammad (a.s) is the Imam after Muhammad bin Ali (a.s). And I bear witness that Musa bin Ja’far (a.s) is the Imam after Ja’far bin Muhammad (a.s). And I bear witness that Ali bin Musa (a.s) is the Imam after Musa bin Ja’far (a.s). And I bear witness that Muhammad bin Ali (a.s) is the Imam after Ali bin Musa (a.s). And I bear witness that Ali bin Muhammad (a.s) is the Imam after Muhammad bin Ali (a.s). And I bear witness that Hasan Ibn Ali (a.s) is the Imam after Ali bin Muhammad (a.s). After that I bear witness that that person is the Divine Proof, who is the son of Hasan bin Ali , whose name and patronymic (Kunniyat) will not be revealed till the time he fills the earth with justice and equity, like it would have been fraught with injustice and oppression. And peace be on you, O Amirul Momineen (a.s)!” After that he arose and departed from there. His Eminence told Imam Hasan (a.s), “O Aba Muhammad, go and see where he goes.” Imam Hasan (a.s) went out and returned after a moment and said, “He placed one foot outside the Masjid and after that I don’t know where he disappeared.” Amirul Momineen (a.s) said, “O Aba Muhammad, do you know who it was?” Imam Hasan (a.s) replied “Allah, His Messenger and Amirul Momineen (a.s) know better.” Ali (a.s) said, “He was Khizr.” So far we have only mentioned some reports (on this topic) and if we mentioned all reports narrated through Shia on this subject, this book would definitely become very long. We have only mentioned traditions on this subject accepted by both sects of Shia and Sunni. If anyone wishes to study all the reports on this matter, he may refer to books on this subject. In that case a large number of reports would create certainty.

If it is said: First prove to us the veracity of these narrations, for they are singularly narrated traditions and do not prove a topic for sure. This is a subject that requires certainty. Secondly, prove to us that these narrations intend the Imams you believe in. The traditions you narrated from your opponents, and the majority of them you narrated through your own sources, if we set aside their disputability, they do not mention the Imamate of your Imams, because they include others. How do you say that your Imams are the ones intended by these traditions?

Imams are twelve Imams and that they neither exceed this number, nor are they short of it, our creed is proved, because the Ummah is divided into denominations: we, who believe in this number and believe in the Imamate of our Imams, and others who do not believe in this number and their Imamate. If someone should believe in the number and does not believe in their Imamate, he is treading outside the bounds of consensus (Ijma), and any belief outside the bounds of consensus (Ijma) is definitely void.