Imamat (Divine Leadership)

Imamat (Arabic: إمامة) is the Shia Islamic doctrine of divine leadership after the Prophet Muhammad's passing. According to Shia theology, Allah and the Prophet appointed twelve Imams from Ahl al-Bayt (the Prophet's household) to lead the Muslim community in religious and worldly matters.

The twelve Imams are: (1) Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, (2) Imam Hasan ibn Ali, (3) Imam Husayn ibn Ali, (4) Imam Ali Zayn al-Abidin, (5) Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, (6) Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, (7) Imam Musa al-Kadhim, (8) Imam Ali al-Ridha, (9) Imam Muhammad al-Jawad, (10) Imam Ali al-Hadi, (11) Imam Hasan al-Askari, and (12) Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi (may Allah hasten his appearance).

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: "The Imams after me are twelve — the first is Ali ibn Abi Talib and the last is al-Mahdi" (Al-Kafi by Shaykh al-Kulayni, vol. 1, Kitab al-Hujjah). A similar hadith about twelve successors is also found in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, showing that this prophecy is widely acknowledged.

Imamat has a direct connection to prayer. The Imams are the supreme interpreters of the rules of prayer, and Shia fiqh is based on their narrations. Each Imam contributed to the preservation and deepening of prayer practice: Imam Sajjad left Sahifa al-Sajjadiyyah, Imam al-Baqir and Imam al-Sadiq codified the fiqh rules for prayer, and Imam al-Ridha clarified many theological questions about worship. For Shia Muslims, the Imams are the divine guidance that ensures prayer and all aspects of Islam are preserved in their authentic form.