Imamah (Shia doctrine)

Ithna Ashariya
According to the majority of Shi'a, or the Twelvers, the following is a listing of the rightful successors of Muhammad. Each Imam was the son of the previous Imam, except for Husayn who was the brother of Hasan, and a son of the first Imam, Ali.


 * 1) Ali ibn Abu Talib (600 - 661)
 * 2) Hasan ibn Ali (625 - 669)
 * 3) Husayn ibn Ali (626 - 680)
 * 4) Ali ibn Husayn (658 - 713), also known as Zainul Abideen
 * 5) Muhammad al-Baqir (676 - 743)
 * 6) Jafar as-Sadiq (703 - 765)
 * 7) Musa al-Kazim (745 - 799)
 * 8) Ali ar-Rida (765 - 818)
 * 9) Muhammad at-Taqi (810 - 835)
 * 10) Ali al-Hadi (827 - 868)
 * 11) Hasan al-Askari (846 - 874)
 * 12) Muhammad al-Mahdi (868 - Present)