Father: Abu Talib bin Abdul Muttalib bin Hashim.

Mother: Fatima binte Asad bin Hashim bin Abd Munaf.

Kunniyat (Patronymic) : Abul Hasan and Husain, Abu Turab.

Laqab (Title): Al-Wasi, Amirul Momineen.

Birth: He was born in the Kaaba¹, in thirty Aamul Feel (the year of the elephant).

Martyrdom: He was martyred by the Khwariji named Abdur Rahman Ibne Muljim at Kufa during the month of Ramadhan in the fortieth year of Hijrah and was buried at Najaf on the outskirts of Kufa.

Mother: Fatima az-Zahra (s.a.), the daughter of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.)

Kunniyat (Patronymic) : Abu Muhammad.

Laqab (Title): Al Sibte Kabir (the elder grandson), Al-Mujtaba.

Birth: He was born in Madina in the middle of the month of Ramadhan in 3 A.H.

Martyrdom: He died on the 28th of Safar in the year 50 .A.H. He was buried in the graveyard of Baqi in Madina.

Mother: Fatima az-Zahra (s.a.) the daughter of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.)

Kunniyat (Patronymic) : Abu Abdillah

Laqab (Title): Al Sibt, Shaheed-e-Karbala.

Birth: He was born at Madina in the month of Shaban in the year 4 A.H.

Martyrdom: He was martyred with his companions by the army of Yazid in the month of Mohurrum 61 A.H. His tomb is in Karbala, a town of Iraq.²

Mother: Ghazala, Shahzanaan.

Kunniyat (Patronymic) : Abul Hasan.

Laqab (Title) : Zainul Aabedeen, Al Sajjad.

Birth: He was born in 38 A.H. at Madina.

Martyrdom: He died of poison in the year 94 or 95 A.H. at Madina and is buried at Baqi near his uncle Hasan (a.s.).³

Mother: Umme Abdullah, the daughter of Imam Hasan (a.s.).

Kunniyat (Patronymic) : Abu Jafar.

Laqab (Title) : Al Baqir.

Birth: He was born at Madina in the year 57 A.H.

Martyrdom: He died of poisoning in Madina in 11 A.H. and is also buried at Baqi near his father.⁴

Mother: Umme Farwa, the daughter of Qasim bin Muhammad bin Abu Bakr.

Kunniyat (Patronymic) : Abu Abdillah.

Laqab (Title) : As-Sadiq.

Birth: He was born at Madina in 83 A.H.

Martyrdom: He died of poison in 148 A.H. and is buried at Baqi near his father.⁵

Mother: Hamidah.

Kunniyat (Patronymic) : Abul Hasan.

Laqab (Title) : Al Kazim.

Birth: He was born at Madina in the year 129 A.H.

Martyrdom: He was poisoned in the prison of Haroon al-Rashid at Baghdad in the year 183 A.H. He is buried at Kazimiyyah in Iraq.⁶

Mother: Al Khaizraan.

Kunniyat (Patronymic) : Abul Hasan.

Laqab (Title) : Ar-Reza.

Birth: He was born at Madina in 148 A.H.

Martyrdom: He was poisoned in the year 203 A.H. and is buried in the Khorasaan district of Iran.⁷

Mother: Sakina.

Kunniyat (Patronymic) : Abu Abdillah.

Laqab (Title) : Al Jawad.

Birth: He was born at Madina in 195 A.H.

Martyrdom: He died of poison at Baghdad in the year 220 A.H. and is buried near his grandfather at Kazimmiyah in Iraq.⁸

Mother: Samana al-Maghribiya.

Kunniyat (Patronymic) : Abul Hasan al Askari.

Laqab (Title) : Al Hadi.

Birth: He was born at Madina in the year 212 A.H.

Martyrdom: He died of poison in 254 A.H. at Samarrah (Sarmanra) in Iraq is and buried there.⁹

Mother: Ummul Walad - Susan.

Kunniyat (Patronymic) : Abu Muhammad.

Laqab (Title) : Al Askari.

Birth: He was born at Samarrah in the year 232 A.H.

Martyrdom: He was poisoned in 260 A.H. at Samarrah and is buried there.¹⁰

All the tombs of the eleven Imams (a.s.) are a place of Ziarat (visitation) by Muslims. Four of the Imams are buried at Baqi in Madina al-Munawwara. However, their tombs were demolished by the authorities along with the tombs of the wives of the Prophet (s.a.) and his companions.

Mother: Ummul Walad Narjis alias Saiqal.

Kunniyat (Patronymic) : Abu Abdullah, Abul Qasim.

Laqab (Title) : Al-Qaim, Al-Muntazar, Al-Khalaf, Al-Mahdi, Sahibuzzamaan.

Birth: He was born at Samarrah in the year 255 A.H. He is the last Imam (a.s.) and he is alive and is hidden.¹¹

One of the points in the traditions mentioned above is that each of the twelve will be from Quraish. After them there will be chaos. Another point is that the religion will remain established till the twelve Caliphs of Quraish are present. When they die, the earth will swallow its inhabitants.

The above two points thus prove that after the twelve Caliphs of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) the earth will be destroyed.

Therefore it is necessary that one of these twelve successors should have such a long life that it should surpass the age of this earth.

This is exactly how it happened. The Twelfth successor of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) was bestowed with a long life. He is Al-Mahdi Muhammad Ibne Hasan Al-Askari (a.s.).

The traditions discussed in this treatise prove the Imamat of these Twelve Noble Personalities. Not anyone else.