المعنى الاصطلاحي

A Shiite denomination that believes in the Imamate of twelve descendants of the Prophet, may Allah"s peace and blessings be upon him.

الشرح المختصر

"Al-ithnā ‘Ashriyyah" (Twelvers) is a Shiite sect that is named thus because they believe in and speak of twelve Imams from the Prophet"s, may Allah"s peace and blessings be upon him, family. The first Imam is ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib, may Allah be pleased with him, and the last Imam is Muhammad ibn al-Hassan al-‘Askari, who allegedly is in occultation. Twelvers claim that Al-‘Askari entered an underground chamber in Samurra in Iraq in the mid-third century AH and that he remains alive there until today, so they await his emergence. Twelvers are also known as Rāfidis, Ja‘faris and Imamis. They branch out into multiple sub-sects, including Shaykhis, Kashfis, Bābis, and others. Twelver Rāfidis have beliefs and principles that contradict Sunni Islam, such as: 1. The Qur’an is distorted. 2. Considering the Prophet"s Companions disbelievers, insulting, and hating them all except a few. Also disowning the three first caliphs: Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthmān; describing them with the most detestable attributes, that is because they claim that they seized the caliphate from Ali, while he was most deserving to it. 3. The twelve Imams are infallible, and immune from forgetfulness, and sins; and they know the unseen. 4. Venerating graves and shrines, and supplicating the deceased. 5. Believing in dissimulation ("taqiyya"), considering it a principle fo the religion, and whoever abandons it as if he abandoned the prayer. 6. Believing that temporary marriage (Mut‘ah) is the best of customs and acts of worship.

التعريف

A shia sect which believes that twelve of the descendants of the prophet’s household are infallible Imams who are favoured with a number of qualities (such as the Imam status, infallibility, access to divine knowledge, absence, miracles, return to life). Every Imam nominates his successor. The last of the twelve remains in the tunnel at Samerra in Iraq. They are called the Imamat Shia, or al-Shia al-Imāmiyyah, because the issue of the Imam is their most important question. Their beliefs include dissimulation (i.e. taqiyyah), temporary marriage, dissociation with Abu Bakr, ꜤUmar and ꜤUthmān. They give ꜤAlī a status similar to that which Christians give to Jesus.