The Islamic community is divided into two main branches: Shiism and Sunniism. 

One of the significant differences between these groups lies in the concept of “Imamate”. Imamate is a religious doctrine embraced by Shiite Muslims, which asserts that after the holy Prophet (PBUH & HP), Allah almighty did not leave his servants without guidance. According to Shiite belief, the holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) designated successors who would guide the people, interpret the verses of the Quran and propagate the teachings of Islam. The number of these successors are 12 and they all are the descendants of the Messenger (PBUH & HP). The hadiths of the Prophet (PBUH & HP), accepted by all Muslims for their authenticity, confirm the existence of these successors.

Twelve successors 

According to a hadith narrated by Sunni recorders the Prophet (PBUH & HP) stated:

Indeed, this religion will not end until twelve successors [of me] rise among the people. 

The narrator says that after that, the Prophet said something that he didn’t hear so he asked his father what did the Messenger say and his father replied: “the Prophet said that they all are from Quraysh, the tribe of the Prophet. (1)

The holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) also said:

Indeed, I leave you two kinds of successor: one is the Book of Allah (The Quran) and the other one is my household. And indeed, they do not depart from each other until they meet me near the Kother pool [on the Judgement Day]. (2)

These reliable hadiths clearly show that the successors of the Prophet (PBUH & HP) are twelve men from his family.

The names of the twelve Imams on a tablet

There is a hadith narrated by the Shiite hadith recorders that mentions the names of all these successors. This hadith provides valuable insights into the Shiite Imams. 

Imam Sadiq (AS), the sixth Shiite Imam, narrates that his father, Imam Baqir (AS), once asked Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari (one of the Prophet’s most important companions) to recount the story of the tablet he had seen in the hands of Lady Fatimah (AS), the beloved daughter of the Messenger, and tell him about the things that was written on that tablet. 

Jabir said “I swear to Allah, once during the Prophet’s lifetime, I visited the house of lady Fatimah (AS) to congratulate her on the birth of her son, Hussain (AS). Then I saw a green tablet on her hands, which I assumed to be made of emerald and it had white text resembling the light of the sun. So, I asked her what it was and she replied, ‘This is a tablet that Allah has bestowed upon my father, containing the names of my father, my husband, my sons and the successors of my father who are my descendants. The Messenger gave it to me to cheer me up.’” 

Jabir further added, “Your mother gave it to me, and I read it and copied it on another tablet.” Imam Baqir (AS) then asked “Can you show me your copy?” and Jabir replied “Yes.” 

The text was as follows:

In the name of Allah, the most Compassionate, the most Merciful.

This is a writing from Allah, the Almighty, the Wise, to Muhammad (PBUH & HP), His Prophet, His Light, His Messenger, His Mediator and the Guide to Him. The Trustable Spirit [Gabriel] has brought it from the Lord of the people. 

O Muhammad! Respect my names and be thankful of my gifts and do not deny my favors. Indeed I am Allah and there’s no deity but me. I am the annihilator of the oppressors and the helper of the oppressed and I am the Judge of the Judgement Day. So I punish the ones who desire the kindness of the others or dread the justice of others with a punishment I punish no one alike. Then worship only me and trust only on me. 

Indeed, I sent no Prophet whose time came to end except that I chose someone as their successor and I made you better than all the prophets and made your successor better than all the successors. And kindly gave you your two grandsons: Hassan (AS) and Hussain (AS). 

Then I chose Hassan as the repository of my knowledge after his father [Imam Ali (AS)] and I chose Hussain as the source of my revelations and made him a great one by giving him martyrdom and I made his destiny with salvation then he is the noblest martyr and the highest-ranked among all martyrs… 

Afterward, Allah almighty proceeds to mention all the successors of the Prophet (PBUH & HP) in this lengthy text as follows:

Ali (AS) the son of Imam Huassain (AS), also known as Sajjad, Muhammad al-Baqir, Jafar as-Sadiq, Musa al-Kazim, Ali ar-Ridha, Muhammad al-Javad, Ali al-Hadi, Hassan al-Askari. And the last of them is Imam Mahdi (AS), the savor of all Muslims. (3) He is still alive and will appear again in the future alongside Jesus, establishing justice on Earth full after it has been plagued by tyranny and oppression. (4)

All Shias believe that these twelve men are the successors of the Prophet and after the Prophet (PBUH & HP) they all came and taught people the teachings of Islam but the last of them is now alive and unknown by people. All Muslims, whether Shiite or Sunni, share the belief that Imam Mahdi (AS) will eventually emerge as the ruler of all the entire Earth, bringing justice to prevail. The Holy Quran says:

Certainly, We wrote in the Psalms, after the Torah: ‘Indeed My righteous servants shall inherit the earth.’ (21:105)

Resources 

1. Sahih al-Muslim, Muslim an-Neishaburi, vol.3, pg.1452
2. Musnad Ahamd, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, vol.35, pg.512
3.  Al-Kafi, Sheikh Koleini, vol.1, pg.528
4.  Al-Kafi, Sheikh Koleini, vol.1, pg.338
    

How high is the power of his religion that even 1400 years after his death, some people try to tarnish his personality? The religion of Islam brought and spread by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) is gaining more and more followers and lovers. This vast amount of conversion to Islam has negative consequences for the materialist and capitalist rulers in the world. By following Islam, people learn to stand for their rights and oppose the tyranny of oppressors. The rules of Islam question the rules made by the oppressor rulers in different societies. 

Therefore, the increase in the number of people who embrace Islam and the Islamic lifestyle frightens those tyrant rulers, and they make plans to decay the status of Islam in different ways. One of the plans that they have been applying throughout the past decades was to introduce a violent personality of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP). In this text, we will study the conduct of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) and the representation of his manners and behaviors in the Quran to review his kind and merciful character better. 

Characteristics of a Preacher as Described by Allah Almighty

Sending messengers by Allah Almighty to people implies His deep care for them and His will to guide them toward prosperity. But His messengers were supposed to follow specific rulings in their invitation of people toward Him. Being kind and merciful to people is one of the characteristics that Allah Almighty ordered His messengers to observe. 

When Allah was sending Prophet Moses and Aaron (PBUT) to Pharaoh, who claimed to be Allah, He told them that if they want their words to be heard, they should speak to him in a lenient manner: “Both of you go to Pharaoh, for he has indeed rebelled. Speak to him in a soft manner; maybe he will take admonition or fear.’” (20: 43-44)

Prophets were commanded to be patient with their people and never become angry at them. The only prophet mentioned in the Quran who became disappointed of his people and left them was Prophet Yunus (AS), who was punished by Allah for his impatience and disappointment: “And [remember] the Man of the Fish, when he left in a rage, thinking that We would not put him to hardship. Then he cried out in the darkness, ‘There is no god except You! You are immaculate! I have indeed been among the wrongdoers!’” (21: 87)

Therefore, when Allah Almighty’s criterion in choosing His messengers is mercifulness and kindness, how can He keep a violent prophet among His servants?

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) as Described in the Quran

Like any other prophets, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) had the characteristics of a chosen prophet. He was kind and merciful by the Mercy of his Lord as mentioned in the Quran: “It is by Allah’s mercy that you are gentle to them; had you been harsh and hardhearted, they would have surely scattered from around you...” (3: 159)

But the kindness and mercy of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) throughout his call toward Allah (SWT) come to a point where Allah Almighty tells him to be easier oh himself: “You are liable to imperil your life [out of distress] that they will not have faith.” (26: 3)

When Allah Almighty sees the unfriendly behavior of people toward Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP), He starts to point out and count Prophet’s kindly manners to people: “There has certainly come to you an apostle from among yourselves. Grievous to him is your distress; he has a deep concern for you and is most kind and merciful to the faithful.” (9:128)

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) was not only merciful to the people in Arabia, but he was sent to be a caring for all human beings in all times: “We did not send you but as a mercy to all the nations.” (21: 107)

All presentations of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) in the Quran are about his great kindness and his caring personality. Allah describes his manner and behavior as being the perfect example for humankind: “and indeed, you possess a great character.” (68: 4)

Was Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) Kind to His Enemies? 

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) was so kind to people that even if they harmed him, he did not reply to them violently. It is narrated from Ibn Mas’oud, who said: I saw people hit the prophet and made his face full of blood, but while he was rubbing the blood off his face, he prayed, “O Lord! Please forgive my people as they are ignorant.” [1] In the early years of his prophethood, people kept harming the Prophet (PBUH&HP), but instead of cursing them, the Prophet (PBUH&HP) kept praying for their guidance.

The Prophet (PBUH&HP) never violated the heads of Quraish for their aggravation and torture and kept asking Allah Almighty to forgive them, until Allah Almighty by His knowledge of their persistence in remaining infidels sent him the following verse: “It is the same for them whether you plead for forgiveness for them, or do not plead for forgiveness for them: Allah will never forgive them. Indeed Allah does not guide the transgressing lot.” (63: 6)

 Allah Almighty then described the characteristics of Muslims in a way that at the same time that they should not oppress anyone, they shouldn’t undergo any oppression, and defined the real Muslim society with the following manners: 
“Muhammad, the Apostle of Allah, and those who are with him are hard against the faithless and merciful amongst themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in worship], seeking Allah’s grace, and [His] pleasure...” (48: 20) 

Like any other human being, despite his great and kind personality, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) had to react in different manners with different people. Therefore, if he had any serious encounter with people, it was not because of his violent attitude, but because of the correct reaction that any sane and smart man should have in facing different people. 

References:

1. Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 9, P. 20.