means "followers", "members of party". These refer to followers of Ali, son-in-law of Muhammad. They accept the 4th Caliph Ali, but not the first three because they believed the line of succession from Muhammad should have been through the son-in-law of Muhammad, Ali, husband of Fatima. They wanted Ali's two sons Hasan and Husain to succeed the caliphate, but Hasan renounced his claim and Husain was killed at the Battle of Kerbala in AD680. This martyrdom is important to the Shi'ites and is re-enacted annually. It means that the Shi'ites have some idea of redemptive suffering.

Rival imams led the Shi'ite community until the 12th, who disappeared in 874AD. It is believed that he and his successors have been in hiding ever since, waiting until the time of restoration. They have their own secret books of the interpretation of the Qur'an. Found mostly in Iran, Iraq and Lebanon. Also, there are variant readings of the Qur'an from the Uthmanic text used by the Sunnis.

• The Imams possess all the knowledge granted to angels, prophets and messengers (page 255)
• The Imams have knowledge of whatever accurred in the past and whatever will happen in the future, and nothing is concealed from them (page 260)
• No one compiled the Qur'an completely except the Imams, and they encompass all of its knowledge (page 228) (From Al-Kafi)
• "Certainly, the Imam commands a noble station and lofty position; a creative vicegerency to whose rule and power submit the very atoms of all creation!" (Khumaini, in his book, The Islamic Government page 52-53)

One Sunni Muslim, said on the soc.religion.islam newsgroup that ‘Shi'as believe that the Qur'an muslims have now is only part of the entire "divine Qur'an" and the rest will be brought by "Iman Mahdi".’ (Syed Yusuf, Feb 15 1996), which is denied by others.

Further reading:

• Relation of Shi'a Theology to the Qur'an

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