The Imàms the Leaders of the Faithful.
فاني پارکس
He died at the age of sixty-three, and a most interesting account of his last illness and death has been given by his favourite wife Aa’yeshah, the daughter of his friend Abubekr: this lady was the first veiled female; and by her he had two sons, Ishmael and Ibrahim. He was interred at Medina. The prophet had eighteen wives, one of whom was Hafna, the daughter of his friend and companion Omer.
Fátímah, the daughter of Muhammad and Khudaijah Koobia, married Ali, the nephew of the prophet and the son of his uncle Abutalib.
Fátímah and Ali were the parents of Hussun and Hussein, the first martyrs, from whom the Syuds descend.
Hussun married Ashea, by whom he had a son Kasim, who married Sakeena Koobraah, the daughter of his brother Hussein.
Hussein had another child, a son, who was saved at the battle of Kraabaallah; Abbas was the brother of Hussun and Hussein.
Muhammad was succeeded in the regal and sacerdotal office by his friend and convert Abubekr; who, after a reign of two years, was followed by Omer: the latter, after an interval of twelve years, was succeeded by Othman, the secretary of Muhammad, and twenty-four years after the death of the Prophet, Ali became the Imām.
After the death of Muhammad, his followers divided into two great factions; the one acknowledged Abubekr, the father-in-law of the prophet, as his successor, and were denominated Soonees; the other adhered to Ali, the son-in-law of Muhammad, and were known by the title of the Sheas, who look up to the Imāms as the leaders of the faithful. The Caliphas are the leaders of the Soonees, who slew Imām Ali, and the descendants of the prophet: in Hindostan the Soonees are as ten to one Shea; in Arabia Proper Sheas are not tolerated.