Who Are the Ma’sumeen?
The Ma’sumeen (الْمَعْصُومُون — the Infallible/Protected Ones) are the fourteen personalities of the Ahl al-Bayt of Rasulullah (SAW) who hold the highest rank in the Fatimid and Shia Islamic tradition. They are considered infallible (masoom) from sin and error by divine protection — not because they lack free will, but because of the purity that Allah placed in them.
The fourteen are:
- Rasulullah Mohammed (SAW) — the Prophet of Islam
- Syedatona Fatema az-Zahra (AS) — the Prophet’s daughter, the only non-Imam in the fourteen
- The 12 Imams from Imam Ali (AS) to the hidden Imam
These fourteen are collectively invoked in Dua Tawassul and saluted in Ziyarat Ashura and other supplications.
The Fourteen, One by One
1. Mohammed Mustafa (SAW) — The Chosen Prophet
Born: 12th Rabi ul-Awwal, ~570 CE, in Mecca
Died: 12th Rabi ul-Awwal, 11 AH, in Medina (aged ~63)
Title: Rasulullah, Habibullah, Khatam al-Nabiyyin
Buried: Masjid an-Nabawi, Medina
The last of the Prophets and Messengers of Allah, Rasulullah (SAW) was born in the Quraysh tribe of Mecca. He received the first revelation in the Cave of Hira at age 40, declared his prophethood publicly three years later, and spent 23 years conveying the Quran and establishing the deen. He is the khatam al-nabiyyin — the Seal of the Prophets, after whom no Prophet comes.
2. Syedatona Fatema az-Zahra (AS) — The Radiant One
Born: 20th Jumada al-Ukhra, ~5 BH (before Hijra), in Mecca
Died: 3rd Jumada al-Ukhra (most widely held), ~11 AH, in Medina
Title: az-Zahra (the Radiant), al-Batul (the Pure), Sayyida al-Nisa
Buried: Madinah (exact site disputed; likely Jannat al-Baqi)
The beloved daughter of the Prophet (SAW) and Khadija (RA), Syedatona Fatema (AS) is unique among the fourteen in not holding the title of Imam. Yet she is regarded as the highest rank of womanhood in Islam and the mother of the line of Imams. She was married to Imam Ali (AS) and gave birth to Imam Hasan, Imam Husain, and Maulatona Zainab. She died within months of her father’s passing. Her wiladat is celebrated as a day of great joy. The Tasbeeh-e-Fatema — 33 Allahu Akbar, 33 Alhamdulillah, 33 Subhanallah — was taught by the Prophet specifically to her.
3. Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) — The Commander of the Faithful
Born: 13th Rajab, in the Ka’aba, Mecca
Died: 21st Ramadan, 40 AH, Kufa (struck by a poisoned sword on the 19th)
Title: Amir al-Mu’mineen, al-Murtadha, Asadullah
Buried: Najaf, Iraq (Imam Ali Shrine)
Cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet (SAW), Imam Ali (AS) was raised in the Prophet’s household and was the first male to accept Islam. His appointment as successor was declared at Ghadeer-e-Khum on 18 Dhul Hijja, 10 AH. He served as the fourth caliph (35–40 AH) and was the first of the Twelve Imams. Renowned for his unmatched bravery, knowledge, and justice, he is the subject of the Nahj al-Balagha (Peak of Eloquence) — a collection of his sermons, letters, and aphorisms.
4. Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (AS)
Born: 15th Ramadan, 3 AH, Medina
Died: 28th Safar, 50 AH, Medina (poisoned)
Title: al-Mujtaba (the Chosen)
Buried: Jannat al-Baqi, Medina
The elder grandson of the Prophet (SAW) and first son of Imam Ali (AS) and Syedatona Fatema (AS). He briefly served as caliph before entering a peace treaty with Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan to prevent widespread bloodshed among Muslims, accepting conditions of sovereignty that were later violated. He lived in Medina in a state of close watch and was martyred by poison arranged by Muawiya. His martyrdom is commemorated on 28 Safar.
5. Imam Husain ibn Ali (AS) — Sayyid al-Shuhada
Born: 3rd Shaban, 4 AH, Medina
Died: 10th Moharram (Ashura), 61 AH, Karbala
Title: Sayyid al-Shuhada (Master of Martyrs), Aba Abdillah
Buried: Karbala, Iraq (Imam Husain Shrine)
The younger grandson of the Prophet (SAW). His stand at Karbala — refusing to pledge allegiance to Yazid ibn Muawiya, leading 72 companions against thousands, and dying as a martyr with his household — is the pivotal event of Islamic history in the Shia and Bohra worldview. He is called “the light that guides to salvation” and sayyid al-shuhada — the master of all martyrs. His sacrifice is commemorated annually during Ashara Mubaraka.
6. Imam Ali Zayn al-Abidin (AS) — The Ornament of the Worshippers
Born: 5th Shaban, 38 AH, Medina
Died: 25th Moharram, 95 AH, Medina (poisoned by al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik)
Title: Zayn al-Abidin (Ornament of Worshippers), al-Sajjad (the Prostrator)
Buried: Jannat al-Baqi, Medina
The son of Imam Husain (AS) who survived Karbala (he was gravely ill during the battle). He lived under intense Umayyad surveillance in Medina, channeling his imamate through devotional supplication — his Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya (The Psalms of Islam) is one of the most celebrated collections of Islamic prayer and a window into the deepest theology of the Ahl al-Bayt.
7. Imam Mohammed al-Baqir (AS) — He Who Splits Open Knowledge
Born: 1st Rajab, 57 AH, Medina
Died: 7th Dhul Hijja, 114 AH, Medina (poisoned)
Title: al-Baqir (He Who Splits Open Knowledge)
Buried: Jannat al-Baqi, Medina
Under relatively calmer Umayyad pressure, Imam al-Baqir (AS) was able to transmit an enormous body of religious knowledge — theology, jurisprudence, Quranic interpretation, and the esoteric sciences. The word baqir means one who splits open and spreads knowledge wide. Many foundational hadiths and traditions of the Ahl al-Bayt were transmitted through him.
8. Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (AS) — The Truthful
Born: 17th Rabi ul-Awwal, 83 AH, Medina
Died: 25th Shawwal, 148 AH, Medina (poisoned by al-Mansur)
Title: al-Sadiq (The Truthful)
Buried: Jannat al-Baqi, Medina
The most prolific of the Imams in terms of transmitted knowledge. His students numbered in the thousands and included many who would become major scholars in both Sunni and Shia traditions. The Jafari school of jurisprudence — followed by the majority of Shia Muslims — is named after him. He lived through the fall of the Umayyads and the rise of the Abbasids. In the Ismaili tradition, his son Ismail was his designated successor.
9. Imam Musa al-Kazim (AS) — The One Who Restrains Anger
Born: 7th Safar, 128 AH, Al-Abwa
Died: 25th Rajab, 183 AH, Baghdad (died in Abbasid prison)
Title: al-Kazim (He Who Restrains Anger)
Buried: Kadhimiya, Baghdad, Iraq (the Golden Mosque)
He spent much of his imamate imprisoned or under surveillance by the Abbasid caliphs Harun al-Rashid. Despite confinement, he maintained his connection with his followers through letters and secret channels. He died in prison — poisoned by order of Harun al-Rashid. His shrine in Kadhimiya (Baghdad) with Imam Jawad is among the major pilgrimage sites of Iraq.
10. Imam Ali al-Ridha (AS) — The Accepted/Pleasing
Born: 11th Dhul Qa’ida, 148 AH, Medina
Died: 29th Safar, 203 AH, Mashhad (poisoned by the Abbasid caliph al-Ma’mun)
Title: al-Ridha (the Accepted, the Pleasing)
Buried: Mashhad, Iran (Imam Ridha Shrine)
Appointed as heir to the Abbasid caliph al-Ma’mun — an unprecedented gesture that was ultimately a political maneuver to control the Imam. Al-Ma’mun had the Imam poisoned when the arrangement proved troublesome. His burial site in Mashhad, Iran has grown into one of the most visited pilgrimage complexes in the world.
11. Imam Mohammed al-Jawad (AS) — The Generous
Born: 10th Rajab, 195 AH, Medina
Died: 29th Dhul Qa’ida, 220 AH, Baghdad (poisoned by al-Mu’tasim’s instigation)
Title: al-Jawad (the Generous), al-Taqi (the God-fearing)
Buried: Kadhimiya, Baghdad, Iraq
He became Imam at approximately age 7–8 upon his father’s death — the youngest to assume the imamate. Debate about his imamate at such a young age led some followers to question the lineage, but his knowledge confounded scholars who tested him with complex religious questions. His imamate demonstrated that divine knowledge in the Imam is not age-dependent. He is buried alongside his grandfather Imam Kazim (AS) in Kadhimiya.
12. Imam Ali al-Hadi (AS) — The Guide
Born: 15th Rajab, 212 AH, Medina
Died: 3rd Rajab, 254 AH, Samarra (poisoned by the Abbasid caliph al-Mu’tazz)
Title: al-Hadi (the Guide), al-Naqi (the Pure)
Buried: Samarra, Iraq (alongside Imam Askari — the Askariyya Shrine)
Brought from Medina to Samarra under Abbasid surveillance as a young man, he lived for much of his life under close monitoring. His shrine in Samarra (destroyed and reconstructed) is among the most revered sites in Iraq.
13. Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS) — Father of the Hidden Imam
Born: 8th Rabi ul-Thani, 232 AH, Medina
Died: 8th Rabi ul-Awwal, 260 AH, Samarra (poisoned by the Abbasid caliph al-Mu’tamid)
Title: al-Askari (from askar — military garrison, referring to the military town of Samarra)
Buried: Samarra, Iraq (Askariyya Shrine)
He spent his imamate under strict Abbasid house arrest in Samarra (known as the Askari garrison). His son — the hidden Imam — was born in secret to protect him from Abbasid attempts to eliminate the line. He died at age 28.
14. Imam al-Mahdi / Sahib al-Zaman (ATF) — The Awaited
Born: 15th Shaban, 255 AH, Samarra
Title: al-Mahdi (the Guided), Sahib al-Zaman (Master of the Age), al-Hujja (the Proof), al-Qa’im (the Rising)
Status: In occultation (ghayba) — the awaited return
The twelfth and final Imam. His birth was kept secret from the Abbasid authorities. He went into minor occultation (ghayba al-sughra) immediately after his father’s death, communicating through four deputies. In 329 AH, he went into major occultation (ghayba al-kubra), from which he is expected to emerge at the appointed time to fill the earth with justice as it is filled with injustice.
In Bohra theology: The Dawoodi Bohra tradition, following the Tayyibi Ismaili line, counts the Imams differently — the Imam in occultation in their tradition is Imam al-Tayyib (AS), the 21st Imam in the Fatimid count. Many of the classical supplications referencing Sahib al-Zaman (including Dua Ahad and Dua Nudba) are used across both traditions because the theological concept — the hidden Imam whose representative leads the community during seclusion — is shared.
How the Ma’sumeen Are Invoked
In Bohra devotional life, the Ma’sumeen are invoked:
- In every salah — through Salawat ʿala Muhammad wa Ali Muhammad
- In Dua Tawassul — by name, one by one, seeking intercession
- In Ziyarat Ashura — with specific salutations to Imam Husain and his family
- In Dua Nudba — calling upon the hidden Imam through the chain of Ahl al-Bayt
- In Dua Ahad — renewing daily covenant with the Imam of the Age
- In the waaz of Ashara — the ten days are structured around their stories
The principle of tawassul — seeking proximity to Allah through these intermediaries — is central to Bohra practice. “And seek the means of approach (wasilah) to Him” — Quran 5:35.
The complete Dua Tawassul going through all 14 Ma’sumeen by name is available in the Duas section. Ziyarat Ashura, which salutes Imam Husain and his companions, is also in the Ashara duas.