Imam Reza: A Brief Excursion into the Life and Thought of the Fourteen Immaculates

The Fourteen Immaculates Series from The Lion of Najaf Publishers is a series that dedicates a separate volume to the religious, political and intellectual biography of each of the Fourteen Immaculates (the Prophet Mohammad, his august daughter Lady Fatema, and the Twelve Imams of his Purified and Immaculate Household). Each volume covers the life and times of the Fourteen Immaculates from their birth, to their being vested in the office of the imamate, to their martyrdom. Each volume provides a history of their piety, mannerisms, and other personal, social and ethical character traits.

The volumes which treat the Imams provide examples of the specific characteristics of their imamates and each Imam’s relations with the caliphs of his time. Each volume also provides examples of their knowledge and their miracles and provides insights into their imamology based on their own words and deeds, as well as providing teaching stories as to how each of the Imams provided guidance to and cultivated the moral substance of their faithful and devout followers. And finally, each volume ends with a brief section that gives a sampling of the sayings of each imam. All of the source materials for this series are taken from the authoritative Shi’a histories and collections of hadith scripture, wherein the words and deeds of the Imams have been lovingly preserved by their companions and students for posterity.

The language of the text is kept simple such that in addition to the general readership, it is also suitable for young adult readers.