Belief in the divinely appointed leadership after the death of the Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF) to protect and guide mankind with the revealed Truth, the Holy Qur'an and the true practices of the Holy Prophet himself.
The roles of these leaders is an integral part in the protection of all the Messengers and their divine Messages.
The Almighty Allah appointed through the Holy Prophet himself, twelve Guides (Imams) to protect mankind from misrepresenting and misinterpreting the Truth.
Belief in this is most important in Islam and no doubts about their positions should be allowed.
They are indeed sinless (ma'soom) and perfect in the highest sense of the word.
The Imams have direct knowledge from God, and their verdict is the verdict of God.
After the Holy Prophet, only they can interpret and guide mankind in every aspect of life and death and all believers must acquire guidance from them or else they will certainly be lost.
They do NOT bring any new laws nor do they ever innovate their own laws.
They always exempliy and elucidate the practical (Sunnah) and the written (the Holy Qur'an).
It is also important to note that they NEVER disagree with each other in their manners and duties nor in their representations of the Divine Laws.
They are from the best and the most blessed and purified lineage of the last Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUT) and their names are as follows:
(1) Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Holy Prophet who called him his only brother in this world and in the next,
(2) Imam Hasan son of Ali,
(3) Imam Husain son of Ali,
(4) Imam Ali son of Husain,
(5) Imam Muhammad son of Ali,
(6) Imam Ja'far son of Muhammad,
(7) Imam Musa son of Ja'far,
(8) Imam Ali son of Musa,
(9) Imam Muhammad son of Ali,
(10) Imam Ali son of Muhammad,
(11) Imam Hasan son of Ali,
and the last and living Imam
(12) Muhammad son of Hasan,
the establisher of the Truth till the end of this world (PBUT).
There is no successor to the Twelfth Holy Imam Muhammad ibnul Hassan (PBUH) and he is LIVING today but is in occultation and appears only to those who are most in need and to those who are most virtuous and pious.
By the Command of Allah, he will reappear to all when he will establish true justice on earth and will rule mankind compassionately with utmost perfection as is the Will of the Almighty Allah.
He will abolish the evil establishments on earth and mankind will live under true guidance as should have been many centuries ago!