1. The Family of the Prophet • Legal codes specific to Hashimids and Alids • Cultural practices and myths related to Sayyids • The conflation of the distinctions of Fatima's own children with sayyids today. How have these beliefs affected you?

2. The Spectrum of Love and Hate Group 1 [the anti-Alid] possessed animosity for Ali and his household. Group 2 opposed granting any special distinction or reverence to Ali. Group 3 opposed the tafḍīl of ‘Alī, but ranked him as the greatest Companion after the previous caliphs. Group 4 believed in the tafḍīl of ‘Alī, but opposed Imāmī veneration of Ali. Group 5 saw him as the divinely selected, sole inheritor of the Prophet, but rejected his deification.

3. Memories of the Imams • Sunni rapprochement with the Alid heritage. Ahmad b. Hanbal and the four-caliph theory. • The pledge of allegiance, fiscal agents and transactions, sustained tutelage. • Ja‘far al-Ṣādiq and his son ‘Alī b. Ja‘far.

4. The Twelver Imams • Ali, Hasan and Husayn • (4) Zayn al-‘Ābidīn – The Psalms of Islam & Conversing with God. The Treatise on Rights. • (5) Muhammad al-Bāqir – The articulation of legal codes (see the work of Arzina Lalani). • (6) Ja‘far al-Ṣādiq – Legal theory and theology. • (7) Mūsa al-Kāẓim – The legitimacy of the legatee, financial administration of an insular community • (8) Ali al-Riḍā –Dialectical debates with pro-Alids: Naṣṣ vs. Tafḍīl, spiritual training vs. political allegiance • (9) Muhammad al-Taqī al-Jawād – Dialectical debates with proto-Sunnī interlocutors.

5. The Twelver Imams • (10) Ali al-Naqī al-Hādī – The method of sending salutations upon prophets and saints. The articulation of the spiritual rank of his forefathers in contrast to Ghulāt, Sunnī ḥadīth, and Zaydī circles. [Ziyārat al-Jāmi‘ah] • (11) Hasan al-‘Askarī – Imāmī law and identity in contrast to antinomian circles [e.g. the Nuṣayrī]. • (12) The Mahdī – Establishing the kingdom of God and justice on earth.

6. The Zaydī Imams • Ali, Hasan and Husayn • Zayd b. ‘Alī (d.120 AH) • 'Abdullah b. Mu'awiya al-Ja‘farī (r.127 in Kufa) forced to flee to Iran, died 2 yrs later • Nafs al-Zakiyya (d. 145) • Husayn Sahib al-Fakh (169) • Yahya al-Daylami 176/792 • Idris b. Abdallah Imam in N. Africa by 173. Poisoned (175) • Muhammad b. Ibrahim Tabataba d.199/814 • Imam Qasim b. Ibrahim b. Ismail b. Ibrahim al-Rassi (169-246) • Hasan b. Zayd al-Hasanī • Muhammad b. Zayd al-Da'i succeeded him and ruled until 287.

7. The Zaydī Imams • Imam Hadi ila al-Haqq (245-297) • Imam Nāṣir al-Utrush (r.d 301-304) • al-Mansur billah al-Qasim b. ‘Alī al-‘Iyānī. He came to Yemen in 389/999 and died in 393/1003. His two Grandsons ruled Yemen as well, Qasim died 468/1075 and Dhuʼl Sharifayn Muhammad (d.477/1085). • Muhammad b. Hasan b. Qasim al-Da'i, al-Mahdi li Din Allah (d. 360). • Imam al-Muʼayyad (d.411) • Imam Nāṭiq (d.424) • Imam Mansur (d. 614) • Imam Ahmad b. Yahya al-Murtada (d. 840)

8. The Household & the piety in protest • The Story of Husayn and Yazid • The caliphate of Hasan b. ‘Alī and his surrender. • The caliphate of Ali • Fatima's legal disputes after the death of the Prophet • Notions regarding spiritual, legislative and executive authority and Ghadīr al-Khumm. Historic Objectives of the Household • Safeguarding the fundamental existence of the religion • Safeguarding the line of Fatima • Ensuring peace and security for their disciples • Inculcating ethical perfection in the community as well as propagating their views on scripture, theology and law. • Ending injustice, oppression and ignorance across the globe.