Imam Al-Sadiq

men were among the chosen companions of the Imams, namely the Imams depended on them
and the Shi' a refer to them. So if they had ideas and schools contrary to those of the Imams,
then the Imams would have been angry with them and dismissed them. Whoever understands
thoroughly these writings about the men who created heresies, will know that the foregoing
men were innocent of what they have attributed to them. They disowned b. Saba', cursed him,
and warned men against his heresies. They disowned al- Baqir, peace be on him, and claimed
the falsehood. Also al- Sadiq, peace be on him, disowned Abu al-Khattab and his company,
and Abu al- Jarudy. Concerning banu Fudal, he said: "Take what they have reported, and
leave what they have seen", and so on. 37 If such a choice had followed this misguidance
which has been related to them, the Imams would have treated them as they treated those who
went astray, namely they would have disowned, dispraised, and cursed them.
Yes, the Shi'a had sects before and after the time of al- Sadiq, peace be on him They have
become bygone but three sects. They are:
1. The Imamis- they believe in the Imamate of the twelve (Imams), the birth of the twelve
( Imams). They believe that the twelfth Imam is still living now, and they look forward to his
coming.
2. The Zaydis- they believe in the Imamate of Zayd and of the sons of Fatima, who rose with
the sword and had outstanding merits.
3. The Isma'ilis- they believe that the Imam after al- Sadiq, peace be on him, was his son
Isma'il, not Musa and his sons, peace be on them.
The above- mentioned sects are the only sects that have lasted till now. In his book, 'Firaq al-
Shi'a', al- Nobakhty has studied those sects who were in the past. They all perished, except
what we have mentioned above.
Here, we want to discuss the sects which were during the days of al-Sadiq, peace be on him,
even if there is no one of them at present.
The Kaysanis:(2)
During the time of al- Sadiq, peace be on him, among the sects of the Shi'a were the
Kaysanis, who adopted the Imamate of Mohammed b. al-Hanafiya. The authors differ about
the reason why they are called the Kaysanis. And they (the Kaysanis) belonged to sects:
A sect said: "Mohammed is al- Mahdy. He is the trustee (wasi) of Amir al- Mo'minin (the
Commander of the Faithful), and no one of his family has the right to disobey him. Al- Hasan,