Mowlana Imam Jafar al-Sadiq succeeded his father at the age of 31. He died of poisoning at the age of 57 on the 17th of Zul Hijja, 114 AH (August, 732AD). His body was buried in Medina (Aziz, 1974).

Imam Jafar al-Sadiq was born in Medina on the 17th of Rabi-el-Awwal, 83AH (August, 702), during the Imamate of his grandfather, Imam Zayn al-Abidin, and the reign of Abdul Malik bin Marwan. He was also known as Sadiq Aal Muhammed and Amir Ahmed (Aziz, 1974).

Mowlana Imam Muhammed al-Baqir was born at Medina on the 3rd of Safar 57 AH (December, 677AD) during the Caliphate of Muawiya. His mother was Omm Abdullah, the daughter of Hazrat Hassan ibn Ali. He was only about three years old when he lost his grandfather Imam Hussain at the Battle of Karbala (Aziz, 1974). His title 'al-Baqir' meant 'the revealer of the secret sciences' or 'the opener of knowledge' (Sadik Ali, 1997).

Imam Hussain was born on Thursday the 3rd of Shaban, 4 AH (February, 626), in Medina.

Imam Hussain succeeded his father Imam Ali as the Imam-of-the-Time during the reign of Muawiya on the 21st of Ramazan, 40AH (January 26th, 661AD). The tragic massacre of Imam Hussain, his family and his supporters took place at Karbala in 680AD at the hands of the second Umayyad Caliph Yazid ibn Muawiya (Daftary & Hirji, 2008).

Hazrat Imam Ali, during prayer in the mosque of Kufa on the nineteenth of Ramazan, 40AH (24th of January, 661AD), was assassinated by Abdur Rehman bin Muljam and died two days later. His body was buried at Najaf (Aziz, 1974). After the death of Imam Ali, Mu'awiya declared his rule in Damascus, thereby establishing the Omayyad Caliphate (Daftary & Hirji, 2008).