Born: 55BH/570CE Died: 11AH/632CE
The final Prophet of Islam and undisputed leader of the Islamic community. Over a period of 23 years between 610CE and 632CE, the Prophet Mohammed
received God's revelations through the Angel Gabriel in Arabic which is now known as the Quran.
Fatima
Born: 8BH/615CE Died: 11AH/632CE
The only child of the Prophet Mohammed who survived him, Fatima was the model of the Prophet's teaching amongst women.
She married the Prophet's cousin Ali, who became the first Imam and was the mother of Imams Hasan and Husayn. She died aged
18 just 90 days after her father.
Ali
Born: 24BH/600CE Died: 40AH/661CE
Beloved cousin of the Prophet, 'Ali was one of the first people to acknowledge the Prophet's mission and convert to Islam.
In the eyes of both Shi'a and Sunni Muslims 'Ali has acquired an almost legendary reputation as a paragon of virtue
and a veritable fount of knowledge. He was assassinated while praying in Kufa aged 63.
Hasan
Born: 3AH/625CE Died: 50AH/670CE
Raised in Medina with his younger brother Husayn, a beloved part of the Prophet's household. Hasan was declared Caliph after the assassination
of Ali but relinquished the Caliphate to his political rival Muaw'iya to prevent attack in 41 AH/661 CE. Retired to Medina and died aged 47,
some say poisoned by his wife but never been proved.
Zaynab
The sister of Husayn and Hasan, she was taken prisoner after the massacre at Karbala by ibn Ziyad on behalf of Yazid. She reportedly saved the
life of 'Ali, the only surviving son of Husayn. After being imprisoned in Damascus she was eventually allowed to return to Medina.
Husayn
Born: 4AH/626CE Died: 61AH/680CE
Husayn meaning "one of beautiful character" was named by his grandfather the Prophet Mohammed in whose house he was raised. When his brother
Hasan died, Husayn became head of the household. When Yazid became Caliph, Husayn refused to swear allegiance to him leading to Husayn's martyrdom.
His body lies in a holy shrine in Karbala and is a pilgrimage site for millions of Shi'a.
Ali
Born: 38AH/659CE Died: 95AH/713CE
The only surviving son of Imam Husayn after the massacre at Karbala, Ali became the Fourth Imam. He was captured by Yazid's troops and only
narrowly escaped death because his aunt Zaynab intervened. Once released he returned to Medina spending his life helping his people. He also
undertook 30 pilgrimages to Mecca. Aged 58, Ali was poisoned to death by the Ummayad's regime.
Abu Sufyan
Abu Sufyan was the leader of the Abd Shams clan and a cousin to the Prophet Mohammed. Most of the members of this clan rejected Muhammad
until the conquest of Mecca in 630. Abu Sufyan eventually converted to Islam with the blessing of the Prophet.
Mu'awiya
Born: 22BH/602CE Died: 60AH/680CE
Mu'awiya became Caliph at the age of 59 after 'Ali's assassination. He engineered an agreement with Hasan to relinquish the Caliphate in
return for promising peace. Some say he agreed the Caliphate would revert to Hasan on his death but instead his son, Yazid, succeeded him
and the Umayyad dynasty ruled until 132AH/750CE.
Yazid
Born: 21AH/642CE Died: 63AH/683CE
The son of Mu'awiya, Yazid inherited the Caliphate from his father. He ruled for just three years amidst reports of bribery and threats.
Despite his father's wishes to respect the Prophet's grandsons, Yazid required them to swear allegiance to him. Husayn refused resulting
in the massacre at Karbala.
