TheLife of Imam Ali(AS) The Marriage of Imam Ali (AS) The Imamate of Imam Ali (AS) Ali (AS) and the Government; Stories about Imam Ali (AS) Sayings about Imam Ali(AS) First in Every Thing; Ziarat of Imam Ali (AS) Articles about Imam Ali (AS) UnlikeSunni Islam, however, the belief in Mahdi of the lineage of the prophet is central to Shia Islam, in general, and to Twelver Shia, in particular, where Mahdi is identified with the twelfth Imam. Distinctive to Shia is also the doctrine of occultation or the temporary absence of Mahdi. Thefirst book is of a Sunni brother who was exposed to the Shi'a for the first time, after studying several Sunni madhabs, including Sufism. The book is written from a Sunni prespective. 1. "Then I was guided", by Dr. Muhammad al-Teejani al-Samawi $6 2. "Beliefs of Shi'ite School"by Muhammad Ridha Mudhaffar $6 3. "Probe into the History of Hadeeth"$6 4. Shiatssay that Imam must be appointed by God; that appointment may be known through the declaration of the Prophet or the preceding Imam. The Sunni scholars say that Imam (or Caliph, as they prefer to say) can be either elected, or nominated by the preceding Caliph, or selected by a committee, or may gain the power through a military coup (as .

what do sunnis believe about imam mahdi