Word: Imām of the Ahl al-Bayt (as)

Meaning: Divinely appointed leader after the Prophet Muhammad (s) 

Word: Sunnism

Meaning: Those who follow Sunni Islam principally follow the opinions of the Prophet Muhammad's companions and the immediate followers of those companions.   

Word: Shi’ism

Meaning: Those who follow Shi’i Islam are those who follow the opinion of the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt (as)    

Word: Ahl al-Bayt (as)

Meaning: The divinely selected guides for mankind from among the Prophet Muhammad’s (s) Holy Household. 

Word: 12 Imāms

Meaning: The twelve divinely appointed religious guides for mankind. The first Imām is the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad (s) called Ali ibn Abi Talib. The rest of the eleven Imams are descendants of Ali.   

Word: Imāma

Meaning: Divinely appointed leadership after the Prophet Muhammad (s). 

Word: Wahī

Meaning: direct revelation by Allah through the medium of the Archangel Gabriel. It is conditioned upon propagation. 

Word: Ilhām

Meaning: Unmediated divine knowledge which God inspires His select few with, at least in its technical sense.