Kitab Al-Irshad: the Book of Guidance into the Lives of the Twelve Imams, is the earliest surviving history of the Shi'ite Imams (as). It briefly describes the circumstances of Imamate, giving an outline of the nass (nomination) of each Imam, the miracle that each performed as evidence of his Imamate, the virtue of each one, the circumstances of his death, and of the disappearance of the last Imam (aj). The first half is devoted to the life of the first Imam, Ali ibn Abi Talib (as). It concentrates particularly on his actions and bravery during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (s) and his family. The second half deals with the other Imams (as).
