Decoding the Numerical Analogizing of Imams to the Chieftains (naqīb) of Israelites, in the Prophetic Tradition:

This article studies the hadiths analogizing the successors of the Holy Prophet to the naqībs (chieftains) of the Children of Israel, apostles of Christ, months, and eventually aims to highlight the possibility of a wider meaning beyond the mere numerical equality. The study is going to find an answer to the inquiry whether Number 12 bears the burden of Simile or there is another Simile between the Vehicle and the Tenor? To reply to this question, the position of Chiefs described in Torah and the etymology of the terms (indicating ‘naqīb’) in the Hebrew, Aramaic, Syriac, and Greek manuscripts have been studied. It is proposed that the semantic concept of naqīb appertains to "divinely chosen". In this way, it is shown that “being divinely chosen and appointed by God” can be regarded as the common characteristic of the two parallel groups. Due to this study, deeper understanding of numerical analogizing Hadiths is culminated and the concept of Imam as “being divinely chosen” in Shiite Thought is greatly strengthened. Furthermore, the fact underlines that the Hadith of twelve successors after Prophet Muḥammad (PBUH) is perfectly matched Shiite Imams.