Resources and Characteristics of Shiite Biography in the Sixth Century

Shiites, like Sunnis, have been interested in writing the biography of the Prophet of Islam (S) and have written works in this field. In the historical course of this style of writing, the sixth century AH is the period of growth and emergence of the characteristics of Shiite biography. Writing the Prophet's biography was an opportunity for the Shiites to show and confirm the beliefs and ideas of their religion, as well as the status and legitimacy of the Imams and the Ahl al-Bayt, the same opportunity that the biography of the Holy Prophet of Islam (S) provided for the Sunnis to protect the two sheikhs. After the efforts of the Shiites to write the Prophet's biography in the first five centuries AH, the priorities of Shiite authors changed from the fifth and sixth centuries onwards, and often turned from writing about the Prophet (S) to doing research on the life of the twelve Imams. During this period, the Shiites abandoned the exclusive writing about the biography of the Prophet (S) and wrote mostly works that, in addition to the life of the Messenger of God, included the biography and life of the thirteen other infallibles.