First Objection by the Zaydis: the Reports Proving the Imams Being Twelve Was Fabricated by the Imamiyyah

Among these is the report of Jabir bin Samura that Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Ishaq ad-Dinawar, a tradition scholar, has narrated. He says: Narrated to me Abu Bakr bin Abi Dawood from Ishaq bin Ibrahim bin Shazan from Walid bin Hisham from Muhammad bin Zukwan from his father from his father from ibn Sirreen from Jabir bin Samura as-Sawai that he said: We were in the company of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم when he said: There are twelve leaders for this Ummah. Samura said: A clamor arose so I couldn’t hear what else the Prophet said. So I asked my father who was nearer to the Prophet, what he had said. My father said: He said: All of them shall be from Quraish, such that their like is not seen. I have also mentioned the various chains of reporters of this tradition. Some versions say: There will be twelve Amirs (chiefs) and some say: There will be twelve successors. Thus it proves that traditions in Imamiyah books regarding the twelve Imams are authentic.