The Awsiya' — Rawzat

The Chain of Awsiya’

The divine ‘ilm — the sacred knowledge of the inner meaning of revelation — has never been absent from the earth. From the moment Allah honored Adam with the trust of custodianship (amanah) and taught him the names of all things, there has always been, in every age, a designated custodian of that knowledge.

The Quran testifies: “And We made from the water every living thing.” (21:30) — pointing to a single, continuous divine creativity. Analogously, from the single source of divine ‘ilm, a continuous chain of designated custodians has carried the knowledge through the ages. Each Prophet illuminated his age with a new revelation; each Wasi received and preserved the inner meaning of that revelation, and transmitted it to the next link in the chain.

Ismaili theology identifies six great prophetic cycles (adwar), corresponding to the six Natiq Prophets, and six corresponding Awsiya’ (though some cycles involve more than one Wasi in succession). The six Natiq-Wasi pairs are not exhaustive — many other prophets and guides populated the intervals — but they are the six pivotal transitions in the history of divine revelation.

This article examines each Wasi in turn: who he was, what he received, and how he continued the chain.

Sheeth ibn Adam (AS) — Wasi of the First Prophet

Adam and the Primordial Trust

Sayyidna Adam (AS) stands at the beginning of human history in the Ismaili understanding — not merely as the biological ancestor of humanity but as the first natiq, the first Speaking Prophet, the first to receive the divine covenant and bring it to human consciousness.

The Quran describes Adam’s unique station: “And He taught Adam the names of all things.” (2:31) — This is not merely the teaching of vocabulary. In Ismaili ta’wil, the “names” (asma’) are the realities behind phenomena — the inner meanings, the batin of existence itself. Adam was taught the ta’wil of creation: the ability to read the inner significance of everything that exists.

This primordial ‘ilm — the knowledge of the names — was not meant for Adam alone. It had to be preserved, transmitted, continued. The vehicle for this continuation was Adam’s son: Sheeth (شِيث), known in Hebrew tradition as Seth, the third named son of Adam.

Sheeth (AS): The First Wasi

According to Islamic tradition — including hadith collected by Ibn Kathir and referenced in various Ismaili sources — Sheeth was the most beloved of Adam’s children in terms of spiritual stature. Adam lived for approximately 960 years (according to one traditional count), and before his death he gathered his designated son and transmitted to him the trust of the primordial ‘ilm.

The name Sheeth in Hebrew/Aramaic derives from a root meaning “appointed” or “granted” — he was the son given by Allah after the tragedy of Habil and Qabil (Abel and Cain), and his very name carries the sense of divine appointment and continuation.

Islamic tradition credits Sheeth with receiving suhuf — divine scrolls, revealed tablets — that contained the primordial teaching. In the Dawat tradition, he is regarded as the first Wasi in the full theological sense: the first person to receive the batin of a Prophet’s ‘ilm and carry it forward after the Prophet’s departure.

Sheeth’s line is also credited in many Islamic traditions with being the lineage through which the prophetic chain continued — making him not only the first Wasi but the progenitor of the line of prophets that would culminate in Muhammad (SAW).

What he received: The primordial ‘ilm of the names — the ability to read the inner meaning of existence — and the suhuf of Adam, which preserved the covenant of the first prophetic cycle.

What he transmitted: The chain of sacred knowledge that passed through the ages between Adam and Nuh — through generations whose names are largely unknown to us but whose spiritual lineage was maintained.

Sam ibn Nuh (AS) — Wasi of the Prophet of the Flood

Nuh (AS) and the Flood

Sayyidna Nuh (AS) — Noah — stands as the second great Natiq in the Ismaili chain, and among the most significant figures in the entire Abrahamic tradition. His mission unfolded over an extraordinarily long period — the Quran says he invited his people for alf sana illa khamsina ‘aman: nine hundred and fifty years. (29:14)

His law renewed the primordial covenant: the recognition of divine oneness, the establishment of worship, the framework of human community under divine guidance. When his people refused, the Flood came — not as divine vengeance alone but as a cosmic reset, a clearing of the slate to allow the chain of revelation to continue through a new humanity.

The Ark of Nuh is among the most theologically charged images in Ismaili ta’wil. The physical ark that preserved the biological continuity of life on earth is also the symbol of the spiritual ark that preserves the esoteric tradition through the floods of ignorance and deviation. “And We carried him on a thing of planks and nails.” (54:13) — The planks and nails, in ta’wil, are the framework of the religious structure (shari’a); the cargo within is the sacred knowledge.

Sam (Shem): The Wasi of Nuh

Sam (سَام — Shem in the Hebrew tradition), the eldest son of Nuh who boarded the Ark, is identified in Ismaili tradition as the Wasi of Nuh — the recipient of the esoteric knowledge of the Noahic cycle.

The Quran names Nuh’s family as the ones brought to safety on the Ark: “We saved him and the People of the Ark.” (29:15) — In the Ismaili reading, the “People of the Ark” are not only the biological family but the community of those who carry the ta’wil of the prophetic message. Sam, as the most spiritually advanced among them, was designated as the custodian.

Historical and geographical tradition associates the different regions of the post-diluvian world with Nuh’s three sons: Sam (Shem) with the Semitic peoples — those who would become the bearers of the great monotheistic traditions; Ham with Africa; and Yafith (Japheth) with the peoples of the north and east. The concentration of subsequent prophethood in the Semitic world — through Sam’s lineage — is understood in Ismaili tradition as a reflection of his spiritual station as Wasi.

What he received: The esoteric knowledge of the Noahic cycle — the ta’wil of the post-diluvian covenant, the inner meaning of the law of Nuh that provided the framework for the civilizations that followed.

What he transmitted: The chain of prophetic knowledge through the Semitic lineages — the line that would produce Ibrahim, Ismail, and eventually Muhammad (SAW).

Ismail (AS) — Wasi of Ibrahim and Natiq in His Own Right

Ibrahim (AS): The Friend of Allah

Sayyidna Ibrahim (AS) — Abraham, Khalilullah (the Friend of Allah) — is the third Natiq and one of the most beloved figures in the entire Islamic tradition. He is called Imam al-Hanif — the leader of primordial monotheism. The Quran says: “And who could be better in religion than one who submits his face to Allah while being a doer of good, and follows the millat of Ibrahim, the Hanif?” (4:125)

His law — the millat Ibrahim — established the foundations of pure monotheism in their most refined pre-Mosaic form. The Ka’ba, built by Ibrahim and Ismail, is the physical center of this law. The Hajj rituals preserve the body of Ibrahimic practice. Islam explicitly identifies itself as the renewal and completion of the millat Ibrahim.

The Quran grants Ibrahim a unique theological depth: “Allah took Ibrahim as a close friend (khalil).” (4:125) In ta’wil, the khalil is one who has penetrated (khallala) to the inner reality — Ibrahim’s friendship with Allah is not merely emotional closeness but cognitive and spiritual penetration into the divine reality.

Ismail (AS): A Unique Double Station

Sayyidna Ismail (AS) — Ishmael — the elder son of Ibrahim, born of Hajar (Hagar), stands in a unique position in the Ismaili chain: he is simultaneously Wasi of Ibrahim and Natiq in his own right.

As the Wasi of Ibrahim, Ismail received the esoteric knowledge of the Ibrahimic cycle. He was present with Ibrahim in the construction of the Ka’ba — “And [remember] when Ibrahim was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ismail: ‘Our Lord, accept [this] from us.’” (2:127) — The building of the Ka’ba is, in ta’wil, the construction of the esoteric house of knowledge, with Ibrahim laying the zahir and Ismail establishing the batin.

The supreme test of Ibrahim’s prophethood — the command to sacrifice his most beloved — involved Ismail. The Quran narrates Ibrahim’s vision: “He said: ‘O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I sacrifice you.’” (37:102) And Ismail’s response: “He said: ‘O my father, do as you are commanded.’” In Ismaili ta’wil, this is not merely a test of obedience but the willing acceptance by the Wasi of the supreme self-offering that the Wasiyyat requires: the total subordination of the personal will to the divine purpose.

As a Natiq in his own right, Ismail brought a prophetic message to the Arab peoples of the Hijaz — establishing a prophetic tradition among them that would eventually culminate, many generations later, in the prophethood of Muhammad (SAW), his descendant.

The Arab prophets between Ismail and Muhammad — Hud (AS), Salih (AS), Shu’ayb (AS), and others — are understood in Ismaili tradition as part of the Ismaili prophetic cycle, maintaining the thread of prophetic guidance among the Arab peoples during the long interval between Ibrahim-Ismail and Muhammad.

What he received from Ibrahim: The esoteric knowledge of the Ibrahimic millat — the ta’wil of the Ka’ba, of the Hajj, of the covenant of Ibrahim with his descendants.

What he contributed as Natiq: A prophetic tradition among the Arab peoples that preserved the monotheistic framework until the coming of the final Prophet.

Harun (AS) and Yusha ibn Nun (AS) — The Awsiya’ of Musa

Musa (AS): The Prophet of Mount Sinai

Sayyidna Musa (AS) — Moses — is the fourth Natiq and one of the most extensively narrated prophets in the Quran. His name appears more times in the Quran than any other prophet’s. His law — the Torah, the Mosaic code — established the elaborate framework of Israelite religion: the 613 commandments, the detailed ritual laws, the prophetic tradition of Israel that would continue through the Hebrew prophets.

The Quran gives Musa (AS) a unique spiritual intensity: the direct address to Allah (takallama Allahu Musa taklima — “And Allah spoke to Musa directly,” 4:164), the encounter at the burning bush (nar), the splitting of the sea, the descent from Sinai with the tablets. These are the most concentrated signs of prophetic authority in the Quranic narrative — and they mark Musa as a figure of supreme prophetic stature.

Harun (AS): The First Wasi of Musa

Sayyidna Harun (AS) — Aaron — was Musa’s brother, and the first to be designated his Wasi. The Prophet (SAW) made this pairing axiomatic for the Ismaili tradition when he told Ali: “You are to me as Harun was to Musa — except that there will be no prophet after me.” (Hadith, Sahih Bukhari)

This comparison illuminates the Wasi-Natiq relationship with precision:

Musa/Muhammad: the Natiq, the bearer of the divine law, the one who goes up the mountain to receive revelation
Harun/Ali: the Wasi, the one who remains with the people, who speaks on the Prophet’s behalf, who sustains the community during the Prophet’s absence

The Quran records Musa’s request when sent to Pharaoh: “And appoint for me a minister from my family — Harun, my brother.” (20:29–30) The word wazir (minister) here carries its full etymological weight: from w-z-r, to bear a burden. The Wasi bears the burden of the batin alongside the Natiq who bears the burden of the zahir.

Harun led the Israelites during Musa’s forty-night absence on Mount Sinai — and when the people constructed the Golden Calf, Harun’s inability to prevent it (through the force of the mob) resulted in Musa’s anguish. But Harun is exculpated in the Quranic narrative (inna khashitu an taqula farraqa bayna Bani Isra’il — “I feared you would say you divided the Bani Isra’il,” 20:94) — he had tried to preserve unity, recognizing that the task of the Wasi is to hold the community together.

Harun died before the entry into the Promised Land — before the culmination of Musa’s mission. The Wasiyyat then passed to the next designated guardian.

Yusha ibn Nun (AS): The Second Wasi of Musa

Yusha ibn Nun (يُوشَعُ بنُ نُون — Joshua son of Nun) was the successor of Musa in leading the Children of Israel into Canaan after Musa’s death on Mount Nebo.

In Islamic tradition, Yusha is specifically identified as Musa’s fata — his young attendant, his disciple. The Quran references this in the story of Musa and the mysterious sage Khidr: “And when Musa said to his fata: ‘I will not stop until I reach the junction of the two seas.’” (18:60) The fata accompanying Musa on this spiritually charged journey — the journey to learn from Khidr — is identified in many Islamic traditions as Yusha ibn Nun.

This is significant. The journey to Khidr is, in Ismaili ta’wil, a journey toward the hidden source of esoteric knowledge — the living keeper of the batin who operates beyond the ordinary prophetic framework. That Yusha accompanies Musa on this journey positions him as the one being prepared for the Wasiyyat: the one who would receive the esoteric tradition and carry it forward.

After Musa’s death, Yusha led the military campaign that brought the Israelites into Canaan — the fulfillment of the Mosaic promise. His leadership is remembered in Dawat tradition as exemplifying a key characteristic of the Wasi: the ability to complete and carry forward the mission of the Prophet even when the Prophet himself has departed.

What they received: The esoteric knowledge of the Mosaic law — the ta’wil of the Torah, the inner meaning of the 613 commandments, the spiritual significance of the Temple and the Ark of the Covenant.

What they transmitted: The chain of sacred knowledge that passed through the Israelite prophetic tradition toward the cycle of Isa.

Sham’un al-Safa (AS) — The Wasi of Isa

Isa (AS): The Prophet of the Inner Life

Sayyidna Isa (AS) — Jesus, son of Maryam — is the fifth Natiq, bearing the Injil (Gospel) and a law that emphasized the spiritual and ethical interior of religion over its ritual exterior. The Quran honors Isa with extraordinary titles: Ruhullah (Spirit of Allah), Kalimatullah (Word of Allah), al-Masih (the Anointed), ‘Abidullah (Servant of Allah).

In Ismaili theology, the Isaic cycle carries a distinctive character: more than any previous prophetic cycle, the law of Isa emphasized the batin — the inner dimension — even in its zahir. The Sermon on the Mount, with its repeated inward turning (“You have heard it said… but I say to you…”), its emphasis on interior intention over exterior performance, its insistence that the inner state matters more than the outer form — all of this is understood in Ismaili ta’wil as a zahir that already points urgently toward its batin.

The Quran says: “And We gave him the Injil, in which is guidance and light.” (5:46) The Injil is light — and in Ismaili cosmology, light is the symbol of the ‘aql (intellect), the illuminating principle that makes reality legible.

Sham’un al-Safa (AS): The Wasi of the Isaic Cycle

Sham’un al-Safa (شَمعُونُ الصَّفَا — Simon the Pure) is identified in the Dawat tradition as the Wasi of Isa — the one to whom the esoteric knowledge of the Gospel was entrusted before Isa’s departure.

In Christian tradition, Simon Peter (Shim’on Kepha in Aramaic) is the chief Apostle — designated by Jesus as the “rock” upon which the community would be built. The Ismaili tradition preserves this primacy of status while interpreting it theologically: Simon’s primacy was not merely organizational but spiritual — he was the Wasi, the custodian of the inner teaching.

The epithet al-Safa (the Pure, the Clear) given to Sham’un in the Dawat tradition distinguishes him from others with similar names and marks his spiritual station. Safa — purity, clarity — is the quality of the mirror that reflects the light without distortion, the quality of the Wasi who receives the ‘ilm of the Prophet and transmits it without addition or subtraction.

In the Dawat tradition, Sham’un’s post-Isaic activity is understood as the secret preservation of the esoteric Isaic teaching against the gradual transformation of the Isaic message in the communities that emerged after Isa’s departure. The outer form of Christianity — as it developed through councils, creeds, and hierarchical institutions — represented the zahir of the Isaic message. The batin, in Ismaili understanding, was preserved in the chain that passed through Sham’un and was eventually absorbed into and superseded by the coming of the final Prophet.

The Ismaili view is not hostile to Isa or to the Isaic tradition. It honors them profoundly. But it holds that the crystallization of the Isaic zahir into the specific doctrines of Trinitarian Christianity involved departures from the original transmission — departures that the coming of Muhammad (SAW), as the final Natiq, came to correct and complete.

What he received: The esoteric knowledge of the Gospel — the ta’wil of the Isaic teaching, the inner meaning of the Injil’s emphasis on love, inner purity, and the kingdom of heaven.

What he transmitted: The chain of sacred knowledge that, in Ismaili understanding, passed through the hidden lines of the Isaic tradition toward the coming of the final cycle.

Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) — The Wasi of the Seal of Prophets

The sixth and final Wasi in the chain — and the most theologically central to the entire Ismaili-Bohra edifice — is Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), the designated legatee of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

His full significance is explored in the companion article Wasi Ali Ibn Abi Talib. What deserves emphasis here, in the context of the full chain of Awsiya’, is the cumulative weight of the transmission that arrives at Ali:

From Sheeth through Sam through Ismail through Harun and Yusha through Sham’un — each link in the chain received the ‘ilm of his Prophet, preserved it through his era, and transmitted it forward. By the time Muhammad (SAW) stands as the final Natiq, the ‘ilm he carries is not only the Muhammadan ‘ilm of the Quran — it is the accumulated wisdom of all previous prophetic cycles, restored to its fullness and completed.

When the Prophet transmits this ‘ilm to Ali at Ghadir Khumm, and privately through twenty-three years of instruction, he is transmitting not only the ta’wil of the Quran but the culmination of the entire chain — the point at which all the rivers of prophetic knowledge converge into a single sea.

Ali, as Wasi, receives this culminating transmission. And as the first Imam, he becomes the vessel from which the chain continues — not now through prophets (since Muhammad is the Seal) but through Imams: Hasan, Husain, and the line of Fatimid Imams, and then through the Dais al-Mutlaqeen from Sayyidna Zoeb ibn Musa (RA) to Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin (TUS).

The Chain as a Living Whole

One of the most striking features of the Ismaili doctrine of the Awsiya’ is its insistence on continuity. The chain does not begin fresh with each Prophet — it is a single, unbroken transmission from Adam to the present day.

Each Wasi received not only the ‘ilm of his own Prophet but the accumulated tradition from all previous prophetic cycles. Sheeth received from Adam the primordial ‘ilm and transmitted it to those who followed. Sam received from Nuh and built upon the Adamic-Sheethic foundation. Ismail received from Ibrahim and incorporated the Noahic and Adamic transmission. And so forward.

This means that the ‘ilm held today by Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin (TUS) — the 53rd Da’i al-Mutlaq — is not merely the Muhammadan ‘ilm of the Quran. It is, in the deepest theological sense, the accumulated wisdom of the entire history of divine revelation: from Adam’s first instruction in the names, through Sheeth, Sam, Ismail, Harun, Yusha, Sham’un, down to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and through Ali and the Imams and the Dais to the present day.

The chain of Awsiya’ is thus not merely a historical fact to be admired from a distance. It is the living structure of the community’s spiritual life — the reason that the Dai’s guidance carries sacred authority, the reason that the ‘ilm is never lost, the reason that the divine wisdom given to Adam at the beginning of human history is still accessible to the faithful in the present age.

The Salawat on the Awsiya’ of the Prophets

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى شِيثَ وَصِيِّ آدَم وَعَلَى سَامٍ وَصِيِّ نُوح وَعَلَى إِسمَاعِيلَ وَصِيِّ إِبرَاهِيم وَنَبِيِّهِ وَعَلَى هَارُونَ وَيُوشَعَ أَوصِيَاءِ مُوسَى وَعَلَى شَمعُونَ الصَّفَا وَصِيِّ عِيسَى وَعَلَى عَلِيِّ بنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَصِيِّ مُحَمَّدٍ خَاتَمِ الأَنبِيَاء

Translation: O Allah, send blessings upon Sheeth the Wasi of Adam; and upon Sam the Wasi of Nuh; and upon Ismail the Wasi of Ibrahim and his own Prophet; and upon Harun and Yusha the Awsiya’ of Musa; and upon Sham’un al-Safa the Wasi of Isa; and upon Ali ibn Abi Talib the Wasi of Muhammad the Seal of the Prophets.

The Awsiya' — Legatees of the Prophets: From Adam to Muhammad