4. The first Islamic community

• the Prophet’s wives
• his descendants, including his children, grandchildren and the direct line recognised among Shi‘a Muslims as Imams
• his leading Companions, including the Ten Blessed Companions, his Scribes, the major characters who surrounded him in his ministry, the Emigrants and Helpers, and the four Rightly Guided Caliphs during his lifetime. (Note that the period of the Rightly Guided Caliphs’ rules after the time of the Prophet (pbuh) is included in the syllabus under Paper 2.)