The names of the Imams according to the sunni sources:
1- ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him) who was
martyred in 40 AH.
2- Al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) (3-50 AH)
3- Al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) (4-61 AH)
4- ‘Ali Zayn al-‘Aabideen ibn al-Husayn (38-95 AH), whom they call
al-Sajjaad
5- Muhammad ibn ‘Ali Zayn al-‘Aabideen (57-114 AH) whom they call
al-Baaqir
6- Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Baaqir (83-148 AH) whom they call
al-Saadiq
7- Moosa ibn Ja’far al-Saadiq (128-148 AH) whom they call al-Kaadim
8- ‘Ali ibn Moosa al-Kaadim (148-203 AH) whom they call al-Rida
(Reza)
9- Muhammad al-Jawaad ibn ‘Ali al-Rida’ (195-220 AH) whom they call
al-Taqiy
10- ‘Ali al-Haadi ibn Muhammad al-Jawaad
(212-254 AH) whom they call al-Naqiy
11- al-Hasan al-‘Askari ibn ‘Ali al-Haadi
(232-260) whom they call al-Zakiy
12- Muhammad al-Mahdi ibn al-Hasan al-‘Askari,
whom they call al-Hujjah al-Qaa’im al-Muntazar. They claim that he
entered a tunnel in Samarra’, but most researchers are of the view
that he did not exist at all, and that he is a Shi’i myth.
See: al-Mawsoo’ah al-Muyassarah (1/51).
Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) divided the Imams of the
Ithna ‘Ashari Shi’ah into four categories:
1 – ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib, al-Hasan and al-Husayn (may Allaah be pleased
with them). They are noble Sahaabah and no one doubts their virtue and
leadership, but many others shared with them the virtue of being
companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
and among the Sahaabah there are others who were more virtuous than
them, based on saheeh evidence from the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him).
2 – ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn, Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Baaqir, Ja’far ibn
Muhammad al-Saadiq and Moosa ibn Ja’far. They are among the
trustworthy and reliable scholars. Manhaaj al-Sunnah (2/243, 244).
3 – ‘Ali ibn Moosa al-Rida, Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn Moosa al-Jawaad,
‘Ali ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-‘Askari, and al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali ibn
Muhammad al-‘Askari. Concerning them, Shaykh al-Islam (Ibn Taymiyah)
said: They did not show a great deal of knowledge such that the ummah
might benefit from them, nor did they have any authority by means of
which they could help the ummah. Rather they were like any other
Haashimis, they occupy a respected position, and they have sufficient
knowledge of what which is needed by them and expected of people like
them; it is a type is knowledge that is widely available to ordinary
Muslims. But the type of knowledge that is exclusive to the scholars
was not present in their case. Therefore seeks of knowledge did not
receive from them what they received from the other three. Had they
had that which was useful to seekers of knowledge, they would have
sought it from them, as seekers of knowledge are well aware of where
to go for knowledge. Minhaaj al-Sunnah (6/387).
4 – Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-‘Askari al-Muntazar (the awaited one). He
did not exist at all, as stated above.
The anonymous user made me take notice of something really important that need to be mentioned here. The 11 Imams according to Sunnis are not considered Shia at all. But they are considered Sunnis Imams who had much respect and love to Abu Baker and Umar (RA). Sunnis believe that the 2nd group of Imams were Sunni scholars and in no way had Shia hadiths.
An important proof from the Sunni sources, when some people came to the Imam Zayd ibn ‘Ali asking him about Abu Baker and Umar. He said: We love them and think they are in Jannah. So these people deserted him because of his statement. Hence the word Rafida(deserters) came from this incident and Sunnis call the 12 Imams followers Rafidis
