Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

The Second Chapter: Imamate

Imamate means, the same needed governance of the community on the different types in the category of administrations which emanates person’s asthenias, conceits, desires, and uttermost cravings. Islam has demonstrated man the methodology of Imamate; this is to say, a heart of a person should be overflowed and full of grace and divine guidance, should understands and cognizes religious knowledge -means who distinguish the right path from wrong- and has puissance in practical actions -[o Yahya! take hold of the book with might] - and who doesn’t consider personal wishes and appetites, but he takes care of people’s life; this is what The Believers’ Leader and Chief(Amir al-Mumineen) (A.S) did in a period of less than 5 years of his leadership, he practically showed this. You are seeing that The Believers’ Leader and Chief(Amir al-Mumineen) (A.S) during his period which has not lasted five years, he is being taken as a role model and an exemplar; this is something which can never be blanked out from the memories of people, that sample shines all long the centuries and is being outreached and remained. This is all about the adventure of Ghadir and its implications.1380/12/12

The term Imamate - which originally means the leader- in the Islamic dictionary, in Islamic culture it is mostly used for a specific referent, it is mostly refers to a leadership in the affairs of societies; be it an intellectual one or political. Everywhere in the Qur’an the term Imamate has mentioned -such as; Imam or Aimmeh has been used, it gives the same specific meaning, a national leadership. It is an intellectual leadership, political leadership or both of them, which after the decease of the prophet (s) and the uprising of fragmentation of Muslims, from which the initial interpretation of the word Imamate was forming, as well as the word Imam and Ai-meh which was located into a special destiny, more different meanings of the word (Leader of the politics) and time after time the word was proportioned to its similar meanings; in such a way that after the outgrowth of the schools of Islamic theology in the second century which were coming one after another, and the emerging of different Islamic orientations manifestly and independent school of ideologies, one of the substantial issues which is about Imamate when in all these schools were being presented, was interpreted as a political leader. Hence, in this matter, generally the specific conditions of Imam -meaning a governor and statesman of the community- was presented as speech and a belief by each of these schools.

In the Shiites School, once again the word Imamate was interpreted to this meaning and their idea about Imam in its summation was: Imam and the Islamic political statesman of the community should be elected by Allah and inaugurated though the prophet (s), he must be an intellectual leader, well familiar with Qur’anic exegesis and every part of the religion, he must be free from any imperfection, free from flaw in creation and virtuous, he must be born in pure and chaste dynasty. Traditionally, the word Imam among the Muslims in the first and second centuries had to mean the political leader, but apart from being a political leader, specifically regarding to Shiites view it has meant a leader of ideologies and a moralist.When it was a time to nominate an Imam, he was not only nominated for social affairs but also guiding people intellectually and educating them religious teachings, moral standards and these were what people expected from him; and if he had not such duties, he could not been recognized as a rightful Imam who is eligible to lead a political administration - where for others were an adequate standards-, systematic saber-rattling, conquest and a warrior.

According to the understanding of Shiite from the word Imamate, Imam of the community, that is the same paramount potency, which regulates the society and an instructor of the religion and ethics, and a ruler of their life and efforts. From this account, the prophet (s) was imam as well; who his work was to lay down foundation in the ideological leadership and political leadership of the community. And after the prophet (s) people were in need of his successor who could handle his responsibilities -literally a political leader-. And Shiites believe that; according to the prophet’s (s) stipulation, Ali (A.S) and his dynasty are eligible for this duty (for further information and evidence, go into related references).

This point is affable that the word Imam consists of three concepts ((political leader)), ((religion instructor)) and ((spiritual edification)) in the Islamic Caliphate and system - just as it has been illustrated by other prominent thinkers that, Imamate and Islamic state has three dimensions and aspects- as a result these three aspects have never been separated from each other, and it has been presented to a man as a plan. However, the leader of the nation applies the one in these three aspects and Shiite believes that Imam should be determined by Allah as it is mentioned in this outreach evidence of the interpretation of Imam. Consequently, in the contrary view, who postulate Imam as Caliphate or just a system and merely enumerate him as spiritual appointment and ideological appointment, but Imam in the Shiite interpretation refers to a leader of the nation; in the world affairs and regulate people’s lives and administrating political and social communities (head of state) and again teaching people and guiding spiritually, disentangling vague ideas and explaining the ideology of Islam.

This clear subject, many people believe that the issue of Imam is an alien because it has not enough references to a degree that it’s Qur’anic and traditional testimonies are not getting to hundreds.

In the book of (Al-Hujja) kafi, the hadith narrated from Ali bin Musa (A.S) in the recognition of Imam and its delineation, which has meaningful specifications and it is an interesting narration; Imamate is, in fact, the reins of religion. It is social system of the Muslims. It is best for the world, and honor for the believers, the altitude of the prophets, and the inheritance of the successors and the representation (Khalifa) of Allah and the deputy of the prophet. It says about Imam: the wealth of the nation and charity (sadaqat) are increased, custodianand protector of divine laws, Allah’s trustee among the creations, bright luminous flames in the upland region, guider to the divine path, protector of divine sanctum, who irritate hypocrites, ruinous of the basis of unbelievers, who bring honor to righteous, proficient and deft in statesman, well-familiar in politics, ready to work out divine commands, gracious to Allah’s servants, a keeper of the religion of Allah.

In the other tradition from Imam Sadiq (A.S) it is being frankly stated that: the prophet (s.a.w) and the Imams (A.S) have all distinctions and mandates.

And in other tradition narration reported from Imam Sadiq (A.S) cued about incumbency of obeying ((Awusiya)) and then he explained that Awusiya are the very people who have been mentioned in Qur’an (those charged with authority among you)

Hundreds of outspread narrations from different books and topics have candidly illustrated the meaning of the word Imamate, and Imam in the Shiite vocabulary has been defined as astatesmen andthe one who administrates Muslim affairs respectively, and Ahlul-Bayt Imams have inaugurated to be the rightful owner of the administration; in such a way that a fair explorer cannot let uncertainty of claims of the Ahlul-Bayt Imams (A.S) which is beyond the spiritual and intellectual rank, honestly, this is the right invite and their invitation to everywhere, in fact, it is an invitation to political campaign- a methodology of bringing about a system.The Righteous Leader, pp 69-74

If somebody conceptualizes that Imams (A.S) in number were nine or eight, from Imam Sajjad (A.S) to Imam Askari(A.S), who only taught Islamic laws, Islamic knowledge and had no commensurate political campaign in different forms, this is to say that he had not adequately consider the biography of these holy Imams (A.S). It is clear understood by looking at the status of these great leaders, basically the interpretation of the word Imamate in Islam and its philosophical understanding which Shiite believe in, without this interpretation, it is not acceptable and is discrepant.And if we had no clear evidence about the campaign of Imams (A.S), we would have to accept that we do not have information, that it has not come to us, yet they were engaging in campaign. And it could be impossible to know the interpretation of the word Imam as it is in the Islamic culture -not only in Shiite culture- and at the same time believing and accepting it, for instant 150 years or more, Imams (A.S) were sitting in the houses together whom their hearts were only motivated to teach people Laws, Qur’an, and Islamic knowledge and never had political campaign, this is totally wrong. Anytime there is campaign, sometimes a cultural campaign, a campaign in knowledge, sometimes formation of partisanship, bloody actions, war activities and revealing the fightings.1366/5/9

It is possible for others to pose a question that, why is this that imams (A.S) were engaging the fight yet are people who had divine knowledge and they knew that they will not gain the power (system). It is clear that the life of Imams (A.S) could not attain the system and rule in accordance to their desire. Knowing that they had divine knowledge, how Imams (s) did that action? In the respond let us point out this idea, knowing that they will not fulfill their goal, that’s not the barrier to work out their obligation. Look into the biography of the prophet (s), the prophet (s) knew that they will defeat in the battle of Uhud, he cognized that those who were on top of the mountain will come down for collecting the prizes. During the day prophet (s) went to Taif to guide bani Saqifah and to refuge them from the hardship of Mecca, he knew that he will threw stone, To an extent that owing to the rapid stoning to him, his legs were full of blood and he was forced to go back. Imams (A.S) knew all of these things. The Believers’ Leader and Chief(Amir al-Mumineen) knew that he will be murdered on the 21st of Ramadan, but awhile before the month of Ramadan, he organized a battlefield outside Kufa to continue a fighting with Muawiya. If realization of The Believers’ Leader and Chief(Amir al-Mumineen) appears to be a reason for him not to act ordinarily and typically, then why did he prepare this battlefield? Why he did such campaign? Taking people outside kufa and impounded them, why? What was the benefit of that? When it is said the Imams knew that they could not manage to get the government that does not mean that the imams were supposed to keep away from attempting to their level best. They were supposed to try and carry out their campaigns and completely do all the activities that can be done by someone who is not aware of what will the result be.1364/1/23

Four Influential Periods for Imams (A.S)

The influence of Imamate begun in the first day after the death of the holy prophet (s) -month of Safar, eleventh year after migration of the prophet- born and it perpetuated in the community of the Muslims until the death of Imam Hassan Askari(A.S) ( in the month of rabi’il awwal, 260 years of Hijri). Imamate had approximately during this time (from the eleventh year of hijri up to the year 260 of hijri) passed four eras and each of them has its own characteristics by considering position of the Imams against the political dominant powers found in the life time of each of the Imams.

The first era is the era of cooperation between the Imam and these powers. The new born Islamic community had no effortto stand against the powerful enemy, the helped enemy by some foreign powers, since it had also new converted people. Therefore even a smallest crack of the body of that community would emerge dangerous to the basis and fundamentals of that community. On the other hand, misrepresentation of the realities and facts of Islamic teachings was not too tremendous and heavy for a person like the Believers' Leader and Chief(Amir al-Mumineen) to persevere as he was the most concerned and the most responsible person for the Islamic doctrine and community. And maybe this was the reason in the vision of the prophet (s.a.w) whereby he instructed his chosen student of his, The Believers’ Leader and Chief(Amir al-Mumineen) , to be patient and persevere.

This era has an average of twenty five years after the death of the prophet (s.a.w) -from eleventh year of hijri- and the beginning of Caliphate of Imam The Believers’ Leader and Chief(Amir al-Mumineen) (A.S) (in thirty fifth of hijri ). The Believers’ Leader and Chief(Amir al-Mumineen) (A.S) explained his situation in the beginning of this duration, in a letter he wrote to the Egyptians in this way(At every stage I kept myself aloof from that struggle of supremacy and power-politics till I found the heretics had openly taken to heresy and schism and were trying to undermine and ruin the religion preached by our Holy Prophet (s). I felt afraid that, even after seeing and recognizing the evil, if I did not stand up to help Islam and the Muslims it would be a worse calamity to me than my losing authority and power over you, which was only a transient and short-lived affair. Therefore, when I stood up amidst the sweeping surge of innovations and schism the dark clouds of heresy dispersed, falsehood and schism were crushed and the religion was saved.).

The life of Imam Ali (A.S) in this period of 25 years is an illation to active implication, help and support which was done with utmost sympathy to Islam and community of the Muslims.His guidance responses to Caliphates of that time about political, methodical and social issues, etc, which has been discussed in the Nahjul-Balaghah, in historical and Hadith books, and has unimpeachable witness in this life style of the Imam.

The second era was an era of emerging to power of the Imam. This era has four years and nine months of Imamate of The Believers’ Leader and Chief(Amir al-Mumineen) and some months of Imamate of Imam Hassan bin Ali (A.S) which although it isshort period but with many different glooms as it was a revolutionary government and which cannot be separated from each other, it is considered to be the most brightest years of Islamic government. Human ways of doing things and complete justice and observation of different angles of Islam in the community life, with decisiveness, speciolity and courage, were in this era greatly recorded than its normality. This era of the Imamswas a sample for a government and system of a community to which the Shiite Imams were continuously callingin the next two centuries and tried to stabilize that sample which and the Shiite Muslims were remembering and reminding such a good memory and were also judging the next regimes by comparing that regimes to such a sample. On the spot, as itwas a revolutionary government and completely Islamic one it was an educative experience which could show itself from a community of non-well up brought people or misinformed ones and that long days with difficulty upbringing and party highhanded were imposed on the next Imams.

The third era is the period of twenty years between treaty of peace of Imam Hassan (A.S) - 41 of hijri- and an event of martyrdom of Imam Hussein (A.S) (month of Muharram the year 61 of hijri). After an event of treaty of peace, Shiite Muslims practically started carrying out their activities to somewhat secretly and an effort to return the power to the family and clan of the prophet (s.a.w) if favorable conditions and necessary chances were to be found got started. That chance according to a normal assessment and survey was not far from the Imams and by demise of Muawiyah there was such a hope. Therefore, the third era can be named (an era of a short term constituent effort for establishment of an Islamicregime and government).

Finally, the fourth era was of pursuit of that style and course itself in a long term programs and activities; in a period of almost two centuries together with victory and being defeated in different stages, and sometimes by a crucial victory in some ideological fields, and a victory out of a mixed upof hundreds of tactics necessary for the time, ornamented by thousands of braveries out of sincerity and loyalty, great schema of a person of genus of Islam.

The most prominent thing that was not necessarily noted by people in the life of the imams was (the Imams acute political element and position) from the second half of the first century of hijri when Islamic caliphate was completely and manifestly mixed up with monarchy and Islamic imamate was substituted by highhanded imperial government. The imams (A.S) were heavily operating their political move with a tactic that was in line with the situations and conditions of that time. The main objective of their political move was the establishment of an Islamic system on the basis of imamate. Obviously articulation and exegesis of the religion with a special standpoint of the family of divine revelation (A.S), removing misrepresentations of Islam and poor comprehensions of Islamic teachings and its rules was also taken as beneficial to the Jihad of Ahlul bait (A.S). Butaccording to some definite contextual, Jihad of Ahlul bait for these goals (A.S) were not limited and their most great goal was solely (the establishment of celestial government) and establishing a just Islamic system. The most of the difficulties that the imams and their followers were experiencing were from this point of having a political move, and the imams (A.S) were from the era of imam Sajjad (A.S) busy laying a roadmap for the achievement of their goal. The outflow of imams of Ahlul bait (the Shiites) was considered as a main challenge and dangerous enemy of the caliphate systems throughout a period of 140 years from the event of A’shura till the time of eighth imam. During that time some favorable grounds came where the campaigns and trials of Shiite Muslims came near to a great victory which deserves to be named (a celestial crusade) but as usual the last victory had always been barred by demolishing the centre and basis of the movement by a way of arresting and martyring the imam of that period. And when another Imam was coming, the environment and situation had completely changed and he was once again supposed to lay down long term policies for the next favorable environment to reappear. The Imams were in these different difficulties intelligently and bravely letting the small but deep and stable Shiite community passes through such a dangerous time channels. The Umawiy and Abbas caliphs goofed to wipe up the outflow of the Imamate even by their tactic of murdering the Imams. This cutting dagger remained deeply planted in the caliphate system and it was always a great threat for the imams and it was continually spoiling the comfort of the imams.18/5/1363