نشریه امامت پژوهی
پیاپی 18 (پاییز و زمستان 1394)

There are two contradictory views on Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.)’s lives in al-Barzakh; some of the scholars believe they go through this life in a Barzakhi body (ideal body), and the other ones believe in a worldly body. Each of these views is based on some traditions whose correct interpretation would lead us to have a better understanding of Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.)’s ranks and characteristics. Adopting a descriptive-analytical approach, this paper is going to prove that Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.) have their worldly bodies in Barzakh. This view is mainly supported by the narrations which emphasize that no prophets or their successors’ bodies will not be on the earth more than three or forty days unless God takes them to the heaven. In addition, some more evidence was found in hadiths such as Ahl al-Bayt’s physical bodies are remaining as good as their soul, seeing the prophets and Imams after their death, and prophet Muhammad’s visiting other prophets in Mi’rāj; all reinforce this view.

The interregnum eras are mentioned in one of the Qur’an verses and some of the traditions. Some of the commentators and lexicographers believe that the interregnum eras were the periods in which the earth has been devoid of God’s chosen ones; therefore, they interpret “Fatraten men ar-rosol” as “the gap between the presence of the prophets”. The present article is going to challenge the above mentioned interpretation, and provide some evidence which proves it to be wrong. Various uses of the root “Fatr” and the term “Fatrat” (interregnum) indicate that the word means “weakness and lethargy”, not “dissociation and break”, and so the interregnum eras are actually referring to the eras during which God’s divine authorities were weak and concealed their faith (Taqiya). Hence, interpreting “fatrat” (interregnum) as “dissociation and break” distorts the substantial meaning of the term, and imposes a rare and new meaning on it which has no previous verbal proof. On the other hand, the commentators and lexicographers proposed this rare meaning because of the historical presupposition they have had about the interregnumeras; however, even their historical presupposition about the discontinuity of the divine proofs during the interregnum eras is also wrong, and there are some evidence which suggests that in all the famous interregnum eras, God’s divine proofs have been present on the earth. Consequently, a false historical presupposition has led to the creation of an uncommon meaning for the term “fatrat” (interregnum), and hence some of the commentators and lexicographers have got away from the main meaning of the word which refers to the weakness and loneliness of God’s chosen ones.

In Ahl al-Bayt’s hadiths, Imams (A.S.) have been resembled to Sāhib-e Moses (Moses’ guide and wali), Sāhib-e Sulaymān (Solomon’s wali), and Zulqarnain. Some of the similarities between Imams (A.S.) and the mentioned people are also pointed out in these hadiths. The present paper is written about these hadiths, and is going to deal with two issues: firstly, who are these people; and secondly, what are the similarities between Imams (A.s.) and these three people? Based on the research, Sāhib-e Moses (Moses’ guide and wali) refers to Khidr, Sāhib-e Sulaymān (Solomon’s wali) means Āsif bin Barkhiyā, and Zulqarnain is one of God’s special and true servants. Imams (A.S.) have been likened tothese people because of their enjoyment of divine knowledge, of wilaya takwini (universal creative authority), their connection with Malakut (Realm of Dominion), and their not.being prophet.

One of the beliefs which the Shi’a Imāmiyya has in common with the Iranian Zoroastrians is the doctrine of Rij’at (return) and some of the humans’ coming back to life before the general resurrection. Therefore, some of the orientalists who have sought the genealogy of the eastern religions in the past 150 years make the claims upon the belief of Rij’at (return) among the Shiites influenced by ancient Iran doctrines. Having been stated the assumed probabilities about Shi’a beliefs – especially Rij’at – and the point that it is quite natural for the divine religions (provided that Zoroastrian is considered a celestial ritual) to share some beliefs, the present paper is going to adopt a historical-theological approach in order to criticize this claim, and to prove the authenticity of Rij’at belief and its reveal on the basis of the following reasons: first, one cannot claim these beliefs to be equal and the same due to fundamental differences between them, which sometimes are related to their essential distinction; second, There is plenty of historical evidence that this belief has existed among Arab Muslims for years before their communicating with Iranians; third, Shiism did not belong exclusively to the Iranians, and this Shi’a belief as well as the other ones have been in common among the Shiites in other countries; on the other hand, the Sunnis dominated Iran up to the 18th century and the majority of Iranians were totally against Shiism and its doctrines; fourth, the Arabs’ being ethnically biased against the non-Arab Iranians (Ajam Iranians) and their beliefs did not allow the Shi’a beliefs to be affected due to their Arabic entity; and finally, since the Iranian Zoroastrians lack credible sources, it is very difficult to attribute any doctrines to them and then to claim that the later schools have been influenced by them; however, Based on credible historical evidence, many of the similarities in the doctrines of these two schools can be attributed to the impact of Islamic-Shiite doctrines on the Iranian texts, and probably Rij’at belief is one of them.

Accepting the existence of superior epistemological layers and its requisites reveals the importance of secrets in reaching an accurate understanding of religious knowledge. Having semantically examined secret and mentioned its origin in Islam, the present paper tries to adopt a descriptive-analytical approach and to use library data to express why the Shi’a leaders made use of secrets. Following this, it is going to deal with the importance of analyzing the issue of secret and transferring some of the secrets which are among Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.)’s knowledge. It also reveals the positive and negative aspects of secrecy and disclosure, and while proving the corresponding layers of the Shiite doctrines, the article is going to have a look at secrecy consequences.

This article, first of all, is going to present a history of Sunni and Shiite writings on the Prophet’s parents’ faith. Then, it studies the scholars’ opinions and their documents, and it turns out that Imāmiyya scholars are all in agreement that the Prophet’s parents were faithful. This idea is based on the documents found in the Qur’an, Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) and Imams (A.S.)’s traditions, and reason judgment. Most of the Sunnis believe that the Prophet’s parents were not faithful. This view not only does not have credible documents, but also it disagrees with the Qur’an’s verses and traditions, and is also incompatible with the reason judgment. Therefore, although some of the Sunni scholars do not accept the Prophet’s parents’ faith, they pay attention to this point that the Prophet’s parents and his ancestors’ faith has been one of the most repellent topics, and so they prefer to be cautious. Some of the Sunni scholars believe in the Prophet’s parents’ having faith; however, since they are few in number, it is said that just Imāmiyya believe in the Prophet’s parents’ faith.

Noqūt is a rhetorical figure which has been around since the first centuries of the advent of Islam. This figure of speech was first introduced in the words of the Commander of the faithful Imam Ali (A.S.). He improvised some sentences whose letters had no dot. This figure is considered to be one of the most difficult and beautiful rhetorical figure, and it can be seen in Arabic and Persian works. The following article is going to introduce and correct a sermon which is on the praise of Commander of the Faithful (A.S.), and its letters have no dot. This sermon was delivered by Ali Qoli Mīrzā I’tizād os-Saltana (One of the Qajar princes). The writer of the sermon has talked of Imam Ali’s virtues and miracles in both prose and poetry, and meanwhile made use of two sermons whose letters have no dot and are attributed to Imam Ali (A.S.). After rereading this sermon and pointing out its references to Imam’s sermons and its adapta-tions, the corrector decodes the verses and traditions, and adds some extra explanations for each one in the footnote.