The Imamate of the People of the House Based on the Verse of Kindness for the Kinsfolk (of the Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H)

One of the reasons for the Imamate of the twelve Imams of the Household is the affection verse, verse 23 of the Surah al-Shūrā: “Say, I do not ask you any reward for it except love of [my] relatives” and the traditions related to it. Based on these traditions, the intended meaning of the “Ghorba” in the holy verse is Amir al-Muminin Ali (A.S), Fatima al-Zahra (A.S), and the other Imams from Amir al-Muminin’s descendants. Imami Shi’ite has agreed on this issue. Some of the Sunni scholars have also accepted it especially about the People of the Cloak. In this holy verse, the kindness for the kinsfolk of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is considered as the reward for his mission. This issue suggests that their spiritual status is measured by the status of the prophecy. Thus, considering that erudition and infallibility are the important conditions of Imamate, the Imamate of the Imams is proven. Imamate has the inward and outward, scientific and practical, moral and political dimensions. From Islam’s perspective, being a man is one of the requisites of political Imamate. Thus, not believing the political Imamate of Fatima al-Zahra (A.S) does not do any damage to the implication of the affection verse on the Imamate of the Household. Moreover, believing the Imamate of Amir al-Muminin (A.S) at the time of the holy Prophet (PBUH) and the Imamate of Imam Hasan (A.S) at the time of Amir al-Muminin (A.S)- according to the affection verse, is not incompatible with the unity of Imam at any time; because the purpose of the unity of Imam at any time is not that only one holds the position of Imamate; rather, it means that in addition to having the status of Imamate, Imam has the right to practice vicegerency and Imamate independently. In other words, having two Imams at one time, one follows the other like the prophecy and Imamate of Moses and Aaron at one time.