Investigating the Origin of the Idea of Political Power in Islamic Thoughtwith Emphasis on the Imamat of Ali (A.S.)

The present study aimed to investigate the Shiite way of thinking compared to the Sunni way of thinking regarding principles, rules, and presuppositions of political power. Therefore, political power in the thinking of Shiite Imamate emphasizing Imamat of Ali (A.S.) and Sunni Imamat emphasizing Sunnis' specific approach to the caliphate was investigated through the descriptive-analytical method. Concerning the difference between the meaning of Imamat in the Shiite and Sunni, according to Sunnis, Imamat means caliphate. The Sunni way of arguing for government and political power is generally outside the Shari'a and is based on custom and intellectual necessity. However, Shari'a is based on the theory of power. On the other hand, in Shiite, the Imamat is a set of roles about the Imam's guardianship and religious authority, and political power will be one of those roles. When religious authority is considered a comprehensive aspect of the Imam's positions, guardianship and political authority will also be the Infallible Imam's right. In this case, the image of the separation of the Imamate's affairs, including the leadership and political leadership of the society from Imam's religious authority, is incorrect.