Evidence for the Legitimacy of the Government Run by the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (piece be upon him), in the Political Thought of the Shi‛a in the Era of Imam’s Presence

Some of the Muslim orientalists and intelletuals hold the belief that the ShiÝa, to defend the legitimacy of the government run by Imam Ali (peace be upon him), in spite of the existing overt protest and opposition against the then government and the process of electing someone as a successor, has had no basis for the legitimacy of the government of their Imam and think it suffice to cite the Imam’s dependence on the Messenger of God. Such a misgiving brought about this question that “What evidence has the ShiÝi people presented to prove the legitimacy of the government run by the Commander of the faithful, Ali (peace be upon him)?” To answer the above question, the present research, having criticized this theory, has deduced the evidence for the legitimacy of Imam Ali’s government on the basis of the political ideas and actions of his companions. The findings of the research show that Imam Ali’s companions have proceeded to defend Imam Ali’s right to the government by recourse to the theological beliefs diffused among the Muslims and explained by the Holy Prophet and have taken measures to establish the legitimacy of the government of their Imam drawing upon such expressions as the ‘Imam whose obedience is obligatory’, the ‘successor of the Messenger of God’, ‘knowing, Immaculate, and ‘divinely appointed Imam’.