Analyzing the Personality of the First Deputy of Imam Mahdi (AS) with Emphasis on Historical-Narrative Sources

The purpose of this article is to analyze the personality of the first vicegerent of Imam Zaman (AS) with emphasis on historical-narrative sources. Since Muslims, especially Shiites, had access to their infallible Imams (a.s.) for three centuries after the advent of Islam, the sudden disconnection from their infallible leader would have adverse effects, including denial and deviance. The aim of the present study is to answer the question; what challenges did the Mahdavi community face in the absence of the Imam? In order to avoid these challenges and some other problems, it was necessary that some persons act as a special vicegerents of Imam Mahdi to establish the relationship between the people and the Imam. And, it was essential that personalities with outstanding characteristics become the vicegerent of the Imam Zaman (a.s.). The method of the current study is descriptive-analytical and the method of data collection is library based on narrative-historical sources and authoritative books. The findings of the research show that the duties of the first agent of Imam Zaman (A.S.) in the political and social dimension, include removing the doubt and amazement of the people, hiding the name of the Imam and making taqiyyah; and in the cultural dimension, include the practical education of the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.) and answering the jurisprudential questions. Narration of the numerous hadiths and emphasis and confirmation of other scholars of the Islamic world on the outstanding characteristics of the first viceroy, namely Uthman bin Saeed, are evidence of his merit in being represented by the imams (pbuh), especially the Imam Mahdi (pbuh).