نشریه امامت پژوهی
پیاپی 6 (تابستان 1391)

Light increase of the Commander of the Faithful (pbuh), which is qualitatively of the kind and accompanied by the Holy Prophet’s light increase, is among the usages of the term “light” in the Islamic written heritage. Data for this have been presented in the two large scale fields of reports and its scholars’ approaches. Reportsconcerning this point also well known as the hadith of light may be seen in many authentic written Imami texts (though their authors followed various hadith and theological movements). Documents for this hadith may be traced back, through eighteen ways, to theHoly Prophet (PBUH) and some Infallible Imams, and according to the criteria to evaluate authenticity of a hadith, this one is classified under the most authentic ones, “hadiths with a successive chain of narrators”. In the Imami scholars’ approach to the above mentioned heritage, in addition to agreement with reports, some functions of it have been recorded among which we may mention historical, theological, and interpretive ones.

The present article tries to study the narrative indications of Divine appointment of the Imam in materials accepted by all Imamis in particular through a reference made to the hadiths quoted in al Kafi as the main ideological and intellectual sources of Shi’is in centuries after Kulayni. Thus, at first, the notions of “Imam” and imamate and appointment have been discussed and then characteristics of the Imam which may be taken as indications of his appointment will be discussed. From among the most important characteristics, infallibility, knowledge, superiority, and assumption of obedience may be mentioned. In the present article, such indications have been noted in such an order that according to which the Divine place of the Imam may be clearly explained and it may be shown that the Shi’i view to Imam as the Divine proof and vicegerent of God is so that Imam cannot be thought of as being chosen by others or by people of the convention. Also, such a place cannot be a result of the natural process of man spiritual progress as introduced in the theory of the righteous scholars (‘ulama yi abrar).

The present article argumentatively discusses the most important duties such as knowledge, obedience, submission, gratitude, friendship with friends and enmity to the enemies of Imam, assistance, revival of the Imamate of the Household (pbut), praying and expecting for appearance which should be observed towards the Infallibles (pbut). Knowledge of the Imam is a precondition to acquire faith, belief, and act. Since Imam has been appointed by God to guide human beings, obedience to him is connected to obedience to God and the same as obedience to God. On the other hand, true faith is defined by submission to the Imam, and non submission is the same as polytheism (shirk). And one of the effects of submission is allegiance with the Imam (pbuh). Assistance to Imam is as a matter of fact assistance to God’s religion as a consequence of which the one who assists the Imam cannot be overcome. To whom who revives or enlivens the cause of Imamate of the Household (pbut) is granted the never ending Divine mercy. In the age of occultation, expecting for appearance of the Awaited and praying for him is one of the main duties of the Ummah towards the Imam (pbuh) and brings about many blessings.

Based on a descriptive analytical methodology and through an interpretive approach, the present article studies the scope of the knowledge granted to those chosen by God in the Holy Quran. The importance of the present study lies in the fact that it may be taken as a basis for Shi’i beliefs concerning Imams’ knowledge. The present study comes to the conclusion that in the scopes of various sciences such as natural sciences, events happened in the past and which will happen in the future, the kingdom of heavens and the earth, things hidden to the external senses …, God has granted special knowledge to His Prophets properly. The second part of the study shows that such special sciences are not exclusive to the prophets and others such as Luqman, Talut, Dhu’al Qarnayn, Maryam had enjoyed such sciences as God willed. Thus belief in immensity of the scope of knowledge granted to those who have been chosen by God is not an exaggeration. And if such knowledge is proved, based on authentic arguments,for Imams of the Household (pbut), it may be accepted and is supported by the Holy Quran.

Among approaches to evaluate religious doctrines and concepts are theological and philosophical approaches, each of which looks at religious issues and concepts according to some methodologies and based on some presuppositions and principles. Referring to the prominent figures in well known philosophical and theological schools, the present article, as much as the space devoted to this article allows, has studied the Prophet and Imam’s knowledge of the hidden which is one the special doctrines of Shi’ah. Views of each of such figures concerning the Prophet and Imam’s knowledge of the hidden as well as its limitation are based on their principles and presuppositions. Such views have been discussed in the present article in brief, and a brief conclusion has been provided.

According to Shi’is, Shi’i Imams enjoy religious authority; and, Shi’is believe that, after the Holy Prophet (PBUH), religious and scientific authority is exclusively that of Imams. Because of the role played by Imam after the Holy Prophet (PBUH) which is the same as an all inclusive guidance, according to the Shi’i school, Imam is in a relation to the grand Divine sources and enjoys knowledge of such sources and his knowledge is higher than ordinary knowledge being communicated through hidden and heavenly channels. The Holy Quran and hadiths suggest that Imam’s knowledge is connected to God the Glorified. There are many sources for Imam’s knowledge among which the most important ones are the Holy Quran, the Holy Spirit, Jami’ah, Mushaf of Fatimah (PBUH), texts and books of the prophets, column of light, thousand windows to knowledge (alf bab)1, narration, the Grand Name. According to verses and hadiths, knowledge of commandments as well as halal (lawful) and haram (unlawful) has been communicated to the Imams (pbut) by the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Thus, the role played by Imam concerning these sciences is an explanatory and interpretive one; and Imam is a guide by whom disputes may be removed and sciences communicated by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) may be presented and explained. In addition to granting perfection and realizing continuation of the prophethood of the last prophet, Imam plays the role of a special guide or Imamate proper. Hadiths concerning connection between Imam and angels and other channels for Imam’s knowledge have been explained in this way. Channels such as intuition, and presentation of acts to Imam as well as daily reports provided for Imam, which are emphasized by verses and hadiths, are among referents of this guidance and the role played by Imam in it.

Most hadiths quoted by Shi’is and Sunnis suggest that when the verse of guardianship was revealed the Commander of the Faithful (pbuh), while in bowing, gave his ring to a poor. This specifies the primary and definitive referent of the third group of the guardians after God and the Holy Prophet (PBUH); and, in addition, it confirms the translation of the term wali (guardian) into “supervisor and one vested with authority”. Thus, if the relation between the verse and its occasion of revelation is confused, it will be advantageous for those who introduce suspicions. That is whysome people have tried to interpret the term ruku’ (bowing) in the sense of khusu’ (humility) and thus to go in this way. In the present article, the author will review the history of this suspicion and some traces of it in the present time, and then he will show that this claim is not scientifically supported.