The Reasoning for the Grace and Occultation

The reasoning for the Grace, due to its important position, is famous as the ‘Rule of Grace’. This position has been propounded by Islamic theologians and intellectuals from a long time ago. It has been the source for a lot of articles of faith, in a way that, with it the Delegation as a Prophet, Installation, Divine retribution, Heaven, Hell and the Obligations-whether religious or reasonable- are justified and fixed. The Grace, is divided into the ‘Favorite of God’ and ‘Gained’. Among the believes that can be followed-up through this rule is the ‘Imamat discussion’, that its Appointment, Installation and Proving is done based on the ‘Rule of Grace’. But when we put forward the discussion during the Occultation period and during the Occult life of the Imam, we would face with some basic questions that in a way, shows a kind of contradiction of arguments. As an example, on the one hand, it is said that the Imam’s existence and Appearance at any period is a grace, and on the other hand, it is said that the Occultation is a grace too; because the people during the Occultation period are tested by God through the period and the testing paves the way for the perfection and spiritual progress of humanity. So, with this view, both the ‘Occultation’ and ‘Appearance’ would be Grace, and this, in a way, shows a kind of discrepancy of proofs and incoherence between the two. In order to answer to the abovementioned question we should say that, if we pay attention to the discussion more deeply and carefully, not only there isn’t any kind of discrepancy of proofs between the ‘Occultation’ and ‘Appearance’, but also we would see a kind of minimum and maximum relationship between the two. First because, on the basis of ‘Gained Grace’, the very existence of the Imam for humanity is a grace and human being in his/her creation, is in debt of the Imam’s existence and this matter does not have any discrepancy with the Occultation. Second in the ‘Favorite of God Grace’, also, there is not any discrepancy between the ‘Occultation’ and ‘Appearance’; because not only the Imam during the Occultation period is not the kind of person who has no freedom of action, but also his guidance and influences become manifest in the form of appointing the ‘Particular Deputy’ and the ‘General Deputy’; and in this way he administers the people’s affairs. So, there is no difference, whether for the Imam to be in the ‘Occultation’ or in the ‘Appearance’, the people can benefit from his grace. The only difference is between the minimum and maximum benefit. That is because during the ‘Appearance’ due to the Imam’s usual presence among the people, the benefit that the society takes from him is more.