Studying the Concept of Allegiance in Islamic Culture And its Role in Proving Imamate

Allegiance is one of the preeminent concepts in Islamic culture. A look at the most prominent political-social events of early Islam, considering the thoughts and arguments of each group, shows the institutionalization of commitment to allegiance among them. Among Islamic scholars, there is almost a consensus that legitimacy of sovereignty of Infallible Imams is the result of the [religious] texts, not allegiance. The present article, while studying the concept of allegiance, mentions its historical course in early Islam, dealing with its instances and its role in Imamate in Shiite culture.