Acceptance of Guardianship and How It Affects Mental Health

The guardianship of the Ahl al-Bayt is one of the important theological and doctrinal issues in Islamic culture. In the teachings of the Qur'an and hadiths, the issue of acceptance of guardianship is considered not only a characteristic of a believer, but also a condition of faith, in so far as some narrations have considered dying while not knowing the Infallible Imam as the death of an ignorant man. This important issue is achieved in the light of knowledge ,obedience, adherence and love for the infallible Imams; it many positive effects on the person who accepts the guardianship of the infallible Imams, and ensures his/her mental health. Using descriptive-analytical method and based on the Quranic-narrative approach, this study examines guardianship and how it affects mental health based on the school of cognitive psychology and according to the verses of the Holy Quran and the narrations of the infallible Imams. The results of this research show that from the perspective of the Qur'an and hadiths, accepting the guardianship of the Ahl al-Bayt in three areas of individual, social and future life, changes one’s outlook and contributes to mental health. Self-purification, true faith, social order, security, salvation and acceptance of worship are among the effects that improve the mental health of those who believe in divine guardianship.