The Human Free Will in the Doctrines of Imam’s Inner Guidance: Allameh Tabataba’ie’s Views

The concept of "inner guidance" refers to the continuous and stable flow of divine guidance provided by the Imam, which aims to lead individuals towards eternal happiness. However, this raises an apparent contradiction: how can humans be guided along a predetermined path by the Imam if they possess free will? Allameh Tabataba'ie's philosophical framework reconciles this tension. He posits that the Imam's inner guidance does not negate human free will, but rather serves to provide the necessary perceptual and cognitive foundations for individuals to make voluntary choices. In other words, the Imam's guidance empowers people with the knowledge and understanding required to freely pursue the path towards felicity. This explanation allows for the rational defense of human free will within the doctrine of the Imam's inner guidance. The Imam's influence is positioned as an existential and perceptual facilitation rather than a coercive force that overrides individual autonomy. This articulation helps resolve the apparent paradox between divine guidance and human free choice.