ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Shi'ism and Its Types During the Early Centuries Supplement 3 In another instance, in a letter to one of his officers assigned for the collection of zakat, in which the Imam sets forth the manner in which the latter is to approach the people, he writes to him to make the following announcement while approaching the tribes: O creatures of God! The waft of God and His vicegerent has sent me to take from you God's due pertaining to your property.

[^85] The expressions "waliullah" and "khalifatulluh," applied by the Imam to himself, are entirely Shii conceptions. In any case, the conception of wilayah is one that grew during the caliphate of Imam Ali (a) and it characterizes the Shi'i viewpoint concerning Imamate. [^86] In the course of several sermons that he delivered during the period of his caliphate the Imam makes prophesies of future events, which are traditionally known as malahim wa al-fitan.

In these statements, the like of which were never heard from any other caliph, he would make prophesies about the future, though of course not as a political analyst. The attraction of the Imam's personality for the mystics and the sufis had roots in his profoundly pious and ascetic life-style and thinking. It led to a conception of his personality that introduced him as someone who was a perfect instance of the high spiritual station of wilayah.

The conception of wilayah as a preeminent spiritual station has roots in the statements and conduct of the Imam himself, who would make declarations from the minbar (pulpit) formally claiming to possess the knowledge of everything and asking the people to question him about anything before the time when he would not be in their midst. [^87] At the conclusion of the citation of these precedents it would be appropriate to mention an important episode.

When A'ishah was preparing to stage a rebellion against Imam Ali, Umm Salamah, one of the most dignified wife of the Prophet (s), tried to persuade her against carrying out her plans.