ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Discussions Concerning al-Mahdi (May Allah Hasten His Return) Principality of Reason or Narration in Specifying the Imam (peace be upon him) Question: In the issue of Imamah , between reason and narration, which is given precedence? In other words, are the issues pertaining to the topic of Imamah primarily provable through intellectual proofs or narrated proofs? Answer: As can be understood from the question itself, issues are of two types.

One type are the issues that are ascertained through reason and are accepted through application of logical procedures and intellectual proofs, such as proving the existence of Allah, His essential attributes of perfection, and the necessity of prophecy, i.e. the proof of prophecy in general.

The other type are those issues that are proved solely through narration, meaning that there is no way of proving them except revelation and relation by a truthful relater, that is, a prophet or Imam whose prophecy or Imamah is already established. Among these issues, there are also some issues that can be established in both ways. Of course, in this case the narrated proofs are a form of guidance towards the intellectual proofs.

The researcher must be well attentive to this aspect of issues and must see which discussion can be established through reason, which through narration alone, and which through both methods. And in each case, he should commence according to the method peculiar to that issue so that he can reach an appropriate conclusion. Otherwise, if he wishes to enter into an exclusively narrational issue through reason, it is natural that he will not reach a valid conclusion.

It is possible that some may raise a question regarding whether the principality of reason takes precedence in the issue of Imamah over the principality of narration or not. The answer is that that in the issue of Imamah , like the issue of prophecy and the conditions of a prophet, proving the principle of general Imamah , i.e. proving the principle of a need for the existence of the Imam and the conditions of the Imam, is accomplished through reasoning.

Of course, if the issue of Imamah were among the issues that are outside the limits of understanding of human reason and reasoning did not understand it independently, it could be proved by narrational evidence alone, i.e. the guidance of the Prophet.