Taftazani...

Taftazani, a famous Sunni scholar, in his book ‘ Maqasid ’ defines Imamate as “the leadership of the public as Caliphate and succession of the Prophet (a.s) in religious and social affairs.”[^1] Qushji, a great Sunni theologian, gives the same definition.[^2] Other Sunni scholars have presented the same or nearly the same definitions for Imamate.[^3] As is quoted, Abu Bakr too, when denying Ansar’s[^4] candidate for Caliphate, adduced the tradition: الأئمَِّةُ مِن قُريشٍ.