ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Role of the in Building the Virtuous Community Book Three: The General System of the Virtuous Community Chapter 1: The Religious Referential Authority 1. The Religious Authority: Extension of Imamate 2. Qualifications and Conditions 3. Tasks and Responsibilities The Religious Authority: Extension of Imamate The structure of the system is based on the concept of Imamate in which the individuals of this community believe.

This conception entails that the overall guardianship and leadership of Muslims must be held by one of the Twelve Imams from the (‘a) after the Holy Prophet (S).[^1] It also entails that Imamate is an extension of the mission of the Prophets and Messengers.

This extension can be represented in the following points of similarity between prophethood and Imamate: (1) The positions of prophethood and Imamate are both identified to be divinely ordained offices that are prescribed through direct designation by Almighty Allah, like in the case of the Prophets and Messengers, or through indirect designation, such as the case of the Holy Imams and other prophets’ successors.

For instance, the Holy Prophet (S), by the command of Almighty Allah, designated Imam `Ali to be the next Imam (i.e. leader). The other Holy Imams (‘a) were specified in the same way by the preceding Imam. (2) The particularities and qualifications of the person designated as Prophet or Imam are the same. Both are, as a stipulation, required to have the highest degree of perfection, which is called infallibility ( `ismah ).

(3) Both a Prophet and an Imam undertake the same responsibilities, duties, and rights towards the masses and have the same rights, the observance of which is obligatory upon the masses.

Like a Prophet, an Imam must be obeyed by the public, enjoy general authority over them, be regarded as having a greater claim over the believers than they have on themselves, undertake the mission of conveying the divine message, edify, educate, teach the public the Book and Wisdom, tend to their affairs, and live at the same level as them.