ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Emergence of Shi'ism and the Shi'ites The First Discussion: The Genesis of Two Main Currents during the Prophet's Lifetime The two chief tendencies closely associated, from the start, with the emergence of the Islamic Ummah during the Prophet's lifetime are: One, the current representing a belief in the devotional acts of religion, its arbitral power and the unconditional acceptance of religious stipulations for every aspect of life.[^1] The second is a current which sees religious faith as eliciting devotional deed only within the special scope of overt and covert acts of worship.

It believes in the possibility of independent legal Judgement ( ijtihad ) and free discretion for the amendment and improvement of religious stipulations according to benefits ( masalih ) which might accrue in other domains of life.[^2] The , being foremost in faith and enlightenment, were the best fit to create an apostolic community ( Ummah risaliyyyah ); so much so that in all of human history no doctrinally-cohesive generation has been nobler, more magnificent or unsullied than the one brought up by the Prophet.

Despite this, one must accept the existence of a wider tendency - beginning while the Prophet was still alive - proffering independent legal judgement as a way of determining “benefit” and inferring it from the circumstances. It emphasized, on the other hand, devotional acts in strict accordance with the letter, religiously stipulated.

The Prophet on many occasions suffered indignation on account of this tendency, even in his last hours, as he lay on his deathbed (as we shall see).[^3] But there is the other tendency, which consists in a belief in and acceptance of the arbitral power of religion, such that devotional acts accord with both the religious stipulations and every aspect of life.

One of the reasons behind the spread among Muslims of the tendency toward independent legal judgement is that it seemed to cohere with man's natural inclination to exercise his discretion, especially in view of a perceived or valued benefit rather than of some resolution whose significance he can hardly fathom. This current counted several bold representatives from among the more well-placed . One case in point is `Umar b.

al-Khattab, who used to argue with the Prophet and to exercise independent legal judgement on a number of issues in a way that was at variance with the provisions of the law.