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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books A Victim Lost in Saqifah 1-4 Criticism and Opinion Guardianship and Imamate Is Inseparable From Apparent Caliphate Ustad Ja’far Subhani writes in this respect: “There is another theory against all we have said so far. Shia scholars agree unanimously on it. The theory goes to say: Imamate is a guardianship bestowed by God to Imam. To make it more clear: Imamate is a position similar to prophethood. It is neither selected nor elected.

It is chosen or appointed by God Himself. The holder of this position, the Imam, is chosen and appointed by God. Therefore Imamate is extension of Message brought down to people by Prophet. A Prophet is a founder of divine legislation over the earth. Imam is a guard of this legislation and guard of Message. Imam goes parallel with the Prophet except in getting revelation, which is the only distinction of Prophet.

The Imam too is distinguished with qualifications and qualities necessary to a Prophet. He must be unique in knowledge and well conversed with principles, fundamentals, branches, decrees, rules, etc. An Imam too must be protected from committing any mistakes, big or small. [1] The office of Imamate in Shia school is extension of duties, which are Prophet’s responsibility. Imam performs all duties of a Prophet.

The obligations that bind a Prophet are transferred to the Imam.” [2] As such if rulership is within the ambit of prophethood of a prophet and this office is established in the entity of prophet, then it cannot be separated from the entity of an Infallible Imam also. Therefore it cannot belong to other than the person of Imam. Since Imamate is the extension of prophethood, rulership too comes within the range of Imam’s responsibilities as it was the case with the Prophet.

Therefore it is unreasonable to think of separation between office of Imamate and rulership. We follow this discussion from the angle of knowing minutely the duties of a Prophet: Ustad Ja’far Subhani writes under the heading: Whether government is possible without an Infallible Imam – if it is a divine right: [1] Ustad Ja’far Subhani: Rahbari-e-Ummat (Leadership of the nation), Pg. 20 [2] Ibid. Peshwayi az Nazar-e-Islam (Leadership in the view of Islam), Pg.

3 “There is no doubt that one of the duties of prophets and one of the branches of their Guardianship is their government and their command over people.