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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Shiite Apologetics Question Twenty Three Why do the Shiites consider that the successorship to the Prophet is decided by Gods command and introduced by the Prophet himself ? Answer: It is clear that the holy religion of Islam is a universal and eternal religion, that the Holy Prophet leads the people while he is alive and that after his demise the position of leadership should be entrusted to the worthiest person in the community of Muslims.

In regard to the issue as to whether the leader after the Holy Prophet, may God bless him and his descendants, is appointed by God and introduced by the Prophet or whether he should be elected by the people, the Shiites believe the Prophet's successor is appointed by God, whereas the Sunnis believe that people should elect the leader to manage the affairs of the community.

Social Considerations Prove the Need for the Divine Nomination The Shiite scholars have, in their books of creed, stated many reasons to support the belief that the successor to the Prophet should be appointed by God's command. What is important is that an analysis of the social circumstances in the time of the Prophet clearly bears witness to the soundness of the Shiites view.

The foreign and domestic political status of the Islamic community at the time of the Holy Prophet required that the successor to the Prophet, may God bless him and his descendants, be, through the Prophet himself, appointed by God, because the Islamic community was regularly threatened with destruction by a dangerous trio consisting of the Roman Empire, the Persian monarchy, and the domestic Hypocrites.

It was also necessary that for the people's interest, the Prophet appoint the political leader in order to unite the people against the foreign enemies and stop the enemies' infiltration and domination, which the interior disputes, would strengthen. Further Explanations The Roman emperor, a dangerous side of the trio, about which the Prophet was preoccupied to the last days of his life, was located in the North of the Arabian Peninsula.

The first military encounter between Muslims and Christian army took place in Palestine in 8th year after Hijrah. In that war three of the Muslim army commanders: Ja`far al-Tayyar, Zayd Ibn Harithah, and `Abdullah ibn Rawah were killed and the war ended in a bitter defeat of the Islamic army.