ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Ghadir Chapter 1: A Study on the Question of Al-Wilaya By: As-Shahid Ayatullah Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr (Translated by Dr P Haseltine) In the Name of Allah, the Merciful the Compassionate Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and prayers and peace be upon Muhammad and his Family (). Some modern scholars view Shi'ism as an accidental manifestation in Islamic society.

They see the Shi'a as a part of the main chorus of the Islamic community as a result of the events which took place with the passing of time and of specific social developments, which in turn led to the formation of a special sectarian attitude within this larger body, and then gradually expanded into a sect. Having assumed this fact, these scholars disagree as to the actual events and developments which led to the growth of this manifestation and to the birth of this sect.

Some assume that the supposed political activities of 'Abd Allah ibn Saba' formed the basis for the formation of the Shi'a. Others, however, attribute the appearance of Shi'ism to the khilafah of Imam Ali, prayers and peace be upon him, and to the political and social position which was established during that era, according to the events which took place.

While others assume that the appearance of the Shi'a was hidden in events which occurred later than this in the historical process of Islamic society. What has encouraged many of these scholars to the assumption and the belief that Shi'ism was an accidental manifestation in Islamic society is, in my opinion, the fact that the Shi'a in the early times only constituted a small part of the whole Islamic community.

This fact has given them the impression that non-Shi'ism was the original foundation of Islamic society, and that Shi'ism was an accidental and exceptional manifestation, whose causes must lie in the development of the parties opposed to the situation of the day. However, it is hardly logical to define principles or exceptions, or bases and deviations, according to largeness or comparative fewness of numbers.

It is erroneous to consider non-Shi'ism as the basis according to its large numbers, and to consider Shi'ism as a deviant, accidental manifestation because this disagrees with the fundamental nature of doctrinal divisions.