Shi'ite Imam
| Immam of | |
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| إمام | |
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| Incumbent | |
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Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Mahdī - محمد بن الحسن المهدي for Twelvers Aṭ-Ṭayyib Abī'l-Qāṣim - الطيب أبو القاس for Ṭāyyibī-Mustā‘lī Ismāʿīlī Muslims The living Imām for Nizārī Ismā'īlī Muslims Imāms continuing through the Houthis for Zaidis with no divine attributes |
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| Details | |
| First monarch | Ali |
| Formation | June 17, 656 |
In Shia Islam, the imamah (Arabic: إمامة) is the doctrine that the figures known as imams are rightfully the central figures of the ummah; the entire Shi'ite system of doctrine focuses on the imamah. Shi'ites believe that the Imams are the true Caliphs or rightful successors of Muhammad, and further that Imams are possessed of divine knowledge and authority (Ismah) as well as being part of the Ahl al-Bayt, the family of Muhammad. These Imams have the role of providing commentary and interpretation of the Quran as well as guidance to their tariqa followers as is the case of the living Imams of the Nizari Ismaili tariqah.
According to Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, the Imam is a means through which humans receive divine grace, because "He brings men closer to obedience (of Allah) and keeps them away from disobedience." As fulfilling the human being is his wish, it is logical that God appoints Imams to subject man to his wishes. So his existence and his deeds display two forms of grace of God toward man.
The word "Imām" denotes a person who stands or walks "in front". For Sunni Islam, the word is commonly used to mean a person who leads the course of prayer in the mosque. It also means the head of a madhhab ("school of thought"). However, from the Shia point of view this is merely the basic understanding of the word in the Arabic language and, for its proper religious usage, the word "Imam" is applicable only to those members of the house of Muhammad designated as infallible by the preceding Imam.
The Shia further believe only these A'immah have the right to be Caliphs, meaning that all other caliphs, whether elected by consensus (Ijma) or not, are usurpers of the Caliphate so those were political positions not divine positions.
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