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SHIISM: THE BEGINNING

The term shiite literally means followers or partisans. It eventually became a specific name for the followers of the Prophet Household, namely Ali and his descendants. Ibn Manthur defined Shiite in his famous lexicon Lisan al- Arab (the Arabic language) as 'the people who are devoted to and follow the prophet household. [The term] his been customarily applied to all those who follow Ali and his posterity until it became a label specific to them'.

Analysis of Shiite doctrines and thought leads us to recognize that the Imamate (leadership) of the Prophet Household, i.e. Ali and his descendants, constitutes a cornerstone in its structure and in fact the very foundation on which it stands. This stems from the belief that the imamate is one of the basic tenets of the Islamic faith embodying the uninterrupted extension of the Prophet's march and deriving its significance from its role in expounding Islamic thought, safeguarding and applying Islamic laws, and shouldering responsibility for its diffusion and progress after the prophecy stage.

Hence, all Muslims with the exception of two minority groups, namely al- Khawarij⁽¹⁾ and al-Mutazila⁽²⁾ agree on the imperativeness of the Imamate.

The Holy Quran establishes the significance of the imamate institution and its intellectual, political and doctrinal role when it recognizes it as a mandate awarded by God to the elect of the faithful. This is found in the following verse reporting God's dialogue with his prophet Abraham:⁽³⁾

And when his Lord tried Abraham with his commands and Abraham fulfilled them. He said:

I have appointed you an Imam [leader] for mankind, Abraham asked: and what of my descendants [will they be leaders?] he said: my conveant does not in include wrongdoers.

Another verse provides further clarification of the imamate and its importance for humankind in its definition of the role of imams and their qualifications:⁽⁴⁾

We appointed imams [leaders] from among them who gave guidance at our bidding in view of their patience and belief in our portents.

In confirmation of its importance, Prophet Muhammad linked the imamate to true faith in from and substance when he declared: "whoever dies not knowing the imam of his time dies a jahilia [pre-Islamic or pagan] death"⁽⁵⁾ and similarly "whoever dies without an imam, dies a pre-Islamic death⁽⁶⁾ and finally "whoever dies not having pledged allegiance to an imam dies a pre-Islamic death"⁽⁷⁾.

Building on these prophetic revelations, Imam alSadiq underlined the significant role played by the Imam in the doctrinal, political and cultural progress of the nation and hence, the necessity of this institution: "If there were only two persons left on earth one of them must be an Imam"⁽⁸⁾.

In view of this overwhelming evidence, Shiite scholars assigned great importance and priority to the issue of the imamate or leadership and believed that the imamate succeeds the prophecy stage.

Accordingly, they defined it as a general headship in matters of religion and life performed by a person in the prophet's place. And since it is a mandate and a deputization by the Prophet, naming the leaders succeeding him must be one of his duties. Furthermore, given the importance of the leadership issue and its consequences for the future of the nation and the faith, the Shiite asserted that the Prophet who is concerned with the nation's future and responsible for the preservation of the faith would not have ignored it and risk discord, dissension and conflict. In support of this viewpoint, the Shiite present Quranic verses and traditions which unequivocally indicate that the Prophet and since the early days of his prophecy sought to educate and prepare some of his companions and followers to become the vanguards of the Islamic march but none of them received the special attention and care he devoted to Imam Ali.

This is clearly seen in the prophet's inclusion of Ali in his household and imparting to him his moral and ethical standards before the beginning of the prophecy. His upbringing in the prophet's house safeguarded Ali from the evil practices of the pre-Islamic era and immunized him against the customs of that pagan society and, as a result, he never worshipped an idol.

When God chose the Prophet Muhammad to convey his message and guide humankind, Ali was the first to embrace Islam. The Prophet tutored Ali in the religious knowledge revealed to him from God and favoured him with the attention a teacher usually assigns to his outstanding and most promising student. As a result, Ali had a firsthand experience of the message with his thoughts, consciousness and conduct. A glimpse of this special relationship is provided by the following statement by Imam Ali:⁽⁹⁾

I was granted an hour at dawn [regular audience] to visit the Prophet. If he was in prayer he would indicate his permission for me to enter by reciting glory to God and if he is not praying he would give me his permission.

The same source also quotes Imam Ali as saying: "I used to frequent the prophet twice every day: at night and in the day time".⁽¹⁰⁾ He is also reported to have said: "whenever I asked the prophet he answered me and if I remained silent he addressed me".⁽¹¹⁾ His close association with the Prophet is also described by Imam Ali as follows:⁽¹²⁾

I used to follow him around like an estranged small camel follow his mother's Trail. Every day he enlightened me with an aspect of his virtues and instructed me to emulate him.

On several occasions the prophet proclaimed Ali's special position and status until it became evident to all the companions that he was preparing and qualifying him to undertake the imamate and leadership responsibility.

It is reported that on the day the prophet was commanded by God to call his clan to embrace the faith in the following verse: "Admonish your nearest kinsfolk"⁽¹³⁾ he invited thirty members of his clan to a meal. After they finished eating he addressed them: 'who among you will insure my religion on my behalf, keep my promises, and be my successor and companion in Paradise, Ali replied: I will and the prophet said: 'It shall be you'.⁽¹⁴⁾ It is also reported that the Prophet and before embarking on the military campaign which led to the Tabuk battle appointed Ali as his deputy in Medina and said to him:⁽¹⁵⁾

Aren't you satisfied that you are to me in the position of Aaron to Moses save there is no Prophet after me.

Another saying by the Prophet attest to Ali's supreme position: 'Ali is part of me and I am part of Ali and no one acts on my behalf except I and Ali'.⁽¹⁶⁾ In addition to these traditions advanced in support of the imamate of Ali, followers of the Prophet Household also present evidence from the Quran which refer to Ali and his special status in several of its verses such as the following:

'God needs to remove uncleanness from you, the Prophet Household and to purify you thoroughly'⁽¹⁷⁾. This verse has been interpreted by the prophet in words and deeds. An account of this is reported by the Quranic commentator Jalal al-Deen al-Sayuti, in his interpretation of the Quran entitled Al-Dur al-Manthur: 'the prophet threw his cape on Ali, Fatima [the prophet's daughter and Ali's wife], al-Hassan and al-Hussain when this verses was revealed to him and said: 'God, these are Muhammad household, let your prayers and blessings be on them as you have done with Abraham household'. This tradition has been confirmed by a number of sources⁽¹⁸⁾. Finally, followers of the Prophet Household point at the consensus among Muslim interpretors that the following verses was revealed on the occasion of Ali giving alms to a poor man who entered a mosque where Ali was praying:

Your leader is only God, and his Messenger and those who believe; who establish prayer and pay zakat [the poor due] while they are bowing down in prayer. Those who follow God, his Messenger and the faithful must know that God's followers are sure to triumph⁽¹⁹⁾.

1-Al-Khawarij: A group of Muslims who believed that any man is entitled to be chosen as caliph.

2-Al-Mutazila: a sect of Muslims founded in the second Hejra century by Wasil bin