The Internal Coherence Test: The Rational Approach to Imamate and the Challenge of the Twelfth Imam's Occultation in Imami Theology

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Author

MEHDI AHMADI

Department of Jurisprudence and Quranic Sciences, Shiraz University

10.22067/epk.2025.93263.1438

Abstract

This study examines the internal coherence of the Imami theological system in the face of the challenge posed by the occultation of the Twelfth Imam. The central question is how the rational proofs for the Imamate, particularly the "Argument of Divine Grace" (Burhan al-Lutf) and the "Argument for the Preservation of the Shari'ah," which are founded on the necessity of a present and active Imam, can be reconciled with the reality of his prolonged occultation, which ostensibly nullifies his primary functions. Using a descriptive-analytical method and focusing on the debates between Imami theologians (such as al-Sharif al-Murtada and al-Shaykh al-Mufid) and Mu'tazili thinkers (notably Qadi 'Abd al-Jabbar), the research demonstrates that the Imami response is based on a fundamental distinction between the "existence of the Imam" as a metaphysical necessity and the "manifestation of the Imam" as a condition dependent on societal circumstances. This explanation, by shifting the responsibility for the suspension of the Imam's functions to a tyrannical society and by introducing concepts such as "existential grace" and a "tripartite division of responsibility," defends the internal coherence of the theological system. The article concludes that this challenge not only failed to break the coherence of Imami theology but acted as a catalyst for its evolution, prompting a transition from defensive apologetics to deeper philosophical-mystical explanations.

Keywords

Rational Imamate

Occultation of the Imam

Argument of Divine Grace (Burhan al-Lutf)

Qadi Abd al-Jabbar

Al-Sharif al-Murtada

Internal Coherence

Subjects

• Islamic Philosophy and Kalam

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