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First Alteration
Imamate and Rulership

Introduction

As has become evident the ground of Imamate, Wilayat and Caliphate of Prophet’s Ahle Bayt forms and frames differences between beliefs of followers of Ahle Bayt and Caliphs in addition to right of succession of Infallible Ahle Bayt, which was hijacked at Saqifah Bani Saada. This Saqifah is the spot wherefrom start all troubles, agonies, tyranny, terror and so forth against the Imams, the offspring of Prophet. For instance, one is attack on the house of the only daughter of Prophet. This attack gave strength to pillars of later tyranny that was in store for Prophet’s family. As such, the differences too attain depth between two schools, Shia and Sunni, which cannot be denied.

Existence of such a wide crevice could appear to those who invite towards Islamic unity, as a setback. To remove this setback, in their mind, no stone should be left unturned.

We witness a unique thought and an odd idea towards separating the position of Imamate of Ahle Bayt from office of rulership. They claim that worldly position or any office is worthless and too little for dignity of an Imam.

As a result of these misunderstandings they think that Imam Ali (a.s.) was on good terms with Caliphs. We shall deal with this conjecture in a systematic manner in this chapter.

 

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With regard to deviation of relation of Imamate and rulership our discussion is as follows:

First batch: There are three kinds of separations between Imamate and rulership.

Type A)

Separation of Imamate from rulership, in the sense of setting aside Caliphate and considering it out of argument.

Type B)

Separation of Imamate from rulership, in the sense of Caliphate being independent of Imamate.

Type C)

Separation of Imamate from rulership, in the frame of ‘Great Imamate’ and ‘Great Caliphate’.

Second batch: to show rulership in little value or worth before Imamate.