Kalam Islami

Kalam Islami

A Critique of the Debates on the Theory of Inner Guidance and Attainment of the Desired in the Station of Imamate

Author
Gholamali Jazini
دکتری علوم قرآن و حدیث، دانشگاه تهران، دانشکدگان فارابی، قم
Abstract
Allama Tabataba’i considered the Imamate to be a station beyond mere guidance in presenting the path and social-political leadership, associating it with “inner guidance and attainment of the desired through ontological influence on receptive souls.” In contrast, some scholars have raised objections, such as the incompatibility of ontological guidance with the lexical meaning of “Imam,” the dependence of legislative guidance on revelation, the possibility of achieving attainment of the desired without the position of Imamate, and the theory’s inconsistency with certain narrations. This study, employing an analytical-critical approach, demonstrates that most objections stem from conflating the essence of Imamate with its attributes and functions, neglecting the precise opposition of Quranic terms, and overlooking the conditions and prerequisites for establishing the Imamate. Based on the presented analyses, it becomes evident that Allama Tabataba’i’s theory, in light of a comprehensive and precise examination of Quranic verses and supporting narrations such as the divine hadith of “proximity through supererogatory and obligatory acts,” enjoys coherence and strong epistemological backing. Thus, inner guidance and attainment of the desired can be regarded as a profound manifestation of the meaning and station of Imamate in the Quran, and Allama Tabataba’i’s theory can be evaluated as addressing a deeper horizon in explaining the Imam’s position.
Keywords
Imamate, Inner Guidance, Attainment of the Desired, Ontological Influence