The Position of the Principles of Twelver Shia Beliefs in the Works of Western Shia Scholars مقاله

خلاصه ماشینی:

Attention to the distinction between two conflicting readings of Twelver Shiism is necessary, which are: a) A reason-centered, dynamic, critical, and justice-oriented Shiism that considers the Imams as the heirs of all prophets, especially Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and views Shiism as the realization of their theoretical and practical foundations, and believes in the unity of Muslims with the People of the Book as well as the unity of various Islamic schools of thought; b) An irrational, stagnant, anti-critical, and superstitious Shiism that reduces Shiism to certain outward rituals, and therefore becomes a source of disagreement and division, and also contradicts the unifying current of prophethood from Adam to the Seal [of the Prophets]. However, Bar-Asher writes doubtfully that if the Twelvers consider the Quran incomplete, they should read the Shiite Quran, although this has never occurred, and concludes that although Shiites generally believe the Uthmanic version is incomplete, as long as Sunnis rule the Islamic world, Shiites are forced to protect the standard book based on Taqiyya, but after the appearance of the Imam of the Time, he will correct the errors of the Quran. The subject of social justice, as the rational root for the necessity of the existence of Imams, has also been overlooked by Western Shiite scholars, and the principle of imamate has been evaluated not from an epistemological dimension but mostly under the influence of Sunni historical reports; reports that have introduced Shiism as an innovating, rebellious, and protesting sect that was unwilling to accept consultative decision-making; therefore, fair theories of researchers such as Madelung, Corbin, and Winters are less observed in the works of Western Shiite scholars.