چکیده:
This research, with the aim of explaining the evolutionary process of the institution of vicegerency in Shiite Imamate, examines the historical transformation of this institution from the Minor Occultation to the Major Occultation. The present study, by adopting a descriptive-analytical method and citing primary historical and theological sources, analyzes the transition process from special vicegerency to general vicegerency. Research findings indicate that special vicegerency during the period of Minor Occultation, centered around four special deputies (Nawwab al-Arba'a), was primarily focused on maintaining direct communication with the Infallible Imam (aj), transmitting signed decrees (tawqee'at), and responding to theological doubts. In contrast, general vicegerency in the era of Major Occultation encompassed a much broader scope of responsibilities, the most important of which were religious authority (Marja'iyya), leadership of the Shiite community, resolving contemporary issues, and preserving the essence of Shiism under difficult historical conditions. This historical transition not only demonstrates the flexibility and dynamism of the Imamate system in facing changing historical circumstances but also provides a comprehensive model for the continuity of religious leadership in the era of Occultation. Examining this evolutionary process can pave the way for a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of managing the Shiite community in the present era.
خلاصه ماشینی:
The research findings indicate that Special Vicegerency during the period of Minor Occultation, centered around four special deputies (the Four Deputies), was primarily focused on maintaining direct communication with the Infallible Imam (aj), transmitting signed decrees (tawqee'at), and responding to doctrinal doubts.
In contrast, General Vicegerency in the era of Major Occultation encompassed a much broader scope of responsibilities, the most important of which were religious authority (marja'iyyah), leadership of the Shiite community, resolving newly emerging issues (mustahdatha), and preserving the essence of Shiism under difficult historical conditions.
This research aims to investigate the historical evolution of the role of vicegerency during the transition from the Minor to the Major Occultation, to comparatively analyze the duties, functions, and challenges of both special and general deputies, to explain this transformation for the structure of religious leadership in the contemporary Shiite community, and to provide a model for understanding the transformations of religious institutions within a historical context.
In the religious-theological dimension as well, the intellectual maturation of the Shiite community, the completion of jurisprudential frameworks for general vicegerency, and the mental preparation of Shiites for a new era are considered backgrounds of this transition.
The first stage, the preparation period (260-320 AH), included the gradual education of the Shiite community, the development of the institution of Marja'iyyah alongside special vicegerency, and the strengthening of the scholarly foundation of Shiite jurists.
In the theoretical dimension, it leads to the strengthening of the theological foundations of the vicegerency system in Shiism, the development of the discourse of Shiite political jurisprudence, and the deepening of the philosophical understanding of the position of the Imam's deputies.
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