Feasibility of Ontological Guardianship of Humans from the Perspective of Shi'a Scholars Based on the Quran and Hadith

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Instructor, Department of Islamic Studies, Imam Hossein University, Tehran, Iran

2 Instructor of the Department of Education of Imam Hossein University (peace be upon him).

3 A graduate of the third level of the seminary, a doctoral student at the Islamic Studies School, the Faculty of Theology and Religions, Shahid Beheshti University.

Abstract

Ontological guardianship is a significant topic among Muslim thinkers and a fundamental belief in Shi'a theology. According to this doctrine, alongside legislative guardianship, Allah inherently possesses ontological guardianship. However, the central question of this research is whether humans can also possess ontological guardianship. This study examines this issue by analyzing the perspectives of philosophers and theologians with reference to the Quran and hadith. The findings indicate that, based on the views of philosophers and theologians—derived from Quranic verses and hadith—there is no intrinsic impossibility (imtinā‘ dhātī) in the occurrence of ontological guardianship for humans. Furthermore, the ontological guardianship of certain individuals, particularly prophets and Imams, has been widely accepted among Shi'a scholars, especially philosophers and theologians. This concept does not lead to shirk (polytheism) or exaggeration (ghuluw) regarding divine figures, particularly the Imams, and thus does not contradict divine lordship. Accordingly, the majority of Shi'a scholars, by referring to religious texts, maintain that intervention in the natural order is primarily and essentially for God and secondarily and derivatively for certain righteous servants, granted by divine permission. This study employs a library-based research methodology to collect data and utilizes a descriptive-analytical approach to address its primary research question.

Keywords

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 09 November 2024
  • Revise Date: 02 December 2024
  • Accept Date: 25 January 2025
  • Publish Date: 10 March 2025

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