Ithna Ashariyah: Difference between revisions

5. Maʿad (Day of Judgment). In the principles of tawhid, nubuwah, and maʿad, identified as usul al-Islam (essential for being a Muslim), the Shiʿis in general share a common ground with the Sunnis, although there are differences on points of details.

The principles of ʿadl and imamah are peculiarly Shiʿi in that they are regarded as usul al-iman (essential to the faith). Shiʿi belief in God 's justice is similar to that of the [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Mutazilah Muʿtazilah], who taught that God is infinitely removed from every evil act and from being remiss in doing what is good for humanity. Divine justice also means that God provides humanity with the knowledge of good and evil and creates reason to guide a person to such knowledge. However, there is no guarantee that reason would always seek out the most beneficial way to perfection. Hence, God sends revealed messages through prophets as a complementary source to reason to remind humanity of its fitrah (innate disposition) inclined toward perfection. The principle of imamah is regarded as part of the divinely appointed office of the prophecy to continue the Prophet 's mission of establishing the ideal community on earth.  

In Twelver Shi‘ism, the term imam indicates those members of ahl al-bayt who are the true spiritual leaders of the Muslim community regardless of any political recognition or lack thereof extended by the Islamic world at large. The imamate, like the prophecy, is protected from sin and is regarded as a divinely designated office. Through the imamate, survival of religion is guaranteed, hence the Shiʿi belief that “the earth cannot be set aright except by the Imam.” This means that there is an imam in every age, either manifest or concealed, who has the knowledge of the lawful and unlawful in Islam and who calls people to the way of God. There are times when the community can be without a manifest imam; this happens when God is enraged at the people for endangering the imam 's life. Thus, the twelfth imam went into occultation in 874 and will continue to live in this state for as long as God deems necessary; eventually, God will command him to reappear and take control of the world in order to restore justice and equity. During the occultation, the marjaʿ al-taqlid can act on God 's behalf and guide the Shiʿis in their religious and social matters.

==Tawalla==

The obligation of tawalla (befriending) has led to two important religious practices unique to the Shiʿis: first, the [[ziara]] (visitations) to the mashhad (mausoleums) of the imams and their descendants; and second, [[majalis]] (devotional gatherings) to mourn the [[martyrdom]] of [[Imam Husayn]] on [[Ashura]], the tenth day of [[Muharram]], in [[Karbala]]. Both these practices have provided the Shiʿi minority with a renewed sense of loyalty to the Prophet 's family. The shrine cities of [[Karbala]], [[Najaf]], [[Mashhad]], and [[Qom]] have functioned as the religious centers for the ordinary Shiʿis and learning centers for their mujtahids, who continue to teach in the holy sanctuaries. The Muharram commemoration has fostered among the Shiʿa an identity consonant with their vision of history in which the godly people suffer at the hands of the oppressors until God commands the [[Mahdi]] to restore justice and equity on earth.