The Shi'a Wall: III
In the West, our jurists provide a counterbalance against the overreach of the political class. They are more than willing to clip the wings of our talking parrots. The Marja' is a jurist as recognizable as our SCOTUS Chief Justice. But his authority is every bit as political as it is jurisprudential.
Merely take a moment to consider how many of the earlier Marja' (or for that matter, the Caliphs on the Sunni side of the house) suffered assassination. Power always breeds contempt for power.
In modern history, President Saddam Hussein was so intimidated by Grand Ayatollah Abu al-Qasim al Khoei that he embarked on a killing spree of his own, causing the deaths of many members of the al-Khoei family.
The power of a Grand Ayatollah is immense. He can issue a call to arms, assemble an army, disrupt the peace in a region with one fatwa, or even order the death of men who live in the West - geographically distanced from his locus of control. The fatwa is to be adhered to by those who follow the Grand Ayatollah. So a Marja' in Iraq may issue a fatwa, but the Shi'a population who follows another Marja' in Lebanon are not bound by his words.
Bottom line? The Shi'a believe the Imamate is an extension of the prophethood - with a supernatural dimension. The Imam is untouchable. None can attain to his rank. Even a scholar who might presume himself the better man will never be considered as presenting the Divine Will of God. Because only with the Grand Ayatollah is the gift of 'isma - or the inerrancy - of his words.
More importantly, the imam has the potent duality of living in the seen (Kantian universe) and waltzing right into the world of the unseen, or occult world. They are believed to be able to observe phenomena that seem unconnected and yet instinctively grasp the connections of the "unknown" things. This might be called inspiration... or revelation.
As a journalist, I do this on small scale. When networking, things are never mono-dimensional, in that I listen to verbal communication while catching what I call "signals". An analytical mind reduces everything to predictable boundaries (with an enormous battle against boredom). Where is the fun in that?
Actually, scientists like Dr. Alexis Carrel have studied perception and non-rational perception. He leans toward a gnostic perception with the addition of inspiration. He was fascinated with extra-sensory perception and clairvoyance. His research probed the world of scientific genius. How, exactly, do we have that light bulb moment? He was not concerned with the Imamate, but what his research uncovered has applications for the Imamate. We cannot always discount that which we have not ourselves experienced; that which the other cannot prove with empiricism.
Ultimately, the Imam is protected in his "pride of place" by various ayat in the Qur'an:
There is a warning 33:36... There is a reminder: 8:49. And then, Qur'an 48:10 offers up a strong statement regarding the value of allegiance, and the backdrop for this is the pledge taken at Hudabiyah.
As stated in an earlier post, I do not anticipate the collapse of Iran with this latest wave of protests. Those that consider themselves the "true Believers" will beat back, lock up, and torture the citizens who are seeking a change in the levers of governance. If I am wrong, I will be the first to admit it. I strive to be ethical and accurate in my journalism.
Enough for now, regarding Imamate. Thank you for reading these posts.
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