An Introduction to the Mystical Approach to Philosophical and Theological Arguments in Favor of the Necessity of Imamat

The Arguments in favor of the necessity of Imamat (religious leadership) are generally divided to two types: traditional and rational. Some rational arguments are more important than the others; like: the verdict of reason upon the necessity of the guidance of people, explaining and preserving the religion, and the continuance of the Divine grace. After a brief theological explanation of these reasons, we will offer their mystical origins. From the mystical point of view the problem of Imamat ant its necessity is basically a mystical problem and its philosophical explanation is also backed by mystical teachings. In Islamic tradition, the knowledge of Tawhid (unity of God) is bound to the knowledge of Muwahhid (monotheist), a perfect man that by a kind of closeness to God gained by spontaneous acts of devotion has reached to the stage of annihilation in the Divine unity and hence God has become his eyes, ears, and all his existence; and by a kind of closeness to God gained by doing obligations has reached to the stage of survival after annihilation and spiritual sobriety after self-effacement/obliteration and under the direct sovereignty of God he has possessed the place of velayat (guardianship) and absolute lordship by which he can govern over visible and invisible worlds. Such a person as the caliph of God and the mediator of God's grace in the descending arc has to undertake the governance and leadership of people in the ascending arc constantly.