فصلنامه تاریخ اسلام
پیاپی 53 (بهار 1392)

The system of representation includes infallible Imams (PBUT) and a number of close and trustworthy followers through the cooperation of each other, they could provide the ground for the development of coherent structure relying on it; their religious goals would be authenticated. The responsibilities of this organization were not limited to the financial affairs and it was included their political, religious and guide duties. These formations were initiated since the second half of Imamate period, from the time of Imam Sadeq (PBUH) afterward and gradually it could be of more order, extensiveness, coherence and constancy till the end of the lesser occultation. In the time of Imam Kazem (PBUH), this system encountered with problems such as arrestment and torture of holiness as well as some lawyers, whereas the domains under the domination of lawyers could be developed through their extensive activities. The lawyers of that holiness were busy acting in the regions such as Kufa, Bagdad, Medina, Egypt and some other parts. In spite of imprisonment and the existent pressure, that holiness could preserve and develop the systems established by his respectful father, Imam Sadiq (PBUH). In the present writing, it would be investigated the position as well as the condition of this system in the period of Imam Kazem (PBUH) and also the role of that holiness in its preservation and development.

The major issue of this writing would be the investigation of the Shiites’ strategy under the guidance of Imam Kazem (PBUH) (148- 183 after hijrah) on the basis of the systematic framework and the logical coherence of Shahid Sadr through the compound method of text and background. In the most difficult political conditions, Imam Kazem (PBUH) took the battle strategy and preserved the Shiite community through the foundation of cultural – scientific, relational-formational, economical bases, along with policy making base of Shiism towards the system of Abbasid caliphate. In this regard, he took advantage of the political elements of concealment, tactical penetration, relational messages, coherence and organization, resistance, patience as well a educating and training of efficient powers and consequently a successful strategy was achieved.

Cessation on some one from the household of prophet as the last Imam and expected Mahdi has not been a new and unprecedented issue. A group of Shiites who knew Imam Kazem (PBUH) as Mahdi and Qa’em have been identified as Vaqefieh or Vaqefeh. This group who had devoted a great deal of power and time of Imam Reza (PBUH) to themselves had been considered a serious threat to the decent Shiite thought in many aspects. In this regard, the identity and characters of the stated trend has been investigated by the researches and the analysts of Islamic studies in diverse aspects. To these researchers, the personal motivations and beliefs of the initiators of Vaqefieh are considered as the main elements towards the advent of this trend. The present writing is to investigate the religious beliefs and ideological instructions of Shiite community of that time through the exploration of documents and to verify this claim that Vaqefieh ideology contemporary to the time of Imam Reza (PBUH) would be the continuation and the evolutionary script from the early deviation having been developed on the basis of the two principles of ‘Imamate’ and ‘Mahdaviat’ and it has been of a requiring manifestation in the different span of time.

The major issue of this article would be the investigation of the trend of intellectual extremism in the Period of Imam Kazem (PBUH); the main representatives of this trend were the followers of Vaqefi like Mohammad ibn e- Bashir e-Kufi. The present research mostly compiled via the sources of sects and rijal (scholars) is to accurately identify this person and his intellectual trend along with the other extremists of this period such as Moshabbaheh and the way of Imam’s confronting with them. The study of this issue clarifies that Mohammad ibn-e Basir attracted people through the particular tricks and stated extremist beliefs like the divinity of Imam and cessation on him so that this matter led to Imam’s confrontation with him. To encounter with the idea of extremism, Imam Kazem (PBUH) denounced Mohammad ibn e- Bashir, cursed him, called him fabricator, considered his martyrdom legitimate, illuminated towards those in favor of extremism also warned the people of future and encountered with extremist idea of Moshabbaheh.

It has been a long time that orientalists have been involved in the studies regarding Islam with diverse motivations, whereas the academic and methodical research of westerns related to Shiism is less than a century. Their study concerning Shiism within the last decades has been of considerable development while their investigation related to Imamate has not been so extensive and it is limited to some encyclopedic articles and a number of books in regard with the history of Shiism having been occasionally discussed about Shiite Imams (PBUT). The consideration as well as the clarification of the article of Imam Kazem (PBUH) compiled by Ethan Kohlberg in the encyclopedia of Islam Leiden as well as the section related to Imam Kazem (PBUH) from the book "religion of Shiism" (mazhab e-shiah) by Donaldson and the book "Shiism" (tashayyó) by Hines Halm would be the major concern of the present article. The study of the material of these three Shiite western researches declares a rather general picture around the life of Imam from birth to martyrdom. This issue of the succession of Imam and the advent of dispute among Shiites and also the development of numerous sects, the social political problems in the time of Imam, the confrontation of Imam with caliphates, Imam’s numerous arrestments, the investigation of several speeches about martyrdom of Imam and its consequences along with the investigation of the reasons of advent of Vaqefiah sect following Imam’s martyrdom would be the positive points of researches of westerns. On the other hand, the way of Imam’s collaboration with the sects, the positions of Imam about the uprisings of Alawites in this period, the political-social positions of Imam particularly in the interaction with caliphates, the way of relationship of Shiites with Imam specially within scientific-cultural ground would be the points not being considered by the orientalists concerning the life of Imam Kazem (PBUH).

Although the ground of development of mystic paths in the world of Islam has initiated from the 4th and the 5th centuries and the first type of these paths refers back the 7th century. Majority of these paths attribute their dynasty to Shiite Imams, particularly from Imam Reza (PBUH) to Amir al-Mo’menin (PBUH), to Mohammad prophet. Now this question is raised in regard with the kind of picture at hand from Imams and particularly from Imam Kazem (PBUH) in asceticism and Islamic mysticism having led to their acceptance as one of the most significant element of mystic dynasties. In some sources, it has been claimed that some earlier Sufi sheikhs have been in contact with Imam Kazem (PBUH). The present article initially introduces the ascetic books and afterward, it investigates the amount of rightfulness and accuracy of narrations concerning the relationship of Sufi sheikhs with that Holiness. It has merely concluded that in asceticism and mystic books, it has been briefly stated from Amir al-Mo’menin to Imam Sadeq (PBUT) while there is no report about the other Imams especially Imam Kazim (PBUH). Second, it considers quite provable the meeting of one of Sufi sheikhs named ‘Shaqiq Balkhi’ with Imam Kazem (PBUH); nevertheless, this very meeting has not been mentioned in any mystic texts, so it has not been effective in the history of mysticism and development of mystic paths. Consequently, appreciating the mode and cause of the entrance of the names of Imams to the mystic dynasties referring to asceticism and Sufi texts could not be effectual and the other reasons would be required.

The book of “History of Bagdad” (Tarikh e-Bagdad) authored by Khatib e-Bagdadi (463 B.C) is considered as one of the most significant sources of the Sunnis in regard with the biography of people including the life of Imam Kazem (PBUH). What has been written in this book related to the life of Imam Kazem (PBUH) has been frequent in the earlier sources while numerous sources of Shiite and Sunnite have narrated reports around the life of Imam Kazem (PBUH) relying on this book. Investigating the nine specified narrations of the mentioned book regarding the life of Imam Kazem (PBUH), this writing studies the sources of Khatib e- Bagdadi in presenting the reports related to Imam’s life along with the way of the entrance and continuation of these narrations in the written sources after the book “History of Bagdad” and it follows the development of these reports as well as the way of their entrance into Shiite and Sunnite sources also the amount of their development until the 11th century. The studies done in this regard declares that the majority of the sources having derived the traditions specific to the life of Imam Kazem (PBUH) out of the “History of Bagdad” have made some changes considering their religious tendencies and occasionally they have totally put a narration away.

Mothers of Imams are considered as the most influential persons in the period of Imams (PBUT) and since they are the salient example of ‘respectful relatives’, a high position is considered for them. So the study of Lady Hamideh’s life, Imam Kazem’s mother, would be of particular importance and necessity, due to the fact that Imam Baqer and Imam Sadiq (PBUT) have had precious words about her and familiarity with the history of her life can lead to reviewing parts of the history of Islam through a new approach. The present writing has investigated the narrations in regard with Lady Hamideh and familiarity with the personal and characteristic properties, her position in the household of Imamate I addition to her social role considering the present reports in the period of Imam Sadeq and Imam Kazem (PBUT). The most significant reports would be the cases indicating the appointment of this Lady for the contribution of the rights of Medinite people as well as Imam Sadiq (PBUH) delegating her as an authority to respond to the jurisprudential questions and also Imam considering her as successor.