Rationalism and Elective Imamate in the Political View of Mu tazilites

Mu’tazilites is famous for Intellectualism among the Intellectual trends of Islamic civilization. The foundation of Mu’tazilites being also famous for “the people of justice and unity” is consistent with the validity of reason and priority to narration. Their emphasis on the position and role of reason and its priority to narration is of close connection with the free will and freedom of human being. The idea of free will along with the principle of “enjoin the good and probed to do evil” was along with the luminous achievements and results in favor of the political thought of Mu’tazilites which can be considered within the framework of the instruction of elective Imamate.
This instruction planned to determine the boarder with Shiism and the other intellectual trends of Sunnite people introduces Imamate with the conventional fate and with the aim of satisfying the mundane benefits or expediencies. Although Mu’tazilites identifies the role of people in choosing and dismissal of Imam as well as the objection and resistance towards him, they finally rely on people efficient enough to appoint Imam. In this regard, the political theory of Mu’tazilites is mostly consistent with the tendency towards elite people and it is different from the sovereignty of people in democracy. The present article has a quick review on the development of Mu’tazilites and its theological foundations and investigates its political thought.