A Critical Study of the View Regarding Return, Raj`at, and Reincarnation as Being Identical

Belief in raj`at and disbelief in reincarnation is one of Shiite important issues in theology. However, some Sunni scholars have falsely conceived that Shi`ah has viewed the two teachings to be identical and, thereof, attributed rationality of reincarnation to Shi`ah and opposed raj`at. But such an attribution is clearly false. The main question posed by this study, then, is: what is the difference between raj`at and reincarnation in Shiism? The response of the question, with a fair approach, will show that how Shi'ite teaching of raj`at differs from that of reincarnation. Research findings make it clear that these two concepts are different, raj`at is reasonable and accepted, while reincarnation is not reasonable. In this article, an attempt has been made to study the sources of this false judgment at first and then, argue for raj`at and against reincarnation. The method of the study is a descriptive and analytical one