The Role of Popularity in the Doctrine of the Necessity of Imam's Superiority

The necessity of Imam’s superiority is one of the oldest theological issues of Imamate which has always been a matter of controversy. The Sunni and Shia views on this issue are usually considered distinct and divergent. The Shiite are identified as ardent fans of the doctrine of the necessity of Imam’s superiority, whereas Sunnis are viewed as those who regard popularity as an obstacle to accepting the theory of the necessity of Imam’s superiority. Drawing on the views of the most important Islamic denominations, The present paper tries to introduce the true theory of Shia school and at the same time argue for the role of popularity in the issue of the necessity of Imam's superiority. The findings of the study show that if we regard lack of popularity as having several levels and consider the hatred toward the superior person as being at the highest level, this level of unpopularity will affect the decision about the role of the superior individual as Imam. There is evidence shwoing trances of this theory in the words of Imamites theologians.