The Role of Islamic Jurisprudence in the Appearance of Twelvers Shiite’s Identity

We are encountered with three visions regarding the role of Islamic jurisprudence in identity formation for Twelver’s Shiite: 1.Some scholars, neglecting the jurisprudential aspect of Shiite, have tried to highlight its gnostic aspect and link Shiite’ identity with mysticism. 2. Ibn Timiye, although admitting the role of Imamites’s jurisprudence in identity formation for Shiite, rejects its legitimacy. While taking a hostile and unwarranted posture, he introduces Shiite as being based on impiety and hypocrisy, and even created by a Jewish person. He tries to demonstrate similarities between Shiite jurisprudential laws and those of Jewish and Christian’s, in order to prove his so-called claim. 3. The third theory that is Imamites’s formal belief, and also some western Shiite scholars admit that: Shiite jurisprudential laws, the quality to deduct them, and also the religious authorities that have deducted them have had a considerable role in identity formation for Shiite community from the begining. Traditions about Taghyie, traditions about Jurisprudential deviations and heresies after prophet (peace be upon him) era, and also some historical records prove the claim.