A Study of Historical Changes of the Phrase Religious Necessary in Imamiyeh Fiqh

A survey of historical changes of the phrase "necessary" in Imamiyyah denomination is of great importance. Such being the case, it is necessary to analyze how the term ’ religious necessaries’ has appeared and taken various meanings. This paper is an analytic-descriptive one, based on the fact that the place of necessaries in religion is higher than theological and jurisprudential arguments, and above consensus, and is applied to such facts needless of any proof. It has been concluded that the phrase is a new one not being used before Ibn Idris in the field of theology and jurisprudence. It was first applied by Muhaqqiqi Helli; after Muhqqiqi Helli and Allameh Helli it became a current phrase mong the later faqihs with its most usage by the author of Al-Jawahir. Intending to prevent currency of takfir and limitedness of ijtihad, contemporary scholars have limited the field of its usage.