An Analytical Study of Knowledge of Imam (p.b.u.h) and the Cause of Differences Among Scholars in this Field with Especial Emphasis on Nahj-ul-Balaghah

Imamate is among the most outstanding Quranic issues, and knowledge of Imam is one of the most significant prophetic teachings. The way of recognizing knowledge of Imam is of great influence in Imamology. Although there is unanimous agreement among Muslim scholars in certain fields of knowledge of Imam such as authority in religious affairs, they are divided in such issues as the quality of knowledge of imam, awareness towards the inner souls of people, and the quality of Imam's knowledge to contemporary issues and problems. Taking a descriptive analytical method, the present article seeks to answer the following questions: 1. What are the different types of Imam's knowledge, and what are its sources according to Nahj-ul-Balaghah 2. What is the cause behind the principal difference among Shiite scholars when analyzing the issue of knowledge of Imam 3. What is the domain of knowledge of Imam and its dimensions based on the teachings of Nahj-ul-Balaghah Precise analysis of Imam Ali's remarks in Nahj-ul-Balaghah indicates that the holy Quran, speaking of God, and the Messenger of Allah are the intuitive sources of knowledge particularly devoted to Imam, while insight is a source of acquired knowledge common between Imam and other people. Imam relies on the latter in analyzing the conditions and seditions of his time. Therefore Imam's knowledge is both intuitive and acquired. The principal cause behind difference of Muslim scholars on Imam's knowledge is the very negligence towards the difference in the sources of Imam's knowledge in various fields. The domain of Imam's knowledge consists of affairs relevant to religion ( doctrines, practical regulations, and interpretation of the Quran), inner souls of individuals, conditions of societies, physics and the system of creation, events of the past and the future, and the socio-political situations of the time.