Representation of Shiite Evidence in the First Half of the First Century

After the demise of the Prophet of Islam, the election of the caliph by a group of Muslims, the appointment by the previous caliph, and the election by the council as the three theoretical foundations for the legitimacy of the caliphate were accepted by a significant number of Muslims. Throughout this period, Imam Ali (AS) and his followers had a different theoretical basis for the caliphate. With a descriptive-analytical method and by presenting historical and narrative evidence and documents, the present study seeks to show a current called "Ideological Shiites" among the companions of Imam Ali (AS) and to restore their intellectual characteristics on the issue of Imamate. The findings show that there was an important and influential current among the companions of Imam Ali (AS) that believed in his Imamate based on the vicegerency of the prophet. Another result of the present study is to show the historical originality of the Imami theological thought about Imamate and to criticize Ibn Taymiyyah's view which has limited the ideological Shiites to a few people whom the Imam opposed.