Molla Sadra's Views on Prophecy and Imamate

The present paper explains Mulla Sadra's arguments for the necessity of having imam in the society and his views on the belief in Mahdism, after investigating his views on prophecy the way of receiving revelationand Imamate in the transcendent philosophy. Furthermore, by explaining Mulla Sadra’s views about the existence and occultation of the Twelfth Imam, it briefly compares his views on Mahdism with those of al-Farabi, Avicenna, Suhrewardi, (Master of illumination), MirDamad, and with those of such Shi’a theologians as Sheikh Mufid, Seyyed Mortaza, and Nasir al-Din Tusi. It is noteworthy that Molla Sadra’s view not only consists of all views of by gone thinkers, but also includes innovative and unprecedented points on the issue.