Discerning truth during occultation of the Imam

If it is said: What is the way of finding the truth during occultation of the Imam? If you say that there is no way, you have led people to confusion, misguidance and doubt in all their affairs; and if you say that the truth is found through its proofs, you will be told that this is a clear admission of lack of need of the Imam through these proofs.

We will say: True propositions are of two types: One is supported by rational arguments and the other is based on narrated proofs. Propositions based on intellectual premises are established and discerned through their proofs, and propositions based on narrations are substantiated through their proofs, which comprise the sayings of the Prophet (s) and the Imams, who have explained the subjects and elaborated them and left nothing unexplained.

However, the case is as we assert: we proved the need of the Imam, because the reason of this need, which is continuous in every time and age, is that he is a grace for us, as discussed earlier, and no one can take his place. The need of narration is also clear, because though narrations are from the Prophet (s) and forefathers of the Imam (a.s), it is possible that the narrators turn away from them, either intentionally or by mistake, and the narration may remain disconnected or through someone who is not reliable. We have discussed this fully in Talkhis Shafi and will not prolong the inquiry by bringing it here.

If the opponents say: We suppose that some narrators concealed the Shariah and the word of the Imam is needed and the truth may not be known, but through him, and on the other hand, the fear of life from his enemies continues. So what is the solution?

If you should say that he will appear despite his fear for his life, it follows that his fear for his life does not warrant his occultation in the first place, and thus, he must appear. If you say that he will not appear and the duties that have not reached the Ummah are not binding, it is an assertion against consensus (Ijma), which says that everything the Prophet (s) has introduced in his Shariah and has explained it, is imperative and binding on the Ummah until Judgment Day. If you say that the duty is still binding, you are suggesting a duty that is beyond our capacity and an obligation to perform a task, which we do not know.

We will say: We have answered this question in Talkhis Shafi in detail. In brief, if Allah knows that some narrations pertinent to the binding religious laws have not reached people in a situation of Imam’s dissimulation (Taqayyah) and fear from his enemies, He will annul their imperativeness from the people, who do not have access to them. However, if consensus proves that religious duties are continuously binding over all people of the Ummah until Judgment Day, it can be inferred that if such an interruption in transmission of narrations occurs, it will be only in a situation when the Imam is able to appear and make declarations and issue warnings.