Whereas the Russian, Chinese, and other revolutions, at least in theory, seek to negate the past in a radical fashion, to react against it, on the contrary, the Islamic Revolution is the continuation, the culmination of an important part of the Islamic heritage of Iran. In one sense the beginning of that heritage comes with the introduction of Islam to Iran in the seventh century, of the Christian era. In a more immediate and important sense, the appropriate point of departure for our examination of the historical background of the Revolution is the early part of the sixteenth century, which sees the conversion of Iran into the only country in the Muslim world with a majority adhering to the Shi'i school of thought. It is appropriate, therefore, also to say at least a few words about Shi'ism.
The Shi'i school of thought in Islam, which has an extremely complex history, has gone through many different stages of development, both in Iran and outside. It is hardly possible for me to attempt even a sketch of those developments here. What I will lay emphasis upon are those aspects within the context of Iran that have had an important political and social impact. Whatever version of Shi'ism one looks at, at whatever point it may have expressed itself in Islamic history, the crucial point has been the doctrine of the Imamate, the figure of the Imam, who is not merely the successor of the Prophet (on whom and whose family be peace) in a legislative, administrative, and even military capacity, but also represents in some sense an extension of the spiritual dimensions of the prophetic mission. Let there be no mistake: Shi'i Muslims, like the Sunnis, fully accept and believe in the sealing of prophethood with the Prophet Muhammad (on whom and whose family be peace). However, they differ in their theory of the succession, not merely in the identity of the successor, but also in the functions of the successor. The functions of the successor, the Imam, in Shi'i beliefs, include the authoritative explanation of the text of the Qur'an, the authoritative interpretation and even extension of Islamic law, the guidance of the individual in his spiritual life in a fashion somewhat akin to the role of the murshid in Sufism, and the role of sole legitimate leader of the entire Muslim community — the ummah.
Given the occultation, the ghaiba of the Imam (that is, his disappearance, his absence from the plane of physical history from the 3rd/9th century), it can be said that in a certain sense much that is implied in the Shi'i doctrine of the Imam has also absented itself from the worldly plane. This absence of the Imam has been one of the constant preoccupations of Shi'i philosophy, mysticism and, speculation. What we are concerned with here is chiefly its political implications. If the sole legitimate successor of the Prophet, if the sole wielder of legitimate authority after him is no longer present on the earthly plane, that means that inherently any worldly power that claims to exercise authority must ipso facto be illegitimate unless it can demonstrate in a clear and indisputable fashion that it exercises rule on behalf of the absent Imam. This very important belief has led the Shi'i Muslims to assume throughout the major part of their history a stance of rejection or at best limited acquiescence with regard to political authority, with regard to de facto existing political authority; whereas for the greater part of the history of the Sunni Muslims the prevailing political theory, in its classical formulation by al-Mawardi, was that the existing political power should not be disputed on condition that a few simple preconditions were observed, like the sultan performing the Friday prayer and the sharx a, at least certain segments of the shari'a, being formally implemented.
Shia Notion of Succession: Eternal Messenger of the Heavens
