Document Type : Original Article
Author
Mohammad Esmaeil Abdollahi, Faculty of Governance, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
The theory of Imamate in Imami theology faces explanatory challenges regarding the nature of the Imam's active presence in the world and the relationship between the static nature of the Imamate station and the dynamism of existence. The present study seeks to provide a novel ontological framework for Imamate using the process philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead. The data were collected through library research and analyzed using a comparative-hermeneutic approach; in this method, Whitehead's key concepts have been compared with the doctrines of Imamate, Divine Vicegerency (Wilayah), and Infallibility ('Ismah). The analyses indicate that the Imam can act as an active phenomenological entity within the flow of existence, guiding the world toward perfection through continuous engagement with it. Reconstructing Imamate in a process-oriented manner explains the concept of continuous Wilayah as a dynamic mechanism for guiding existence and resolves the limitations of static perspectives within Imami theology. The innovation of this research lies in integrating process philosophy with Shi'i theology and presenting a new ontological framework for Imamate.
Keywords
- Imamate
- Process Philosophy
- Alfred North Whitehead
- Dynamic Ontology
- Continuous Wilayah
- Shi’a Theology
Main Subjects
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