Imamate in Ibāḍiyya, Criticism and Evaluation

 Imamate is one the most significant theological issues in Islam, resulting in a serious disagreement among the Muslim. Ibāḍiyya, occupying a specific position among Islamic theological schools, holds a special approach towards Imamate while it is a principal pillar of Imamiyya. The present thesis surveys the position of Ibāḍiyya on the issue of Imamate through a descriptive-analytical research in library sources and electronical ones as well. On the issue of Imamate, Ibāḍiyya has many commonalities and discords with Imamiyya, such as its being obligatory before the both sides. The main discord among them is the text-oriented (Mansus)  approach of Imamis to the issue, although Ibāḍis have also legitimized the obligation (Vujoob) of Imamate through the Quadrial Reasons. Ibāḍi sources have introduced the governmental and worldly positions of Imam into theological issues in the quadrial levels of Emergence (Dhuhoor), Defense (Difa), Shira (Purchase) and Kitman (Denial), which could be compared with the conditions of the era of Shia twelve Imams. On the issue of Mahdaviyya, as a significant principle of Imamate, nothing noteworthy has been related by Ibāḍis, who come to deny it in some cases. They have just pointed to some Sunni traditions on the acceptence of the conditions of the End of world. Ibāḍis^, position on mahdaviyya is surveyed for the first time in this thesis.