Doctrinal-political current of the companions of Imam Ali (as) with the focus on Imamate

After the demise of the Holy Prophet of Islam, the election of a caliph by some, the appointment by the previous caliph and the election by the council as three theoretical foundations for the legitimacy of the caliphate of the caliph were accepted by a significant part of Muslims. Throughout this period, Imam Ali (as) and his followers had a different theoretical basis for the caliphate. After the assassination of Uthman and the allegiance of the people to Imam Ali (AS), the Islamic society was divided into two currents, Shia Ali and Shia Uthman. Those who pledged allegiance and the companions of Imam Ali (as) were not one in thought and belief and all of them did not support him to the same extent and belief. Rather, their supportive motives were different. The present study, with a descriptive-analytical method and by presenting historical evidences and documents, has tried to identify the doctrinal-political currents among the companions of Imam Ali (as) and to recover their intellectual characteristics about Imamate. The findings show that there were two general currents among the companions of Imam Ali (AS) called the current of religious Shiites and the current of political Shiites. The first stream believed in the Imamate of Imam Ali (as) based on his will. The second current believes in the caliphate of Imam (AS) based on allegiance and council. They considered allegiance to Imam Ali (as) as allegiance to the first caliphs; It did not take long for this current to branch out from within. The political Mu’tazilites, the Ottoman Basra, and the Kharijites are among these sects, each with different views on the caliphate. In this research, while discussing one by one these currents, their influential personalities have been traced and coherent views and principles of these currents (especially about the special Imamate of Imam Ali (AS)) have been presented. Demonstrating the historical originality of Imami theological thought about Imamate and presenting a clear picture of the relationship between doctrinal and political currents among the companions of Imam Ali (as) is another result of the present study.