Occultation (Ghayba)
The Twelver Shia belief that the twelfth Imam is hidden from view until his return, raising the question of legitimate leadership in his absence.
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- Hidden Imam
- Muhammad al-Mahdi (12th Imam)
- Minor Occultation
- c. 874–941 CE
- Major Occultation
- 941 CE – present
Detail
Occultation (Arabic al-Ghayba) in Twelver Shiism refers to the concealment of the twelfth Imam, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Mahdi, from human sight; according to Shia belief he is alive but hidden and will return at the end of time to establish justice. The occultation has two phases: the Minor Occultation (c. 874–941 CE), during which the Imam communicated with the faithful through four appointed deputies, and the Major Occultation, which began in 941 and continues to the present. During the Major Occultation, the institution of the marja'iyya and the scholars assumed religious leadership of the community as general deputies. The concept of occultation is the source of the idea of 'awaiting' (intizar) and the theoretical ground for debates such as velayat-e faqih.
Related entities
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Iranica — 'Ḡayba'
- Britannica — 'Occultation'
- J. M. Hussain, 'The Occultation of the Twelfth Imam'