• Concerning the problem of succession to the Prophet, the contemporary

author Wilferd Madelung suggests: ‘Prophet Muhammad could not have

seen his succession essentially other than in the light of the narratives of the
Qur’an about the succession of the earlier prophets.. . In the Qur’an, the
descendants and close kin of the prophets are their heirs also in respect to
kingship (mulk), rule (hukm), wisdom (hikma), the book and the Imamate.’
(1997, pp.16-17)

• According to Madelung, two following elements prevented ‘Ali from

caliphate: First,he weaken of Banu Hashim family at the time due to the
complains on ‘Ali,s mission in Yemen three months before the death of the
prophet. Second the ambition of some Quraishi figures such as ‘Umar and
Abu Bakr who considered themselves more entitled to the position than ‘Ali.

 The problem of legitimacy of the leader for the community after the demise
of Prophet Muhammad led the followers of ‘Ali b. Abitalib to believe in a
kind of charismatic authority of the household of the Prophet.

 Charisma, according to Max Weber, is “a certain quality of an individual

personality that distinguished him from ordinary men and treated as
endowed with supernatural, supper human, or at least exceptional qualities.”
 Shi‘ is of the early Islam adopted a kind of charismatic authority for the
household of the Prophet throughout two important but rather ambiguous
notions of walayah/ wilayah and mithaq.

 Walayah is an expression of allegiance to ‘Ali and his descendants and their

cause, whereas wilayah refers to their right to political authority followed by
necessary loyalty to them. Mithaq (covenant) is a primordial pact between
God and men (specifically the prophets) to ensure their loyalty and
obedience. Shi‘is believe that allegiance to ‘Ali and his progeny are part of
the divine covenant.
Shi‘is of early Islam cultivated a community by either practical or virtual
charismatic leadership, and loyalty to this charisma gave them a special
community feeling which deferred from the routinized community of Sunni
Muslims.

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