The Shias refer to their scholars to interpret Islamic beliefs during the occultation. The Shias follow the Quran and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as the essential part of their belief. They also follow the 12 Shia Imams from the progeny of the Prophet, who continued the message of the Holy Prophet. There are no differences or contradictions between the teachings and the traditions of the Prophet and the 12 Shia Imams. Thus, the Shias are blessed to have divine guidance and teachings from the generations of 12 Imams who lived among the Muslims for about 250 years after the demise of the Prophet. There are countless narrations from the Shia Imams about every aspect of the Islamic teachings and laws. The history of these 12 holy individuals is full of wisdom for any person’s life, with lessons for overcoming any challenges. The Shia theology is unique among the other Muslim sects in having access to the precious historical resources from the Prophet and the 12 Imams. As a result, the Shias are proud of having a doctrine in every aspect of the Islamic sciences.
The massive collection of the narrations and historical records from the Prophet and the 12 Shia Imams have survived through history. They are used by Shia scholars in seminaries to defend the Islamic principles and to respond to any new questions regarding Islamic laws. The Shia Imams would always encourage their followers to refer to the trusted Shia scholars for their Islamic affairs. The efforts of the Shia Imams in training scholars, spreading their knowledge, and establishing a network organization of their representatives among the Shia communities were all towards preparing the Shias for their future. This policy was also approved and prescribed by Imam Mahdi. In one of his letters during the minor occultation, Imam Mahdi explicitly referred his Shia followers to the scholars by writing, “In the events that happen, refer to the narrators of our traditions (scholars), because they are my proof upon you, and I am God’s proof upon them.”. Thus, the Shias refer to their scholars to acquire their Islamic knowledge and interpretations during the occultation.
