an imam through supporters who carry out his command; otherwise, he would be like any other person of knowledge and religion—if indeed he were among the people of knowledge and religion(1).

If it is said:

“When he—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—gained effective power in Medina, he acquired, in addition to messengership, an imamate based on power(2),”

it may be said:

“Rather, he was then a Messenger with prominent followers and supporters who carried out his command and fought those who opposed him. For as long as anyone remains on earth who believes in Allah and His Messenger and strives in His cause(3), he has helpers and supporters(4) who carry out his command and fight those who oppose him. Thus, through his helpers he acquired no further office that needed to be added to his messengership, such as being an imam, a judge, or a ruler, since all of this was already encompassed by his messengership. Rather, through his helpers the full measure of his power was realized, making command and jihad obligatory upon him to an extent that had not been obligatory without such power. Rulings differ according to differing states of ability and inability, knowledge and its absence, just as they differ according to wealth and poverty(5), health and illness. In all of this, the believer obeys Allah and obeys the Messenger of Allah. In everything that he commanded and forbade, Muhammad was the Messenger of Allah and [obedient to Allah](6) in all of it.”

If the Imamis say:

“Unlike messengership, the imamate is obligatory by reason and is therefore more important in this respect,”