There are two kinds of guardianship for Ahl al-Bayt(s.a): Creational and Legislative.
Creational guardianship means that by the permission and the will of Allah(God), the Infallible Imams have discretionary power and have an influence on the world and its items. The prophets’ miracles and the extraordinary acts of some spiritually great people are some kinds of that.
Legislative guardianship means to guard and superintend the community
and the believers. Each of the Infallible Imams, in his era, is a guardian and custodian of the society and guides people legislatively.
One of the important duties of the expectant people (those who wait for the Imam to come) during the time of occultation is to hold firmly to the rope of the guardianship of Ahl al-Bayt(s.a). It means that they should act in accordance to the Sunnah (the tradition) of the Prophet(s.a) which was bestowed to his Household after the demise of the Prophet(s.a).
It is narrated from Imam Kāzhim (the seventh Imam of the Shia) to have said,
طُوبَی لِشیعَتِنَا المُتَمَسِّ یکنَ بِحَبلِنا فی غَیبَة قائِمِنا
“Blessed are our Shias who resort to the rope of our guardianship
during the occultation of our Upriser(Twelfth imam).”
In addition, Imam Sādiq (the sixth Imam) states,
… يَأْتِي عَلَى اَلنَّاسِ زَمَانٌ يَغِيبُ عَنْهُمْ إِمَامُهُمْ
“There will come a time wherein the Imam(s.a) absents from his followers.”
Then Zurārah asked, “What will people do in that time?” The
Imam(s.a) replied:
يَتَمَسَّكُونَ بِالَْمْرِ اَلَّذِي هُمْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ
“Resort to the thing [the guardianship] which they believe in, until
[the matter] becomes clarified for them.”
Reference:
Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 51, p. 151.
Kamāl al-Dīn, vol. 2, p. 351.
Kamāl al-Dīn, vol. 2, p. 350.
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