Hadiths are hadiths. On their own, they can never be relied upon as basis for formulating a doctrine.baqi wrote: What, then, are we to make of the famous hadith of the Prophet:
“There will be, after me, twelve successors.”
Even if we consider it to be true, it does not say that the twelve successors will be one after the other.
A much stronger hadith 'Tahqlain" which states that I am living behind two weighty things, the book and my progeny and these two will last until the Day of Judgement. Certainly the twelve Imams will not take you to that day.
According to Ismaili tradition, there are always two Imams alive, Imam Mutaqarr (Imam)and Imam Mustawda (Pir). The Pir is the Speaking Imam, the one who interfaces with the community and guides them to the Godhead as manifested in the Silent Imam. At present both positions are held by the Mowlana HazarImam. For more on this, there has been a discussion in this forum at:baqi wrote: Nothing that we have said in the previous pages invalidates Imam Musas’s Imamah; it only shows that, on its own, the Twelver line cannot function properly. There needs to be a manifest Imam in every age in order to guide the people. But there are two kinds of Imams, as has been explained by Imam as-Sadiq
In every age, there are two Imams: one speaking [natiq], the other silent [samit]
That speaking Imam now is Mawlana Hadir Imam Shah Karim al-Husayni. But this does not negate the existence of Imam Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Askari as a hidden, silent Imam. The hadith of twelve successors validates that lineage of Imams. ].:
Doctrines --> Pir and Prophet
Normally an Imam would never reveal his spiritual glory and splendour in open. There has to be a right context for that to happen, for example with his murids or those who have the right esoteric background.baqi wrote: The Ismaili Imams have themselves validated this line by their own participation in the Twelver Ni’matullahi Sufi order. This is narrated by Imam Hasan Ali Shah Aga Khan I in his autobiography, Ibrat al-Afza, acknowledges the Ni’matullahi Shaykh Mast ‘Ali Shah as his spiritual preceptor. To dismiss this as an act of taqiyyah, especially at a time where the Imam was actually quite powerful (so powerful that he helped the British conquer Sind), would be absurd.
In this regard there will always be a form of veil. At times the Imams have been in business and other times rulers. So from the worldly point of view they will assume various roles. The Imam's education at Havard is only a veil, his real source of knowledge is eternal and is not influenced or affected by anyone. You may want to read more on this in Nasiruddin Tusi's "Paradise of Submission" chapters 24 and 26.
As mentioned according to Ismaili tradition the two Imams must be alive and there is no need for panic. On the contrary we consider the alternative view as naive and absurd.baqi wrote: Rather, it makes more sense that the Ismaili Imams (in spite of whatever the Ismaili community may think) were well aware of the dual-nature of Imamah, and accepted the truth of both lines. The problem is that neither community accepts this, and immediately goes into panic mode the moment it is brought up (in spite of Imam as-Sadiq saying there are always two Imams, though they do not both speak at the same time)."
The two Ismaili Imams have always been there regardless of the existence of the 12 ver Imams. You may want to refer to the Ismaili History section of this website which is linked at the site map to the left of this window and click on the link. The Pir interpretes the faith and guides his murids at all times.baqi wrote: We see from history that the Ismaili Imams and the Twelver Imams were never manifest at the same time; that within a short time after the Twelver Mahdi went into Occultation, the Ismaili Mahdi came out of Occultation. Imam Mustansir bi Allah II orders obedience to “the Imam, the servant of Allah (Abd Allah) al-Mahdi” in his Pandiyat-i Javanmardi. Imam Hasan ala dhikrihi salam says that he is the caliph (representative) of the hidden Imam. It is clear that the way to true ma’rifah is the recognition of both lines of Imamah, rather then to fall into an empty-headed sectarianism that follows one to the exclusion of others. Both have nass. Both are to be followed. In the absence of the Twelfth Imam, it is the Ismaili Imam of the age who is to be followed for the people of the tariqah, while the people of shari’ah will follow the shari’ah in the way taught by the Twelve Imams. The people of haqiqah, on the other hand, will recognize the truth of the words of the great commentator on the Sufi Ibn ‘Arabi, Abu al-‘Ala al-Effendi:"