Ahl al-Bayt (as) Teachings

Ahl al-Bayt (as) Teachings

Phenomenology of Wilāyah in Ḥajj Rituals: Explaining the Theological Link between Imamah and Acts of Worship

Document Type : Original Article

Author
PhD in Shia studies. Director and faculty member of the Imam Mobin Research Center, Iran.
Abstract
       In the legislative system of Islam, the pilgrimage of Ḥajj is far more than a mere ritualistic-physical rite; it is a symbolic migration toward absolute Tawḥīd, the perfection and authority (ḥujjīyyah) of which are defined in the language of Revelation and Sunnah as being contingent upon its link with Wilāyah. The primary objective of this research is to explore the theological status of Imamah as a constitutive condition (sharţ muqawwim) of Ḥajj rituals and to conduct a phenomenological analysis of the bond between Bayt-Allah (the House of God) and Walī-Allah (the Guardian of God). Utilizing a descriptive-analytical method and drawing upon early sources from both schools of thought (Āmmah and Khāṣṣah), this paper seeks to elucidate how rituals such as Tawāf, Istilām of the Ḥajar al-Aswad, and Wuqūf are transformed into a soulless corpse and a state of pre-Islamic (Jāhili) wandering in the absence of Wilāyah. The findings of this study demonstrate that Wilāyah is not an accidental attribute but rather the key (miftāḥ) and the custodian (walī) of the pillars of Ḥajj. Accordingly, the reality of fulfilling the Tafath lies in the Liqá al-Imam (meeting the Imam), and the ultimate goal of the Istilām of the Stone is embedded in the renewal of the Mithāq with the Ḥujjah of the time. Furthermore, through an analysis of Sunni (Āmmah) sources, it is proven that the scholarly authority of the Infallible (Ma’sūm) has been the sole steadfast barrier against historical innovations (Bid'ah) and deviations in the rituals. Ultimately, this article presents Ḥajj as the center of Mahdavi civilization-building, wherein the pilgrim, by transcending stone symbols, attains the station of true servitude within the orbit of the Perfect Human.


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Volume 3, Issue 3
Autumn 2025
Pages 71-86

  • Receive Date 08 January 2026
  • Accept Date 30 January 2026
  • First Publish Date 30 January 2026
  • Publish Date 01 December 2025