Encyclopedia of Islam

ghayba

  

259  J

---

by God, he will arise as the Islamic messiah, the 

m

ahdi

, to rule and establish justice on earth until 

J

Udgment

  d

ay

. Although the death of the fourth 

deputy signaled a cessation of formal contact 

between the imam and his community, the Hid-

den Imam is thought to be in contact with many 

of his followers miraculously, through dreams or 

visions. In his absence, authority is exercised by 

his representatives, the 

Ulama

, who are masters 

of religious law and the traditions of the imams. 

The most influential group of Shii ulama in recent 

times are the Mujtahids, those who can practice 

ijtihad

, or independent reasoning based on the 

principals of 

fiqh

, or Islamic jurisprudence.

The concept of ghayba is shared by other Shia 

groups, including the d

rUze

. This religious group, 

which developed from i

smaili

 s

hiism

, believes in a 

lesser and greater ghayba that began with the dis-

appearance of their caliph-imam al-Hakim, whom 

they consider to be divine, in 1021.

A doctrine resembling that of ghayba exists 

among other Shia groups. This doctrine, known as 

satr, refers to the concealment of a continuing line 

of imams. The b

ohra

 Shiis of India believe that 

their imams are in satr.

See also  a

khbari

  s

chool

; 

aUthority

;  t

Welve

-

i

mam

 s

hiism

; U

sUli

 s

chool

.

Jamel Velji