3. The Spiritual Guidance of al-Mahdi
The opponentsof Shi‘ismalso protest that,althoughShi‘ism considers
theImam necessaryinordertoexpoundtheinjunctionsandveritiesof
religionandtoguidethepeople,theoccultationoftheImamisthenega-
tion of this very purpose, for an Imam in occultation who cannot be
reachedbymankindcannotbeinanywaybeneficialoreffective.Theop-
ponentssaythatifGodwillstobringforthanImamtoreformmankind
Heisabletocreatehimatthenecessarymomentanddoesnotneedto
create him thousands of years earlier.
Inansweritmustbesaidthatsuchpeoplehavenotreallyunderstood
themeaningoftheImam,forthedutyoftheImamisnotonlytheformal
explanationofthereligioussciencesandexotericguidanceofthepeople.
In the same way that hehas the duty of guiding men outwardly, the
Imamalsobearsthefunctionofwilāyatandtheesotericguidanceofmen.
Itishewhodirectsman’sspirituallifeandorientstheinneraspectofhu-
manactiontowardGod.Clearly,hisphysicalpresenceorabsencehasno
effectin this matter. The Imam watches over men inwardly and is in
communionwith thesoulandspiritofmen evenifhebe hiddenfrom
theirphysicaleyes.Hisexistenceisalwaysnecessaryevenifthetimehas
notasyetarrived forhisoutwardappearanceandthe universalrecon-
struction that he is to bring about.