08. The logical proofs of the necessity of the Hujjat

(8. The Logical Proof of the Necessity of the Hujjat).


There are numereous indications, in logical arguments as well as in tradition, showing that without the help of the Hujjat it is impossible to recognise the Imam.

The logical proof is as follows. In every thing existent its perfect quality cannot pass from the state of potency into action without an impulse from outside. If it could be otherwise, the result necessarily would be that all the (material) bodies, in which the ability of movement is considered as their most perfect state, could come into activity spontaneously, without being compelled by something else, which "stays behind them," i.e., in some of them the vegetable spirit, and in the others the animal or human spirit. If this is the case with the body, which belongs to the world of semblance, in the spirit, which is the archetype (of the body), without (the help of ) the Hujjat no spiritual movement can exist, because it is the progress from the vices towards (moral) perfection and transmitting (the teaching ) to those able (to accept it).