Tarikh Islam

In the present article, in response to the question, “When did Twelver Shiism arose?” the “timely formation” approach was proposed. The findings are as follows, the word “Imamiyya” was synonymous with “Twelver”. Beyond this, the Shiites’ awareness of the idea of the “Twelve Imams” was closely related to the promotion of its narrations. These narrations have been promoted at the end of the time of presence and the period of Minor Occultation. Regardless of the narrators’ old and personal knowledge, based on the evidences, the majority of Shiites were among the Twelver Shi’a between the Minor Occultation and the beginning of the Major Occultation. This was a sign of the formation of this party. In the age of presence, it was only necessary to know the Imam of the time and the previous Imams, and in the age of Occultation, the idea of “twelve Imams” became necessary in contrast to the unlimited continuity of the Imams. Accordingly, the formation of Twelver Shi’ism arising from the necessities of belief as well as “taqiyyah” was quite timely, and so it did not happen suddenly and with a rapid change of circumstances