Formulation of the Claim
In the Shi‘i conception, wilaya is understood as a spiritual continuation of prophethood and as a moral succession to the Prophet.
Explanation
At this point in Arkoun’s thought, wilaya is not presented only as a political or hereditary office, but as a spiritual bond that makes the infallible Imam the bearer of the continuation of prophetic meaning after the cessation of revelation. In this sense, wilaya becomes a framework for understanding the presence of prophethood in history within the Shi‘i community.
This conception is also connected to the idea of the esoteric dimension, since the Imam is viewed as embodying the hidden meaning of the Qur’an and interpreting it within a particular religious horizon. Thus wilaya is not confined to the function of leadership; rather, it extends to a symbolic station that links the sacred text with the authority of interpretation.
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
This atom falls within Arkoun’s reading of the religious and political structure of Shi‘ism, where he distinguishes between prophethood as a founding event and wilaya as the spiritual continuation of that event within history. It converges with the book’s theses that are close to the analysis of the Imam’s authority, the presence of the esoteric dimension in interpretation, and the way religious legitimacy is formed outside the dominant Sunni model.
Limits of the Claim
The atom should not be burdened with more than it can bear by generalizing it to all sects or by establishing a complete equivalence between wilaya and prophethood. Nor does this formulation imply a final judgment on the validity of the conception; rather, it describes its place within the reading presented by Arkoun.
Brief Evidence Passage
Shi‘i wilaya is presented as a spiritual succession to the Prophet, and the infallible Imam within it is viewed as a continuation of prophethood and an embodiment of the esoteric meaning of the Qur’an.