The doctrine of imamate---that is, the rule of a particular individual over the community---is a central and pivotal concept in Islam generally, and in Shi`ism specifically. Scholars who have studied this concept have tended to emphasize one aspect of the doctrine of imamate to the exclusion of all others. At one end of the spectrum, scholars ascribe to the imamate a strictly esoteric dimension, and at the other end, they view it primarily as a political institution. Dr. Mohammad Amir-Moezzi is a proponent of the former, while the late Ayatullah Khumayni is a proponent of the latter. Both polarized views prevent us from appreciating the coherence and integrity of the Shi`ite tradition and the richness of the doctrine of imamate, whose central and primary function is to provide guidance such that humanity can attain success and prosperity in this life, and salvation in the afterlife. The diverse approaches adopted in the study of this doctrine---from the perspectives of the Qur'an and ḥadith, theology, philosophy and mysticism---along with the linkages and commonalities established between them on the basis of the revelatory sources, are indicative of the foundational role played by this doctrine in the development of these various disciplines. It has informed all aspects of the Shi`ite religious sciences and world view. This is best reflected in the works of Maytham al-Baḥrani (d. 699/1299), who is perhaps the first Imamite scholar to embrace these traditionally mutually exclusive approaches in his treatment of the doctrine of imamate, and who is the subject of study of the last chapter of this thesis.

Well before the Occultation of the Twelfth imam in 330/942 and before the time of the great Shi 'i theologians such as al-Shaykh al-Mufi d (d. 413/1022), the Shi 'ah had constructed their own integral and elaborate system of thought. This thought is expressed in the sayings of the Shi 'i imams, recorded in hadi th collections gathered in the traditionist centres of Kufah and Qum. It is apparent when these narratives are pieced together that the Shi 'i system as presented by the Shi 'ah themselves bears little resemblance to the descriptions of the heresiographers. At the centre of the Shi 'i worldview is the relation between the imams and the community. The imams' constitution is altogether supernatural, and they succeed to the whole of the prophetic knowledge, while the Shi 'ah, who were created of the same substance as the imams, are the bearers and beneficiaries of that knowledge. The imams continue to receive intelligence from God so that they know every thing and are able to address themselves to every circumstance, while the Shi 'ah must resort to no one else to guide them. God is known only through the imams and they conduct their followers to Paradise while others are left for the Fire. There is, however, evidence of revision of belief already in the time of the first traditionists. The definition of faith is emended so as to allow the non-Shi 'ah a place in Paradise and enable the Shi 'ah to integrate into the larger community. The confinement of the imams by the Abbasids and the lesser Occultation lead to reconsideration of the question of authority: human reason is given a greater role as the Shi 'ah set about thinking how to evaluate the words of the imams already recorded. Kalam, a field of enquiry formerly forbidden to the faithful Shi 'ah due to the necessity of absolute submission to the statements of the imams, is sanctioned so that dicta concerning theology are issued under their names. Tradition now moves away from predestinarianism, and other

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The aim of this study is to revise existing theories of the Imamite turn towards rationalism. In the first chapter I discuss trends in Imamite thought during the period of the presence of the Imams; explore the impact of the Occultation on the Imamite community; and assess the character of the Imamite traditionism in the century after the Occultation. The bulk of the second chapter comprises a comparison of two texts: I`tiqadat al-imamiyya by Ibn Babuya, which represents Imamite traditionism during the first century of the Occultation, and Tas&dotbelow;h&dotbelow;ih&dotbelow; i`tiqadat al-imamiyya, which is a correction to Ibn Babuya's creed by his student al-Shaykh al-Mufid, considered the founder of the rationalist school in Imamism. Finally, in the conclusion I will address the conceptual problems found in the intellectual history of this stage of development in Imamite thought with reference to the recent work of Quentin Skinner. / Le but de cette étude est de réviser les théories existantes au sujet de la tournéeimamite vers le rationalisme. Dans le premier chapitre, je discute les tendances dans lapensée Imamite pendant la présence des Imams, en éxaminant l'impact de l'Occultationsur la communauté imamite, et considérant le caractère du traditionisme imamite dans lesiècle suivant l'Occultation. La plupart du deuxième chapitre est composée d'unecomparison de deux textes: l'tiqiidiit al-imiimiyya par Ibn Babuya, qui représente letraditionisme imamite pendant le premier siècle après l'Occultation, et Ta~lJiJl i'tiqiidiital-imiimiyya, qui est une correction du credo d'Ibn Babuya, par son étudiant al-Shaykhal-Mufid, qui est considéré le fondateur de l'école rationaliste de l'Imamisme. Enfin,dans la conclusion, j' adresse les problèmes conceptuels trouvés dans l'histoireintellectuelle de cette étappe du développement de la pensée imamite, en référant àl'oeuvre récente de Quentin Skinner.

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In the wake of the abolition of the Caliphate in the Islamic world with the advent of the Mongols in the 13th century, Islamic scholarship paradoxically flourished, especially in the Shi'i milieu. This era marked a renaissance which has influenced the course of Shii thought ever since. Through its major thinkers, i.e. Ibn Sa'ada, 'Ali ibn Sulayman and Maytham, the school of Bahrain contributed vigorously to this renaissance by integrating philosophy and mysticism into Shi'ism. Yet, the writings of this school are barely known to modern scholarship and many are still in manuscript form. Drawing upon both published and unpublished sources, this study reveals the importance of this school by offering a descriptive and historical analysis of this intellectual contribution to philosophy, theology and mysticism. It also demonstrates that the school of Bahrain was the first Shii school to derive its rational infra-structure in a unique way from a diversity of sources ranging from the Mu'tazili and Ash'ari theology to the Ibn Sinian philosophy and Ibn al-'Arabis mysticism. Its originality thus lies in its synthetic methodology and its interpretation of Shii literature in light of speculative sciences.

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