Shaykh Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan al-Ṭūsī · First Principle: Necessity of Imamate
فجوابنا في غيبة الإمام جوابهم في منع أهل الحل والعقد من اختيار من يصلح للإمامة، ولا فرق بينهما فإنما الخلاف بيننا أنا قلنا:علمنا ذلك عقلا، وقالوا ذلك معلوم شرعا، وذلك فرق من غير موضع الجمع.
Therefore, no one says that the necessity of appointing the leader is diminished now as his empowerment is not possible. Our answer with respect to the occultation of the Imam is the same as their answer to the incapacity of “those having a say” with respect to choosing a suitable candidate for Imamate. The only difference is that we say we know this through reason and they say it is known through Islamic law (Shariah), which is a difference that does not divide us on the issue.
Translation: Sayyid Athar Husain S. H. Rizvi — published with the edition, reproduced verbatim.
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