Imamat is an Islamic state

Imamat is an Islamic state formation in which the secular and spiritual authorities are united and represent a single whole, in contrast to the caliphate, where they are divided. Also, by this term we understand the Muslim doctrine, which presupposes the domination of the community over all spheres of society's life.

general characteristics

The leader of such a state has great religious significance. He is perceived precisely as a spiritual leader and supreme leader. According to the Muslim doctrine, its main function is to prepare its subjects for a future life. Imamat is a political and religious structure that is based on the recognition of the special status of the supreme ruler. He is assisted by a special representative body called the sofa. It consists of persons close to the ruler, his function is mainly advisory. Of great importance is a separate layer of the nobility, who is close to his chapter and completely devoted to him. It is not appointed, but is recognized by a special religious council, called the Mejlis al-Ulema.

Control

The imamate is a state that, despite its theocratic character, has a harmonious and sufficiently flexible management system. When the supreme ruler is a special advisory body - Majlis al-Shura. In addition, the position of Vizier (or Naib), who heads the main office, acquired special significance. Separately, it should be said about the judicial system. It consists of two levels: Sharia courts and military tribunals. The first of them are based on customary national law, so such judges have a fairly high weight in the society.

Features

Imamat is a structure in which religion plays a particularly important role. The ruler of such a state is not just a political and social head, it is perceived by the inhabitants and the population as a spiritual and religious leader. Therefore, his personal qualities are especially important: in the eyes of Muslims, he must be honest, noble, intelligent, should be well versed in the teaching. While the Caliph, for example, is an elected person, and he performs secular functions. Under imamate, the state takes care of the spiritual state of Muslims, while in the caliphate it also performs secular functions. There are also differences in the doctrine of a hidden imam. In the first case, he, according to the beliefs of Muslims, should become the supreme ruler, while in the second case it is assumed that he will be an authoritative religious figure, but at the same time retains the authority of the sheikh-ul-Islam.

The state

The Caucasian imamate existed in the 19th century: from 1834 to 1859. The prerequisite for his education was the movement of Imam Mysore, who in the previous century sought independence of this territory, fought with blood feud and feudal fragmentation. This led to Russian-Caucasian wars, and although the Imam himself was captivated, nevertheless the mountaineers gained victory, as they retained the Chechen and Dagestan territories. However, after a while, after a lull, general Ermolov was appointed to this region, which led to further clashes and confrontation between the sides. Then the mountaineers united in alliances, and thus the state of Imamat was created. Shamil was his third ruler. He and the previous rulers came from the accident, and the new political formation included Chechen, Dagestani and Circassian lands.

Device

The creation of the imamate occurred as a result of the struggle of the mountaineers against the tsarist troops. Its core was the accident and Chechnya. It was divided into three dozen districts, most of them. His official language was Arabic. In addition, the state had a set of laws - Nizam, which served almost all spheres of public life. This code was based on the Shariah, customary law, whose rules and regulations were adapted to the needs of the life of a new political entity. This legislative collection was adopted and approved during the reign of Imam Shamil. The supreme ruler, the imam, was not only a spiritual and religious head, but also a commander of troops and a chief judge. With him there was a council - a sofa - and direct management on the ground was carried out through the Naibs, governors. The judicial system consisted of several levels: the muftis were the top layer, and the cadias obeyed them.

Deputies used a certain autonomy, but if naib was tolerated, for example, defeat, then, as a rule, he was dismissed from his post. Under his leadership there were special commanders of military units. Gradually the power of the Naibs increased.

Troop organization

Shamil created a regular army, which consisted of cavalry (murtazeki) and infantry (lower ranks). At first the mountaineers used captured weapons, but later they managed to build their own factories for the production of weapons. The main part of the army was Avars, the second place was occupied by Chechens. The ruler created a real state system of government in his state: he introduced an effective tax system, a permanent control body. Shamil did much to strengthen his power: he sought to subdue, pacify other local rulers. He rallied the auls under his rule, showing considerable administrative and state abilities. Very soon he became a dangerous adversary, so the Russian troops had to overcome his resistance for several decades. Thus, an understanding of what an imamate in history is, is of great importance not only for Muslim civilization, but also for our state too.