Speculations of Khatābiyah Apostasy and Imam Sadegh's Confrontation with it

Authors

1 Assistant Professor of History and Civilization Department at Islamic Research and Sciences Academy

2 Professor of History Department at Al-Mustafa International University

10.22081/csa.2020.69385

Abstract

Abū l-Khaṭṭāb (died in 138), the leader and founder of Khatābiyah group, is the most important exaggerator who ignored the Islamic teachings in the era of Imam Sadegh. This group is the most well-known and lasting exaggerators in the eras of imams. Like Abū l-Khaṭṭāb, Khatābiyah group is ignorant to Islamic teachings and apostate. Using a descriptive-analytical research method, this research is to answer this question that what hypotheses formed Khatābiyah's apostasy and how Imam Sadegh (A.S) confronted with this group? By investigating the early historical, narrative, and sectarian sources, it was revealed that Abū l-Khaṭṭāb and his followers proposed that knowing the Imam would relieve the obliged person's burden from fulfilling their religious duties and they imagined that the religious obligations and prohibitions are interpretable. Thus, they became apostate. Imam sadegh questions their false speculations critically and prohibited people from being in touch with them. On occasions, Imam Sadegh had cursed and disgusted Khatābiyah.

Keywords