Imam Mustaqarr Wa Mustawda

By Author: Ibrahim Machiwala Lodhi
Total Articles: 463
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"The two terms, mustaqarr and mustawda Imams often used by the Ismailis to denotes the type of Imams. These are the Koranic terms (6:98): "It is He Who produced you from one living soul, and then there is (for you) a lodging-place (mustaqarr), and a repository (mustawda)". Baidawi agrees that the word mustaqarr in this verse means the loins (sulb, pl. aslab) of the father, the lodging-place of the sperm, whereas the word mustawda means the womb (rahim) of the mother, the repository of the sperm (Anwar, 1:303).

The mustaqarr means definite abode, where a thing stops or stays for some time, where it is established, or simply a resting place. It is considered to be the male. The mustawda means where a thing is laid up or deposited for a little while, or simply a temporary deposit. It is considered to be the female. The female receives the sperm from the male, likewise the mustawda receives knowledge from the mustaqarr Imam. The latter is the lodging-place of the Knowledge of God, i.e., God's Word settles (tastaqirru, a verb from which the noun mustaqarr is derived) and dwells (tuqimu) in the person of the Imam. He thus becomes ...
... the mustaqarr of God's Word or Will, i.e., the place in which God's Word has settled. This mustaqarr Imam is sometimes called muqam. This word is a noun of place from the very aqama (dwell). It means, therefore, the place where God's Will or Word dwells (tiqimu). In sum, the mustaqarr is a legitimate Imam, in whose progeny the Imamate continued from Ali bin Abu Talib to Hussain and till now.

In addition to the mustaqarr Imam, the Ismailis had from time to time another type of Imam, namely, the mustawda. For various reasons, political or religious or both, the mustaqarr Imam would be inactive for a certain period. In such cases, the functions of the Imamate would be entrusted (istawda) to a trustee Imam (mustawda), who would act on behalf of the real Imam and receive instructions from him. The first principle which governs the appointment of a mustawda Imam, was that he holds the office temporarily, and in no circumstances can he transfer it to his own prosperity. He is a substitute temporarily of the legitimate Imam. Thus, the mustawda is a temporary Imam like Hasan bin Ali bin Abu Talib.

Hasan, according to the Ismailis, was not a legitimate Imam, but simply an acting Imam. In this respect, the Ismaili belief differs from that of the Twelvers and other Shi'ite sects. Many Ismaili da'is called Hasan a trustee Imam (mustawda), such as Hatim b. Imran (d. 497/1104), who says in his al-Usul wal Ahkam (p.120) that, "Then after him (Ali bin Abu Talib), his son, al-Hasan undertook the affairs (amr); he was the Trustee (mustawda) Imam and lived forty-seven years....Then after him came his brother al-Hussain; he was the Permanent Imam."

It is observed that Imams had to appoint mustawda Imams on different occasions under different roles, and Hasan bin Ali was first to hold this office. In other words, mustaqarr is an Imam or Shah and mustawada is the Pir. At present, not a single person has been appointed as mustawda, therefore, the office of the mustaqarr (legitimate Imamate, or the paternal role) as well as the office of the mustawda (the substitute or the maternal role) are held by the Present 49th Imam.

The Present Imam holds two offices (mustaqarr and mustawda), and that is the reason that he graciously blesses his followers with the words: "I give my paternal and maternal loving blessings to my spiritual children".