Ibadi Islam and the Imamate Tradition

Abstract

The roots of Ibadism can be traced back to the times of the fourth and last of the rightly guided Caliphs, Ali Abi bin Talib. Two important secessions took place from the mainstream Sunni Islam during Ali’s time: that of the Shia and that of the Kharijite, a loose grouping of different sections from which also the Ibadis would emerge later on. Oman and North Africa became strongholds for the developing Ibadi school of thought. The North African Ibadi Rustamid Imamate lasted until 296 AH/909 AD when it was overthrown by the Shiite Fatimids. Since then, the Ibadi African communities formed isolated pockets in Algeria, Libya and Tunisia but were never able to establish an Ibadi imamate again. In Oman, matters were different as Ibadism became the unifying factor for the tribes. Later came the wars of independence from the central Caliphate with the establishment of Ibadi Imamates. Imamate governance signified the imposition of rule of law—like conditions in the country, after years of unchecked tribal rule. The Ibadi Imamate was a supra tribal state, in that its legitimacy and power derived directly from tribal support. Islamic governance was based on law, starting with the choice of the Imam by consultation. Islamic legal scholars, the ulama, and the Imamate officials would influence the Omani cultural landscape, encouraging consultation and fairness in the conduct of everyday affairs.