THE DOCTRINE OF VICTIMHOOD (AL-MAẒLŪMIYYA) AMONG THE IMAMI SHIITES: HOW IT ORIGINATED AND IS PERPETUATED

Abstract

The aim of this article is to describe and explicate the doctrine of victimhood (al-maẓlūmiyya) in the thought of the Imami (Twelver) Shiites. By al-maẓlūmiyya, the Shiites make reference to their belief that the family of the Prophet suffered injustice (ẓulm) at the hands of their opponents (the Sunnis), that this injustice has continued ever since the time of the Prophet, and that it will only come to an end with the appearance of the Awaited Mahdi (the Twelfth Imam). The article explores how the idea of victimhood took root among the Shiites and describes its varied dimensions. It traces the manner in which the Shiites have established the foundations for this idea through numerous narratives, and how they raise their children on a sense of victimhood in order to mobilize them, reinforce communal solidarity, and defend the beliefs associated with the Shiite imagination. To this end, the Shiites make use of a variety of means, including stories, poetry, proverbs, supplications, and visits to holy places, taking advantage of their numerous religious holidays to inculcate the doctrine of victimhood in successive generations, thus creating and sustaining an ongoing collective awareness.