The prime factor for the disappointment of the Shia was the lack of a uniform or coherent ideology; and this continued to be so till the time of the great Imam of the Shias, Jafer al-Sadiq. This is what the writer says.
We do not know what he actually means. If he means, positively, that the uniform ideology of Shia as it was, the friends and the supporters of AHLUL BAIT (The Prophet’s Household) had not known it or were not aware of it or had not recognized it correctly but they were made acquainted with it by the Imam Al-Sadiq. And that he, Imam Al-Sadiq, subsequently due to the awareness, which he had brought about amongst them, could establish that great school of knowledge, which educated the people with the true Islam to follow Ali and his offspring, the AHLUL BAIT, was its reality and entity. In his time, Al-Sadiq’s, the knowledge was spread and made within the reach of all those to whom mattered the facts. Many misconceptions. Wrong conclusions, and mistaken ideas about Islam that were propagated earlier were revised for the people reputed, rescinded, repudiated and retained only realities. This was a great achievement.
Now, if the writer means, negatively, that Imam Jafer Al-Sadiq was the inventor of the ideology; it is not true.
Who was he to invent one? The ideology of Shia is what Islam is. From the very beginning, from the days of the Prophet (SAW) it was at a uniformity. The Prophet’s words his sayings and his addresses had already made it clear.
The passage of time had no bearing on them. It was in itself complete and consummate. The Shia ideology was the element that made the propagation perfect. The events which occurred, in themselves carry the element of truth, goes a long way to establish the truth of this ideology and manifests the mistaken aspect of the opponents and adversaries. The behavior and the conduct of Bani Ommiya, who led the government in their hands, itself gave the awakening to the people. They as successors to the Prophet (SAW), adopted wicked ways and deeds which made the people hate them because their actions were not coherent with the seat of the Prophet they had occupied. The more they hated them the more they pondered the position of ARLUL BAIT (The Prophet’s Household members). There was not the remotest resemblance with the teachings of Islam. Soon it became obvious that the leadership must go to its rightful owners, those of the ARLUL BAIT. The very difference in the mode of life of the Members of the Prophet’s household and that of the caliphs of Bani Ommiya was quite open to the observation of the people, it brought the Shia ideology closer to their hearts.
