When people want to imitate a certain reference, some of them ask about how to imitate: Must we utter specific words as we utter the intention when we want to pray? If it is yes, then what must we say, so that our imitation will be correct?

The answer is that there is an agreement on that it is not conditional as regards the fulfilment of the imitation to utter anything or to have any perception in the mind. Imitation is fulfilled when the religiously responsible person works while being based on the religious opinion of the jurisprudent. Imam Al-Khomeini (May his secret be sacred) said, "The imitation is to work on the basis of the religious opinion of a certain jurisprudent." 1

Here arises another question: Is the commitment to the religious opinion of the jurisprudent considered to be an imitation by itself? Or does it need that the commitment be added to the work on the basis of the religious opinion?

Some say that the commitment is sufficient without the work. If a person commits to work on the basis of the practical thesis of a certain reference, then this is enough for the imitation to be fulfilled even if that person has not worked yet. The deceased Sayyid Al-Tabatabaei Al-Yazdi (May his secret be sacred) said this opinion in Al-Aourwa Al-Wothqa2

On the other hand, other jurisprudents insisted on that one must, in addition to commitment, work on the basis of the religious opinion, so that his imitation will be fulfilled as we deduce from the previously mentioned saying of Imam Al-Khomeini (May his secret be sacred).

The practical result of these two points of view is sensed in the following case: If a religiously responsible person has committed to the religious opinions of a certain jurisprudent and before he began to perform any work, that reference died, would what he had done till the death of the reference be considered as an imitation or not?

According to those who say that the commitment without work is sufficient for the correctness of the imitation, then what he had done till the dead of the reference is considered to be an imitation.

But according to those who say that the commitment by itself does not suffice but requires the adjoining of the work so that the imitation will be correct, then what he had done till the death of the reference is not considered to be an imitation.

This issue appears in the imitation of the dead person as it will be seen by the Help of The Most High God.

Till now, we have got acquainted with the meaning of imitation, its purposes, our evidence for imitation, on whom imitation is dutiful, in what it is dutiful, and how it is fulfilled. Still raised is the following question: Whom do we imitate? So, let us go on with our study.

• 1. Tahreer Al-Waseela, Part One, Page 7.
• 2. The publications of Al-Aalamee Institution in Beirut, Part One, Part 4. Sayyid Al-Khu’i (May his secret be sacred) commented on the previous religious opinion of Sayyid Al-Yazdi which says that the imitation is to base in the work on the other’s religious opinion.