criticizing the notion of human intellectual maturity in the philosophy of seal of prophethood and imamate

in analyzing and explaining seal of prophethood as a doctrine, almost all scholars who have dealt with this issue considerhuman intellectual maturityas the main criterion and the secret of the emergent finality.the present article explains and analyzes the proposed approaches and perceptions regarding intellectual maturity and thus aims toreview this idea critically.as a result,the study shows that the idea of human intellectual maturity is merely a subjective theorization intended to organize the philosophy of seal of prophethood. hence, no clear reason or objective piece of evidence can be discerned in the context of its external reality that will however support or confirm it. a more fundamental critique targeted at the idea of human intellectual maturity in this regard is that accepting this notion on the basis of the various analyses given so far will lead to the termination of religiosity or to the finality and rejection of imamate; and these two conclusions are to be rejected and denied based on clear and unmistakable evidencesforthe philosophy of prophethood and imamate. in the final part of this study, after an analysis and examination of four approaches to the relationship between seal of prophethood and imamate, a fifth approach is introduced: imamate as the main secret of the seal of prophethood. according to this perspective, imamate is not considered as a marginal complementary doctrine side by side the seal of prophethood, but as providing the basic foundations of belief in the seal of prophethood and as the criterion for it. therefore, the article finds the notion of the seal of prophethood as only understandable on the basis of the imamate doctrine, rather than the intellectual maturity of humanity or his capabilities with regard to ihtihād in religion. this idea is founded on a specific reading of the revelational scriptures (holy texts) especially the glorious qur’an as the final revelation. in addition, the author believes that this new understanding can be supported and confirmed through all rational and scriptural arguments and historical and objectiveevidences.