The Conceptual Evolution of the Principles of Religion (Uṣūl al-din) in Imami Shi'a

Uṣūl is one of the most important issues of the formative period of Imami Shi'a theology. This article tends to discuss the history of the development of the uṣūl and its formulation in a standard set of beliefs. Their graduate emergence in a certain historical moment and evolvement in the course of history. The present study with a historical approach and an analytical method will explore the concept and terms of the uṣūl and show that what we know today as Uṣūl was not shaped from the beginning, but over time this concept merged with several other beliefs concept such as: monotheism, justice, prophecy, resurrection, and Imamate. These were grouped together as a set from the thirteenth century onwards.