Shia Convocation

Konvokasi Syi'i - De Sjiitische Vergadering
Headquarters of the Shia Convocation on Mount Ilias, Hindia Belanda
Orientation	Esoteric Shi'ism
Governance	Hierarchical
Auxiliary Imam	Hussein al-Hakim Billah
Associations	Commonwealth Conference of Religious Communities
Region	Hindia Belanda, Maqtajer
Language	English, Dutch, Indonesian and Zalqintili
Founder	Traditionally, the First Shia Imam
Congregations	2 National Councils (Hindia Belanda and Maqtajer), 2,812 Local Jurisdictions
Members	43 million Hindia Belandans, 578.000 Maqtajeris (2019 estimate)

The Shia Convocation (Indonesian: Konvokasi Syi'i; Dutch: De Sjiitische Vergadering) is the supreme governing body of Esoteric Shi'ism headquartered on Mount Ilias, a verdant hill range in Java, Hindia Belanda rising over 500 metres above sea level and entirely owned by the institution. The Shia Convocation is headed by the Auxiliary Imam who acts as the spiritual guide of Esoteric Shias during the ongoing absence of the Imam of the Time (the Twelfth Imam), a period which Shias believe will continue until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

As an organisation, the Shia Convocation enjoys a unique legal status within Hindia Belanda derived from the colonial-era Treaty of Bukit Ilias which accorded the then-Shia Community of Bukit Ilias significant autonomy from colonial rule. As recorded on colonial government documents, when colonial Governors-General climbed Mount Ilias to meet the Auxiliary Imam, they were said to have paid a 'state visit', indicating that the Shia Convocation was treated in the same manner as the self-governing Vorstenlanden. Following the independence of Hindia Belanda from Noordenstaat, the Hindia Belandan government agreed to partially honour the treaty and recognise the Shia Convocation as a legal body with the ability to enter into treaties with sovereign countries, although neither its properties nor the land which it owns in Hindia Belanda enjoy the status of being sovereign.

Since the 12th century, the Shia Convocation has provided Esoteric Shias with guidance and direction through a series of documents, known as Farmans. It is empowered to

History

Esoteric Shia Islam arrived in Hindia Belanda by way of Maqtajer, with the arrival of partisans loyal to the cause of the Twelve Imams. A split between the Esoteric faction, which forms the majority of the Shia population in Hindia Belanda, and the Legalist faction, which now forms the majority of the Maqtajeri Shias, occurred 300 years following the Major Occultation of the Twelfth Imam, resulting in the 1068 Shia Schism. The Batoe Lempar Inscription recounts the arrival of these Esoteric Shias who fled Maqtajer and found refuge in the neighbouring Duchy of Srambi, present-day Hindia Belandan province of Malaya. There, they were met with open arms by the animist ruler Adipati Sangtrinila whose great-grandson Adipati Sangadinila converted to Esoteric Shiism circa 1269 CE and started a Shia dynasty in his name.

It is unclear when exactly Esoteric Shi’ism became a structured and centralised religion, but precursors to the present-day organisations already existed by 1200 CE, almost 200 years after the 1068 Shia Schism. Mulla Jafar, the 11th century Shia saint, is credited with developing Esoteric Shi’ism, transforming it to an organised religion with an elaborate hierarchy of clergy. It was thought that, following the Major Occultation of the Twelfth Imam and the death of the last of the Four Deputies, the gnostic teachings of the Imams should be safeguarded by members of the learned elite. Mulla Jafar, in his letter to partisans of the Shia Imams, ordained the creation of an ‘auxiliary imamate’, in that its function was purely to preserve the teachings of the Imam and not to replace the Imamate.

Governance and hierarchy

As an organised religion, Esoteric Shi'ism has a hierarchy of clergy consisting of, from the highest to the lowest, Interpreters, Panghoeloes and Mualims, all of whom subordinate to the Auxiliary Imam. An Interpreter is qualified to make new interpretations based on the sacred Esoteric Shia texts and be elected as Auxiliary Imam. A Panghoeloe heads a Provincial House of Remembrance and has a jurisdiction over an area known as a Kepanghoeloean. Panghoeloes are chosen from amongst Mualims who have attained considerable competence in matters of religion and administration of Houses of Remembrance.

Mualims are ordained ministers

The Auxiliary Imam

Official residence of the Auxiliary Imam on Mount Ilias, Hindia Belanda

The Shia Convocation is headed by the Auxiliary Imam, who is elected by an electoral body consisting of representatives of each local Esoteric Shia jurisdiction, numbering 2,812 in total. Once elected, the Auxiliary Imam serves for life and takes upon the role of administrative head of the Shia Convocation and, by extension, spiritual guide of the Esoteric Shia faithful. The position of the Auxiliary Imam does not replace the Imamate, which is a divinely-appointed position occupied by the hidden Twelfth Imam.

Territorial jurisdictions

The Shia Convocation is divided into 2 National Councils and 2,812 Local Jurisdictions. National Councils are directly subordinate to the Auxiliary Imam whilst Local Jurisdictions are subordinate to the National Council if the latter exists in the country where they are located. In some countries with a small presence of Esoteric Shias, such as in Noordenstaat, where they are mostly Hindia Belandan expatriates, Local Jurisdictions are grouped together by continent into a Continental Council. There exists a Continental Council for Lorecia, based at Mount Ilias, Hindia Belanda. It administers the affairs of Esoteric Shias who live on the continent of Lorecia, regardless of their country, and works closely with Hindia Belandan diplomatic missions to ensure their wellbeing.

National Councils

A National Council is formed when there is a sufficient number of Local Jurisdictions. Currently, there are two, one in Hindia Belanda and the other in Maqtajer.

Local Jurisdictions

A Local Jurisdiction is the lowest subdivision of the Shia Convocation and the backbone of the Esoteric Shia community. It may encompass an area as small as a settlement with no less than 30 Esoteric Shias or a city with 100,000 Esoteric Shias. The faithful who live in an area covered by a Local Jurisdiction gather once every two years to hold an election to their Local Jurisdiction. They elect five amongst their community to serve as “trustees” who are responsible for running the Local Jurisdiction.

The most basic function of a Local Jurisdiction is to ensure that Esoteric Shias of a given area are able to properly celebrate rituals that require a congregation, such as the Congregational Dhikr performed every Friday. In hostile areas, such as a conflict-ridden region, the Local Jurisdiction also has a special responsibility to protect Esoteric Shias from harm and to facilitate their passage to safer areas should the situation worsens. The local jurisdictions in frontier regions of Maqtajer have played a crucial role in defending Esoteric Shias who suffer from the occasional persecution at the hands of Zahiri Shias who make up the majority of Maqtajeri Shias.

Amongst the many functions of a Local Jurisdiction, the distribution of Farmans, which are documents issued by the Auxiliary Imam as a guide for the Esoteric Shia community, is perhaps its most important.

Clergy

The Esoteric Shia clergy is divided into four classes subordinate to the Auxiliary Imam in his role as leader of the Shia Convocation. The ordination of Mualim, or commonly known as the Esoteric Shia minister, is the responsibility of the Auxiliary Imam.

Responsibilities

The Shia Convocation is responsible for providing guidance to the Esoteric Shia faithful, distributing alms, maintaining Houses of Remembrance (the principal place of worship for Esoteric Shias) and organising religious rituals.

Maintenance of places of worship

Esoteric Shia religious activities, apart from the thrice-daily canonical prayers which can be performed anywhere that is ritually pure, primarily take place at Bayt al-Adhkar or Houses of Remembrance, the largest of which is the Capital Territory House of Remembrance. The Shia Convocation is responsible for the upkeep of these Houses of Remembrance, which number 3,780 in Hindia Belanda, as well as the oversight of their day-to-day administrations.

Birth, marriage and membership

Every Esoteric Shia marriage, including an interfaith one, as well as birth are kept track by the Shia Convocation through trustees of Local Jurisdictions who keep minute records of life events of every Esoteric Shia. This also includes conversions to other religions.

Death

The Shia Convocation also supervises Esoteric Shia funerals and is specifically tasked with providing Local Jurisdictions with funeral shrouds on which is written the following in Arabic:

“I came from God and to Him I return, holding fast to Him who is the Infinitely Compassionate and the Infinitely Merciful. I recognise the Fourteen Infallibles and may they advocate for me on the Day of Judgement.”