character. Prophets follow lofty aims whereas magicians pursue worldly ends, each influencing their characters in distinct ways. Walayah As Corbin mentioned in History of Islam, prophecy and walayah (authority or guardianship ) are among Shia doctrines. One of them is the absolute prophecy that is general and another is particular prophecy. The first one corresponds to Muhammadan Reality from the beginning to eternity. The latter is subordinate to the former and corresponds to prophecy of a particular prophet. For example, the prophecy of the prophet of Islam, Mohammad is the seal of the prophecy. Corbin defines the walayah as the esoteric aspect of eternal prophecy. Walayah is likewise divided into two forms: the absolute walayah and the particular walayah. The prophecy of each prophet emanates from absolute prophecy and according to the Shia doctrine, the walayah of all the men of God ends in the Twelfth Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi. Further reading Boislivea, Anne-Sylvie, Prophethood, in Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Prophet of God (2 vols.), Edited by C. Fitzpatrick and A. Walker, Santa Barbara, ABC-CLIO, 2014, Vol. II, pp. 493–495. Prophethood in the Qur'an, in Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Prophet of God (2 vols.), Edited by C. Fitzpatrick and A. Walker, Santa Barbara, ABC-CLIO, 2014, Vol. II, pp. 495–499. Prophetic Character of Muhammad, in Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Prophet of God (2 vols.), Edited by C. Fitzpatrick and A. Walker, Santa Barbara, ABC-CLIO, 2014, Vol. II, pp. 500–502. References Shia theology