Is this what 'hujjat' is? > in every era there must be one person to guide people and to help them obtain spiritual growth and fulfill their responsibilities towards their society. Who is 'hujjat' now? Is Imam Mahdi Allah's hujjat now? And a similar question, what does "Wali Faqih (ولایة الفقیه)" mean? Is it something same like Hojjat or 'different?' If different, who is 'Wali Faqih (ولایة الفقیه)' now? *(Shia viewpoint only)*

According to Shiism, in every era there must be one person to guide people and to help them obtain spiritual growth and fulfill their responsibilities towards their society. This person is not a prophet because Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the last prophet but instead he is a complete man who has knowledge of everything from Allah and is infallible (Ma‘sūm). These are the 12 Imams, from Ali Ibn Abi Talib to Hojjat Ibn al-Hassan, Mahdi. This is because it is assumed that all men and women are fallible and their knowledge is very imperfect, therefore they must be guided by a Divinely appointed legitimate authority (called Imam, vasi, hojjat, etc.). See here and here . My question is: What is the Sunni view about this issue, i.e. having a person to guide people who is infallible and has knowledge of everything bestowed upon him by Allah? If the belief is that there is no need to having such a man, what is the reason?

In Shia Islam there is this belief that there *has* to be one hojjat of Allah on Earth. He could be described as the > decisive argument of Allah over mankind Further description found in the question https://islam.stackexchange.com/q/12487 The way it is described, it seems that this presences is ensured by Allah Himself. There is also this belief that Mohammad(saww) went on a maraaj in which he went to the skies, beyond the point which Gabriel(as) couldn't go and had words with Allah. Now, since Mohammad(saww) was than Allah's hojjat on Earth, so when he went to maraaj who was Allah hojjat on Earth? I don't find the presence the Ali(as) on Earth as a sound explanation because he at that time was not the Imam, the hojjat (maybe that's incorrect) because Mohammad was still alive. It's is said that when Mohammad(saww) got back from maraaj things were in the exact same position and condition the way they were when he left (the door chain still swings, the warmth on bed or door knob (not sure)). Which, scientifically speaking, could mean that he went and came back in zero time and therefore no time passed when there wasn't a hojjat present on Earth. Is that a possible and a valid explanation?

When an Imam passes away after transferring the office of Imamah to his successor does he seize to be Allah's hojjat, as well as Imam?