Surah al-Baqarah Ayah
124: “Wa Izibtala Ibrahima Rabbahu Bekalematin Fa-atammahunna Qala Inni Ja’eluka Linnase Imama Qala Wa Min
Zurriati Qala La Yanalu Ahid Za’lemeen.” “When His Lord tested Ibrahim’s faith (by
His words) and he satisfied the test, He said, “I am appointing you as the
leader of the mankind.” Ibrahim asked, “Will this leadership also continue
through my descendants?” The Lord replied, “The unjust do not have the right to
exercise My authority.”
The “tests” stated in the above Ayah refers to the
following:
His
opposing and blaming the patriarch Azar against the idolatry,
His
rise to the observation of the holding authorities on the earth and in the
heavens,
His
attainment of the stage of certainty,
His
method of argument to take the people out of the idolatry or polytheism to the
utmost heights of monotheism,
His
efforts to translate the monotheistic theory into the practical unity of
worship by building the House of Worship-Ka’ba’,
His
sacrificing all the limitations of the Ego by directing his attention to Allah,
His
conscience beginning to focus the Divine Will in the dream as well as while he
was awake,
His
leaving of his wife and infant son in the desolated desert of Arabia, where the
present day Makkah is situated,
Taking
his young son, Ismail, to the place of sacrifice and showed determination to slaughter him in accordance with
the Divine Instruction in the dream,
His
showing of exemplary faith, peace and determination in the face of Babul’s idolaters, breaking the idols,consequently
punished by the idolaters in the mammoth fire,
Migrate
from the city of idolaters sacrificing his financial assets to go to other places
to promote the Unity of Allah.
The status of Imamate
entails not only bringing message from Allah, give good news to the pious, warn
those who oppose the Divine Commandments, but also enforcement of Divine laws
and purify the souls of the faithful. Surah al-Sajdah Ayah 24: “We appointed
some of the Israelites as leaders for their exercising patience to guide the
others to Our commands. They had firm belief in Our revelations.”
Abdullah ibn
Masood narrated a tradition saying the Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) said: “Allah
said to Prophet Ibrahim ‘I will not assign the status of Imamate to the
“Unjust” or “Za’lim”.’ Prophet Ibrahim inquired; “Who are the unjust ones?”
Allah said: “Who ever had prostrated to the idols.”
So any one who had committed sins, either small or big, including
idol-worshipping (Shirk) is an “Unjust” person and is incapable for the status
of Imamate. Consequently, the Imam should be “Infallible”. From this stand
point no one except Imam Ali (a.s.) was capable to succeed the Noble Prophet
(s.a.w.a.s.). A person is Infallible or not, only Allah (s.w.t.) knows the
conditions of our hearts heart. Hence
the title of Imamate is a Divine status and only Allah (s.w.t.) can appoint an
Imam.
The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) and the Commander of the
Faithful, Imam Ali (a.s.) were the direct descendants of Prophet Ibra’him. They
were Infallible and sinless. Hence the prayer of Prophet Ibrahim was accepted
by Allah. Similarly, the eleven
Infallible Imams after Imam Ali (a.s.) are the Imams as promised by Allah
(s.w.t.) and the last one, Imam Mahdi (a.s.) is guiding the humanity as the sun
continues to supply life to the inhabitants of the planet earth, humans,
animals and the plants.
Sources used:
The Glorious Qur’an (English Translation) by Ayatollah Agha
H.M.M. Pooya Yazdi
The Glorious Qur’an (Urdu Translation) by Ayatollah Nasir
Makarem Shirazi
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