Imamate as per the Holy Qur’an (2)

Welcome to the 2nd edition of our special 4-part programme titled Imamate as per the Holy Qur’an. Yesterday we elaborated to you the meaning and concept of Imamate or the divinely-decreed leadership of mankind, which has been specified by God Almighty in the holy Qur’an.

Like Prophethood, it is bestowed by the Allah on the deserving, and is not something left to the whims of fallible minds to elect, select, nominate, designate, or remove. As we said, in ayah 124 of Surah Baqarah, we read:

“And when his Lord tested Abraham with certain words, and he fulfilled them, He said, ‘I am making you the Imam of mankind.’ Said he, ‘And from among my descendants?’ He said, ‘My pledge does not extend to the unjust.’”

As is clear from the wordings of the ayah that we recited to you, the unjust and the oppressor cannot be an Imam. To be more precise, any person who commits sins, however trifle is an oppressor. Likewise, any person who had worshipped idols or had not believed in the One and Only God, before becoming a Muslim, had committed injustice and oppression in some part of life, and hence cannot be an Imam. On the basis of this divine rationale, none of the companions of Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny), could ever be considered Imams, including those who had assumed the caliphate or political rule of the state after him with people’s vote, since neither the Prophet had delegated any authority to them, nor does any ayah of the holy Qur’an support their claim. Thus, since Prophethood is a divine trust, the continuation of the mission of the Seal of Messengers, rest on a divinely-decreed Imam, the first of whom, as we said yesterday was Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS), who was proclaimed vicegerent by the Prophet on the express commandment of God, as per ayah 67 of Surah Ma’edah on the plain of Ghadeer-Khom on 18^th Zilhijja, 10 AH, before a gathering of 120,000 Hajj pilgrims.

Today we cite ayah 61 of Surah Aal-e Imran of the holy Qur’an that refers one of the most important events in the history of Islam and is further confirmation of the imamate or leadership of Imam Ali (AS) after the Prophet. It reads:

“Should anyone argue with you concerning him, after the knowledge that has come to you, say, ‘Come! Let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, our souls and your souls, then let us pray earnestly and call down Allah’s curse upon the liars.’”

The reason for revelation of this ayah was the intransigence of the delegation of Christian priests of Najran in Yemen, which had come to Medina to debate with the Prophet of Islam on the righteous creed, but despite being provided irrefutable proofs that Jesus was a prophet and not a godson, since the One and Only Creator is far too glorious to have any need for children, refused to accept the truth. For instance, ayah 59 of this same surah which was revealed on this occasion, specifically said:

“Indeed the case of Jesus with Allah is like the case of Adam: He created him from dust, then said to him, ‘Be,’ and he was.” 

God then commanded the two sides, as per ayah 61, to gather in a place outside Medina and invoke the wrath of Allah on the liars. The Christians agreed, on the assumption that they were truthful and pious monotheists, compared to the Prophet’s companions who before becoming Muslims had spent the greater part of their life in sins, idolatry, and oppression.

The next morning, as the Christians waited at the specified place outside Medina, to their surprise, the Prophet of Islam entered the field, without anyone of his companions or any wife, but with his dear daughter, Hazrat Fatema Zahra, her husband, Imam Ali and the couple’s two little sons, Imam Hasan and Imam Husain (peace upon them). At the sight of this Infallible Group that was free from any iota of pollution and oppression, the Christians became awestruck. The chief bishop of the Christians, Abdul-Masih, said: I am seeing such radiant visages that if they lift their hands to supplicate to God, mountains will move from their places. O Christians! It is not advisable to invoke God to curse the liars, because in this case, divine wrath will fall upon us. If the Prophet of Islam was not confident in his claim to truth and to represent God, he would never have exposed his dearest and nearest ones to malediction.

In short, the Christians decided to come to terms with the Prophet and agreed to pay jizya. The event of Mubahela is thus one of the clear proofs of the succession to the Prophet after him, since as per ayah 61 of Surah Aal-e Imran, Imam Ali (AS) is referred as the soul of the Prophet, or in other words, an extension of not just the personality but the divine mission of Islam. No wonder, the Prophet had said on many occasions: "Ali is from me and I am from him."

Some two centuries after this event, Ma'moun the self-styled caliph of the usurper Abbasid regime, asked the Prophet’s 8^th Infallible Heir, Imam Reza (AS): Tell me the greatest merit of your ancestor Imam Ali (AS) as mentioned in Qur’an.

Imam Reza (AS) said: Among his merits mentioned in the holy Qur’an is the event of Mubahela, where he is referred by God as the soul of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). The Imam then recited ayah 61 of Surah Aal-e Imran, and further elaborated that as per God’s words here, the term “Abna’ana” or “Our Sons” refers to Imam Hasan and Imam Husain (peace upon them), the grandsons of the Prophet; the term “Nisa’ana” or “Our Women” refers only to the Prophet’s Immaculate Daughter, Hazrat Fatema Zahra (peace upon her); and the term
“Anfusana” or “Our Souls” is an exclusive reference to Imam Ali (AS).

Thus, Imamate or the leadership of Islam, after the Prophet, is the divinely-decreed right of Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS), and after him, of his two sons, Imam Hasan and Imam Husain (peace upon them), and after them of the 9 Infallible descendants of Imam Husain, the last of whom is the Awaited Saviour of mankind, Imam Mahdi (AS), who will reappear in the end times to cleanse the Earth of all vestiges of corruption and oppression by establishing the global government of peace, prosperity, and justice.

AS/SS