The rank of Imamate is
higher than prophecy.
“We
considered from among them the Imams to guide the people upon our own
instruction, because they were patient and had previously believed in our
verses.
(Sura: Sajdeh, verse: 24)
This verse should be
discussed to know what is the goal of Imam? And what is conduct upon God’s
instruction and what is the relationship of Imamate with patience and being
faithful to God?
To explain the meaning of
Imam we should say:
“God prescribed: Remember when God tested Abram and he well performed it. God
prescribed: Now! I elect you as Imam of the people. Abram (p.b.u.h.) asked:
Have You elected me as Imam too? And God prescribed: My prophecy shall not pass
to the oppressive.”
(sura: Baghareh, verse: 124)
The grace of God trusted
with Abram (p.b.u.h.) was when Abram was old, because as stated in this verse,
it happened when Abram passed the test and the most important test was his
sacrificing his son Esmail (p.b.u.h.) and God bestowed to him Esmail and Isaac
(p.b.u.h.) when he was old.
“Praise belongs to Almighty God. God Who granted to me Esmaeil and Isaac when
I was old and my God indeed hears the demands of His creatures.
(sura: Abram, verse: 41)
So, since when Imamate was
granted to Abram (p.b.u.h.), he requested God to grant it to his successors,
thus it is concluded that, the grant happened to him when he was old. Before
having sons, despite his disappointment, such a question would seem odd.
As a result, the demand
and the question proposed to Abram (p.b.u.h.) when he was elected as Imam,
happened when he was old and when he had Esmaeil and Isaac (p.b.u.h.).
Thus, it is reasoned that
Imamate of Abram (p.b.u.h.) took place after he was elected as prophet, when he
was old.
It reflects that Imamate is some thing other than prophecy. It is a higher
rank.
Based on the same
principle, verse:
“I elect you as a leader so that human beings would follow your deed and
speeches”
provokes us to ask who is Imam so that the people should observe and follow his
deeds and thoughts?
This is when, some of the
interpreters make mistake and presume that Imam in this sacred verse means
prophet, because the people follow the prophets. They consider this verse:
“We did not dispatch any prophet, except for this reason that the people would
follow him upon God’s instruction.”
(sura: Nesa, verse: 63) and this is a false presumption. Because firstly, the
word: Imam is uttered by God and then the verb “elected” is mentioned and
since, we elected is an object and would not act if it is not a past sense and
no subject would be added to it, it surely means present tense and it means:
“Abram! I elect you as Imam from now on.” And since at this time, Abram was a
prophet, so certainly Imamate is higher than prophecy.
The prophet is one from
whose inner God informs him and this is something other than Imam. Prophet is
some one who is commissioned to talk about religion of God and this requires
that the people follow him as a leader and hear him and act according to his
ideas. So, the meaning of prophet is other than the meaning of Imam. But, the
word: “observe” indicates that the people obey prophet and this is necessary
for prophecy and mission.
But, caliph and executor
mean being a deputy not an Imam and a chief is some one who issues orders and
necessitates others to obey him, which are not Imamate.
Imam is derived from “Ome
Yaom” as it was mentioned it is
being leader
and the absolute Imam is some one whose acts when sleeping or awakened, inner
or outer, deeds and thoughts should be followed by the people. Act and morals,
beliefs and distinctions all should be followed by the people. So, we see, in
this verse, the meaning is worthy for Imam and God tells Abram (p.b.u.h.) (when
he has reached the rank of prophecy, i.e. being inspired by divine words and
notifying the same to the pople) Now! I elect you as a leader so that the
people follow you in all respects.”
But, if we consider the
meanings, the aforesaid verse will not be read correctly. When, he is elected
as a prophet, how can we call him a caliph? Or executor? Or Chief?
Now that this case is
obvious, we should interpret the verse:
And we elected you to guide the people upon our instructions and you are the
patient and you believe in our verses.”
It is seen that the Imams have a characteristic which is guidance to God, upon
God’s order.
In Imamate, firstly the
principle should be guidance. Secondly, this guidance should be upon God’s
order. Imam is one who guides the people as God instructs and God’s instruction
means the reality mentioned in the following verse:
This is indeed the fact that when God wishes something, He orders “Be” so it
will “Be”. So, God is sacred and pure and all the creatures of heavens go
towards Him and return to Him.
(sura: Ya Sin, verse: 83)
Again, in this verse:
And our order is nothing but a winking.
(sura: Gharam, verse: 50) the same verses are used to show firstly that God
only once orders and there is no time and place, secondly, His wish is the same
as His Will and as soon as He wishes, it will be changed to being and this is
the essence of every creature. If God decides to create, He will create the
essence and this is
proof
against the people with
aspects of change,
decadence, corruption.
Beware that the world of
creation is for God and it is His order which is high ranked and He is the
creator of the worlds. (sura: Araf, verse: 54)
Thus, the creatures have
two sides. One is the
aspect of change
and decadence where movement is seen and the other is
proof
and lack of change, which is named heaven which is the reality and the truth of
the creatures. This aspect is not changed under the alterations of that one.
Imam will guide the creatures.
Thus, Imams who guide the
people to God, deal with essence of the creatures and guide every creature not
only regarding his materialistic aspects but considering his divine aspects to
God to reach attainment.
Heart of the creatures is held by Imam and Imam guides them by having influence
on their hearts.
So, Imam, guiding the people to God, in fact guides them to what is always
attached to them and this is in fact Imamate which exists inside the souls and
hearts of the creatures. The imamate each of the human beings believe in
through their hearts and this is Imamate.