Imamat Higher than the Prophethood!

Bismillah

[taken from a debate with Sunni brothers]



to say or deny an IMAMAT CONCEPT is actually equivalent to DENIAL and absolute ignorance of the Holy QURAN and I hope you wont be one among those who deny.

There are a lot of verses from the Holy Qur an which point to IMAMAT - Islamic Leadership, how ever i will just quote one here.



Surah Al Baqarah : 124



وَإِذِ ابْتَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ رَبُّهُ بِكَلِمَاتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ قَالَ إِنِّي جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي قَالَ لاَ يَنَالُ عَهْدِي الظَّالِمِينَ

And (remember) when the Lord of Ibrâhim (Abraham) [i.e., Allâh] tried him with (certain) Commands, which he fulfilled. He (Allâh) said (to him), "Verily, I am going to make you Imam (a leader) for mankind (to follow you)." [Ibrâhim (Abraham)] said, "And of my offspring (to make leaders)." (Allâh) said, "My Covenant (Prophethood-Imamat) includes not Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers)."


 from this verse we understand that :

• Ibrahim(as) was already a Prophet when he was tested by Allah
• After Passing the Trial, Rank of Ibrahim(as) was RAISED by Allah from a mere Propheth to Imam!!! hence, which is higher Prophet or Imam? Definitely according to this verse the position of being an Imam is much higher than an ordinary Prophet.
• It is Allah who choose, select, appoint an Imam for the nation and not the other way around, not through election as what Ahlus Sunnah claimed. Now who is following the Qur an GEB? the SHIA or the Ahlus Sunnah?
• Prophet Ibrahim(as) now being aware of the lofty station of being an Imam, was also inspired by Allah(swt) to ask Him(Allah) to also appoint, or make his offspring an Imam who are those Offspring of Ibrahim(as)? the Ali-Ibrahim? bukun ka amu na in mga Nabi Isahak, Nabi Ishmail, iban sin mga panubu sin Nabi Isaak, Nabi Ishmail(as)? Bukun ka in panghu natuh Muhammad(sawa) panubu da isab sin Ibrahim(as)? Bukun ka he genealogy, in Imam ALi(as) panubu da isab siya sin nabi Ibrahim(as) bihaun GEB kaingatan muna bang hi siyu in siyasalawatan mu ha sambahayang mu Allahumma Salli Muhammad Wa ali-Muhammad kama sallayta Ibrahim Wa ali-Ibrahim... Oh Allah bless Muhammad and the offspring of Muhammad as thou bless Ibrahim and the offspring of Ibrahim...
• Allah(swt) categorically says that Imamat - Islamic leadership is not for those zalim - polytheist, wrong/evil doer etc... unfortunately the WAHABI contradict this by their kufur belief that even those who seize Power thru force, swords must be obeyed! very tragic
• Imama - Islamic Leadership is only for those who are beyond reproach, infallible see Quran 33:33

Recap : Muhammad and the Ali-Muhammad is also an Ali-Ibrahim... and not all sahaba as what most ignorant claim.

The first degree of Abraham, may the blessing of Allah be upon him, was becoming a servant of Allah ('Abd), then he became Prophet (Nabi), then he became Messenger (Rasul), then he became a Confident (Khalil), and then he finally became Imam.

BTW, the above verse of Quran (2:124) proves that Allah assigns Imam, and the designation of Imam is not the business of people.

Yusuf Ali on the above verse (2:124) states :
     He was promised the leadership of the world; he pleaded
     for his progeny, and his prayer was granted, with the limitation
     that if his progeny was false to God, God's promise did not reach
     the people who proved themselves false.


As we see, Quran clearly justifies the Shi'ite point of view in this matter. But again, since Prophet Abraham, Prophet Muhammad, and few others were also Imams, such belief (i.e., Imamat higher than prophethood) does not undermine their position.

on the otherhand the most authentic traditions which shows that Imam Ali(as) has reached the level of prophethood is the hadith Manzila in which rasul(sawa) declare :


قال رسول الله ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه واله وسلم ‏ ‏لعلي:
‏ ‏أنت مني بمنزلة هارون من موسى الا انه لا نبي بعدي
Prophet said to Ali: ''You are to me as Harun was to Musa, except there is no Prophet after me''

the word except there is no prophet after me proves that if Prophet Muhammad(sawa) was not the seal of prophethood certainly Imam Ali(as) has also become a prophet just what is Prophet Harun(as) to Prophet Musa(as).

[Pickthal 4:54] Or are they jealous of mankind because of that which Allah of His bounty hath bestowed upon them? For We bestowed upon the house of Abraham (of old) the Scripture and wisdom, and We bestowed on them a mighty kingdom.
[Pooya/Ali Commentary 4:54]

It was the "house of Ibrahim" which was promised leadership in religion and greatness as a nation. Please refer to the commentary of al-Baqarah: 124 to know how the divine kingdom was transferred to the descendants of Ismail, the son of Ibrabim,-the Holy Prophet and his Ahl ul Bayt, whom Allah has given the book, the wisdom and a great kingdom.


Imam means a person who is appointed by God as a leader and as a guide :

[Yusufali 21:73] And We made them leaders, guiding (men) by Our Command, and We sent them inspiration to do good deeds, to establish regular prayers, and to practise regular charity; and they constantly served Us (and Us only).

[Yusufali 32:24] And We appointed, from among them, leaders, giving guidance under Our command, so long as they persevered with patience and continued to have faith in Our Signs.

"Surely Allah chose Adam and Noah and the descendants of Abraham and the descendants of Imran above the nations. Offspring, one of the other."(3:33)

to whom obedience is due, and whom people should follow : "O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority (Ulul-Amr) from among you (min kum)." (Qur'an 4:59).


Messengers are Warners and Imams are Guides (13:7 And the Unbelievers say: "Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord?" But thou art truly a warner, and to every people a guide.).

Imams are the Stars of Guidance [Yusufali 6:97] It is He Who maketh the stars (as beacons) for you, that ye may guide yourselves, with their help, through the dark spaces of land and sea: We detail Our signs for people who know.

At sea, on lands, or over mountains, whenever we sweep over wide spaces, it is the stars that act as our guides, just as the sun and moon have already been mentioned as our measure of time in the preceding verse.

It is also true that Allah has provided guiding stars to man for his material benefit. It is also true that He has not left man to bewilder in spiritual darkness, therefore, He has sent down His chosen representatives to guide mankind to the right path. According to Ali ibn Ibrahim's Tafsir nujum means the holy Imams among the Ahl ul Bayt of the Holy Prophet.

now GEB i think you already have the idea of what is really meant by the Holy Prophet when he say :

I am leaving two weighty things, the book of Allah and my Ahlul Bayt, and they will never seperate until they reach me at the fountain.[AlHakim and Dhahabi authenticated the above. Mustadrak 3/148]

and ;

: I am leaving that which if you hold onto you will never go astray: the book of Allah and my Ahlul Bayt, and they will never seperate until they reach me at the fountain.