Immamum Mubeen

[Muslim2010]

Imamum Mubeen

 

1-      O Muhammad, We have sent Revelation to you just as We sent it to Noah and other Prophets after him. We also sent Revelation to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob, and the Descendants of Jacob, and Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and We gave the Psalms to David (Quran 4:163)

 

The Children of Israel are the Descendents of Jacob the following verse states that was revealed to them:

 

2-      Allah had bound the Children of Israel by a solemn covenant, and appointed Twelve leaders from among them (5:12).

 

The above verse at sr no. 1, clearly mentions that Allah has revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hf) like He has revealed to the other Prophets that there will be Twelve leaders (Imams) in his nation. This proof has been kept in this verse that the names used in this verse (for Prophets) are exactly 12.

 

These are given below:

1- Noah, 2- Abraham, 3- Ishmael, 4- Isaac, 5- Jacob, 6-(The Tribes) The descendents of Jacob,  7- Jesus, 8- Job,  9- Jonah, 10- Aaron, 11- Solomon, 12- David

 

 

3-     Now from the Quran we get the following verses:

 

[2:124] Recall to mind that when his Lord put Abraham to test in certain things and he fulfilled all of them, He said, "I am going to make you the leader (Imam) of mankind." Abraham humbly asked, "Does this promise apply to my descendants also?" He replied, "My promise does not apply to the transgressors."

 

Thus Hz Ibrahim as was made Imam and from his descendents there are Imams who are not unjust or wrong doers.

 

4-      [17:71] Just imagine the scene on the Day, when We will summon every community with its leader (Imam): then those, who will be given their records in their right hands, will read their records and will not be wronged in the least;

[17:72] and whoever is blind in this [life] will be blind in the Hereafter and more astray in way.

 

So every group will be called with his Imam. And whoever is blind to identify that Imam in this life he will be failed to identify him [imam] in the hereafter.

 

5-      Tradition about 12 Imams:

 

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from abu Sa‘id al-‘Usfuriy from ‘Amr aaand ibn Thabit from abu Hamza who has said the following:

 

"I heard Ali ibn al-Husayn say, ‘Allah created Muhammad , Ali and the eleven Imams from his descendants out of the light of His greatness. He then placed them as figures in the brightness of His light where they worshipped Him before the creation of the creatures. They would speak of the Glory of Allah and of His Holiness. They are the Imams from descendants of the Messenger of Allah." (Al-Kafi, Ch 126, Part 4, The Book about People with Divine Authority, H 6)

 

6-      Now keeping in view the above verse similar was also revealed to the Prophet (pbuh & hf):

 

[Quran 36:12] and We have deposited everything in Imamum Mubeen.

 

Aqa Mahdi Puya mentions:

 

“Imam Muhammad bin Ali al Baqir said that when this verse was revealed, Abu Bakr and Umar asked the Holy Prophet: "Is imamum mubin the Tawrat given to Musa?" The answer was: "No". Again they asked: "Is it Injil, given to Isa?" The answer was: "No". Then they asked: "Is it the Holy Quran?" "No", was the answer. Then turning towards Ali ibn abi Talib, the Holy Prophet said: "Verily this is the Imam in whom Allah has deposited the knowledge of everything." Then, addressing the people present there, the Holy Prophet said: "O people, there is no branch of knowledge Allah did not teach me and I have not conveyed it to Ali. Verily Allah has given me wisdom and I have given it to Ali. I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate."

 

 

Whatever man does is recorded. The record of the deeds of every individual, and the records pertaining to creation and legislation (which includes knowledge of everything that has been created since the beginning, its progress and the laws governing it) have been made known to "the manifesting Imam", therefore he is the repository of all knowledge. The manifesting Imams have been clearly identified in Ahzab: 33; Waqi-ah: 77 to 79; Ali Imran: 61 and hadith al thaqalayn (see page 6).

 

The well known and the most authentic declaration of the Holy Prophet (Hadith Thaqalayn) is the confirming interpretation of these verses. The holy book and the holy Ahl ul Bayt are inseparably identified with each other from their origin, down in the arc of descent, and up again in their ascent (return) to the presence of themaliki yawmid din. It makes no difference whether the term imamum mabin, in verse 12 of Ya Sin, is interpreted either as the Ahl ul Bayt or as the Quran, for these two are neither separate from each other nor will ever be separable, because one reflects the other.

 

And everything we have confined into a clear expressive guide. (YA SIN:12)

 

The revealed book, in our hands, does not speak, and is therefore mute (samit); whereas the  Ahl ul Bayt by being able to speak are eloquent (natiq). This conclusion is based upon the Quran and the wording of the Holy Prophet.

 

7-      Now we need to make a comparison of the verses for the Children of Israel and this nation in the light of verse given at sr. no. 1 which necessitates the 12 leaders (Imams) in the nation of Muhammad (pbuh &hf):

 

Allah had bound the Children of Israel by a solemn covenant, and appointed Twelve leaders from among them [Quran 5:12].

 

Surely We give life to the dead, and We write down what they have sent before and their footprints, and We have deposited everything in Imamum Mubeen. [Quran 36:12]

 

Similarly both these verse mentioning the 12 leaders and 12 Imams [Imamum Mubeen] have been placed at sr no. 12. Also the title of the second Sura is Sura Yasin which is the name of the Prophet (pbuh&hf). Thus it confirms the appointment of 12 Imams in the nation of Muhammad from his progeny.

 

8-    Evidence of 12 Imams from Quran:

 

If we look in Quran where Allah swt has mentioned the word Imam then following is revealed:

 

1-2:124, 2-15:79, 3-9:123, 4-11:17, 5-17:71, 6-21:73, 7-25:74, 8-28:5, 9-28:41, 10-32:24, 11-36:12,         12-46:12

 

The word Imam has been used exactly 12 times in Quran in confirmation of all Hadiths mentioning 12 Imams to be followed. The last time where this word has been used 12^th time indicates that it has been used in verse no. 12 again.

 

Thus it confirms that 12 Imams are appointed by Allah swt and believers should follow them.

Edited August 28, 2013 by skamran110