Imams VS Prophets

[Fish 19]

Sallam,

Where is the divergence between in Imams and Prophets?

As far as I know, Prophets and Imams share the following:

-Both can perform miracles

-Both recieve revelation from an angel

-Both are infalliable

-Both know from Allah's knowledge (ilm-ul-ghayb)

-Both are hujjah

-Both can narrate hadiths and decide judgement

-Both are divinely chosen

There may be some I've forgotten to mention, but this strikes me as same perks under different title. I'm sure this is a cliche Sunni argument, so a short answer and a list of differences is all i need.

Wassallam.

[Ron_Burgundy 1,850]

Hasan Ibn Abbas Marufi wrote a letter to Imam Reza a.s. (the 8th Imam) and asked this question. So Imam wrote in response:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مَرَّارٍ قَالَ كَتَبَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ الْعَبَّاسِ الْمَعْرُوفِيُّ إِلَى الرِّضَا ع جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَخْبِرْنِي مَا الْفَرْقُ بَيْنَ الرَّسُولِ وَ النَّبِيِّ وَ الْإِمَامِ قَالَ فَكَتَبَ أَوْ قَالَ الْفَرْقُ بَيْنَ الرَّسُولِ وَ النَّبِيِّ وَ الْإِمَامِ أَنَّ الرَّسُولَ الَّذِي يُنْزَلُ عَلَيْهِ جَبْرَئِيلُ فَيَرَاهُ وَ يَسْمَعُ كَلَامَهُ وَ يُنْزَلُ عَلَيْهِ الْوَحْيُ وَ رُبَّمَا رَأَى فِي مَنَامِهِ نَحْوَ رُؤْيَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ ع وَ النَّبِيُّ رُبَّمَا سَمِعَ الْكَلَامَ وَ رُبَّمَا رَأَى الشَّخْصَ وَ لَمْ يَسْمَعْ وَ الْإِمَامُ هُوَ الَّذِي يَسْمَعُ الْكَلَامَ وَ لَا يَرَى الشَّخْصَ Reference: الكافي ج 1، ص176،باب الفرق بين الرسول و النبي و المحدث

According to this hadith and also other references some differences of prophet and Imam are:

1.     Imam does not have The Tashree' authority (i.e. legislation or bringing a new religion making rules of religion) but prophet have. Imam only protects the religion of prophet from going astray but does not have the right to make any change or new law in religion. Prophet transfers all the divine knowledge of religion to next Imam (prophet is both Imam and prophet at the same rime like Quran says about Ibrahim a.s.) and so Imam has the perfect knowledge of religion. For example Imam cannot change halal and haram.

2.     Prophet can see revelation angel Gabriel directly. but Imam does not see angel directly but the messages of God is inspire to him or Imam only hears angle (but not seeing)

3.     Prophet can see unseen universe directly but Imam learn about unseen from prophet.

4.     According to this verse rank of Imam is higher than prophet:

وَإِذِ ابْتَلَى إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ رَ‌بُّهُ بِكَلِمَاتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ قَالَ إِنِّي جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّ‌يَّتِي قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِي الظَّالِمِي

And remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord with certain commands, which he fulfilled: He said: "I will make thee an Imam to the Nations." He pleaded: "And also (Imams) from my offspring!" He answered: "But My Promise is not within the reach of evil-doers."

http://tanzil.net/#2:124

It can be understood that the rank of Imam is higher than prophet because prophet Ibrahim a.s. could become Imam after passing exams and it was at ends of his life because he asks "and from my children"? We know he did not have children until he was aged according to other verses.

Please note this does not mean the rank of 12 Imams of Shia like for example Imam Ali a.s. was higher than prophet because prophet Muhammad PBUH was prophet and Imam at the same time and his rank is higher than all 12 Imams.

Imam is the custodian of Prophet; he may be regarded as representative of Prophet. In the absence/ any controversy, he has to explain true Islamic Jurisdiction, because he has got knowledge of Prophet, he has the knowledge, gifted by Prophet, whereas, Prophet has be bestowed all, including knowledge by Almighty Allah. Allah has comprehensive program for Hidayat, through Prophets and their representative. The representation of Prophet exits every time, until Qiyamat

[Sumerian 5,416]

47 minutes ago, Fish said:

Sallam,

Where is the divergence between in Imams and Prophets?

As far as I know, Prophets and Imams share the following:

-Both can perform miracles

-Both recieve revelation from an angel

-Both are infalliable

-Both know from Allah's knowledge (ilm-ul-ghayb)

-Both are hujjah

-Both can narrate hadiths and decide judgement

-Both are divinely chosen

There may be some I've forgotten to mention, but this strikes me as same perks under different title. I'm sure this is a cliche Sunni argument, so a short answer and a list of differences is all i need.

Wassallam.

Imams don't recieve revelations, they recieve divine inspirations.

Imams cannot see Angels, only hear them. 

They both know of Al-Ghayb as per how much Allah (SWT) will show them.

 

[Abal Faadhil 26]

Imams did not get revelations as Quran was already revealed and they were protecters and teachers of Quran. However, whatever they spoke, was from the side of Allah

Imams did not bring a new Shariah unlike the Prophets

Imam can see angels. There are many incidents which prove it 

[Fish 19]

6 minutes ago, E.L King said:

Imams don't recieve revelations, they recieve divine inspirations.

Imams cannot see Angels, only hear them. 

They both know of Al-Ghayb as per how much Allah (SWT) will show them.

 

Sallam,

As far as I know, Shias used the argument of Suraht Al-Qadr where the verse says: 

SAHIH INTERNATIONAL

The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.

Sunnis believe they come down touch the ground and then leave, others believe the Angels guide us from afar. Shias believe the descend upon the 12th Imam as far as I recall.

Also, hadith Al-Kisa, the 3 Imams present all saw the angel.

Wassallam.

 

[Fish 19]

36 minutes ago, Abal Faadhil said:

Imams did not get revelations as Quran was already revealed and they were protecters and teachers of Quran. However, whatever they spoke, was from the side of Allah

Imams did not bring a new Shariah unlike the Prophets

Imam can see angels. There are many incidents which prove it 

The saints (auliya) not only receive knowledge of the unseen, and revelations containing glad tidings and warnings (against wrong-doers), but also commands and prohibitions to the recipient (though not law). The Quran gives the following examples:

“We sent revelation to the mother of Moses: ‘Give him suck. Then when you fear for him, cast him into the river, and do not fear or worry. We shall bring him back to you, and make him one of the messengers’.” (28:7)

In the revelation to Moses’ mother, the words “give him suck” and “cast” are commands, whilst “do not fear or worry” are prohibitions. Was this revelation not certain and definite, just like revelation to prophets? By acting on her revelation and casting her baby in the river, did not Moses’ mother show that she had as much belief in her revelation as the prophets did in theirs? Had this revelation not been from God, the prophecies in it could not have been fulfilled.

http://www.muslim.org/sa-case/evidence/s04.htm

A quick google search proves otherwise. Wahy Nubbuwa has been terminated, you are right. Wahy in general has not. 

[Sumerian 5,416]

7 hours ago, Fish said:

Sallam,

As far as I know, Shias used the argument of Suraht Al-Qadr where the verse says: 

SAHIH INTERNATIONAL

The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.

Sunnis believe they come down touch the ground and then leave, others believe the Angels guide us from afar. Shias believe the descend upon the 12th Imam as far as I recall.

Also, hadith Al-Kisa, the 3 Imams present all saw the angel.

Wassallam.

 

That Ayah does not mean he sees them. Look at this Hadith:

Several of our companions from Ahmad b. Muhammad from Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Abi Nasr from Tha`laba b. Maymun from Zurara.

He said: I asked Abu Ja`far عليه السلام about the saying of Allah: “He was a messenger, a prophet” (19:51) – what is a messenger and what is a prophet? He said: The prophet is one who sees [revelation] in his dreams and hears the voice, but does not witness the angel. And the messenger is one who hears the voice, sees [revelation] in the dreams, and witnesses the angel. I said: What is the position of the Imam? He said: He hears the voice, and does not see nor witness the angel. Then he recited this verse: “Never have We sent a messenger nor a prophet nor a muhaddath (i.e. one receives implicit inspiration) [but when He recited the message, Satan proposed opposition in respect of that which he recited thereof…]” (22:52) (al-Kafi, Volume 1, hadith 434)

Translator’s note: The segment of the latter ayah that mentions the muhaddath can be ta’wil of the Qur’an. 

(sahih) (صحيح)

http://www.imamiyya.com/hadith/usul-kafi/book-4/chapter-3

[syed Abdullah Tirmizi 1]

Imam is not sent by God, They Just Got Their position because of their fully obedience to religion and also knowledge of that religion, and the imam may be the guide of that nation at that time... they are not allowed to change anything is that religiion, just to convey it, relation with God is based on the Taqwa, one how have more Taqwa near to God so what ever God wants to give him,Give him,