term imam in quran - by dilshad keshwani

8/3/2019 Term Imam in Quran - By Dilshad Keshwani

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Some Considerations of the Term Imam in the Holy Quran

By Dilshad Keshwani

INTRODUCTION

In studying the concept of Imamah, the question as to what is the basis of this

fundamental concept that is perceived so differently by different branches of Islambecomes foremost and even enigmatic. If one examines the etymology of the term Imam,

it comes from the Arabic root Amma which has a number of shades of meaning, such

as, to precede, to lead the way, to lead by example, to lead a congregation in prayer and

so on. [1] Thus, Imam means a model, an examplar, a teacher, a guide or a path. In orderto clarify and elaborate the differences of perception between different sects of Islam in

regard to the concept of Imamah, it becomes necessary to examine the primary source

which is the Holy Quran.

The first logical step in this effort would be to study those verses of the Quran which

directly refer to the term Imam. The term Imam is used seven times in the singular andfive times in the plural form in the Holy Quran. It is not, however, used in the same

sense every time. The different shades of meaning which it indicates therefore needs to

be analysed. Accordingly, these verses may be classified into five groups in consonantwith its different meanings.

REFERENCES TO PROPHET IBRAHIM AND HIS PROGENY

In the first group, the word Imam is used for the Prophets and leaders in an honorific and

positive sense. The verses which may be classified as belonging to this group are asfollows: (1) 2:124, (2) 21:73, (3) 32:24 (4) 28:5 (5) 25:74 and (6) 26:12.

In this particular group of verses where the term conveys the sense of a Prophet or a

Leader, 2:124 may be cited:

And (remember) when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words, then he fulfilled them.

He said: Verily, I make you Imam for the mankind. Ibrahim said, and of my

offspring? He (Allah) said: My covenant will not reach the unjust.

Many implications can be drawn from this verse. Firstly, the term Imam refers directly

and unambiguously to Prophet Ibrahim (AS). Secondly, one of the ideas also beingconveyed is that, byfulfilling the test Prophet Ibrahim created an example for his

followers and Allah made him an Imam. Thirdly, when Allah made him an Imam,

Prophet Ibrabim inquired whether there would be Imams from amongst his progeny, andAllah replied that His covenant would not reach the unjust, which means that the unjust

ones may be the usurpers, but may never be the rightful Imams. Fourthly, the making of a

rightful Imam is not the function of ordinary beings, but only that of Allah, as it isdeclared: Verily, I make you an Imam. The same idea is expressed in other verses like


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in 21:73, where it is revealed: We made them Imams and in 32:24, where it says: We

made Imams from amongst them. Such direct references, as have been quoted above,

assist in the derivation of the idea that the rightful Imams are Divinely designated andthat they are from the progeny of Prophet Ibrahim. Hence, Hazrat Ali (AS) the first

manifest Imam was from the progeny of Hazrat Ibrahim and he was designated the Imam

by Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) at Allahs command. Each and every Imam from theprogeny of Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Bibi Fatimah (AS) is designated or nominated by nass

by the preceding Imam.

The second verse of the same group is as follows:

And We made them Imams guiding men by Our command and We sent them inspiration

to do good deeds and to establish regular prayers and to practise regular charity and theyserve us. (21:73)

Besides conveying the idea that it is Allah who designates the rightful Imams, this verse

also pinpoints the fact that Allah is the absolute source of their guidance and inspirationfor mankind. An examination of the context in which the above verse is placed reveals

that it refers to the progeny of Prophet lbrahim.

In verse 32:24, it is revealed that:

And We made Imams among them to guide by Our command as they were steadfast (inthe calamities) and they were quite certain of Our signs.

This and the verses quoted earlier confirm that the institution of Imamah has its basis inthe Holy Quran.

The phrase in the above verse: We made Imams among them conveys another aspect ofthe concept of Imamah, i.e. the Imams are as men amongst the members of their own

community. They are from amongst human beings just as the Prophets were also as men

amongst fellow men. We also find a reference wherein the Prophets and their progenyprayed to Allah to make them the Imams to lead the righteous, as it is revealed in 25:74,

And those who pray: Our Lord! Grant unto us wives and progeny who will be the

comfort of our eyes and make us Imams to lead the righteous.

Allah also mentions in 28:55,

And We intend to bestow favour upon those who were considered weak in the land, and

to make them the Imams and to make them heirs.

The Imams importance lies in the spiritual knowledge, whether they are physically

strong and materially rich or otherwise. Nasiruddin Tusi, the Alamut philosopher,

demonstrates the importance of spiritual knowledge over physical strength or material

wealth in his Tasawwurat by saying that if someone, by superior might, would seize


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supreme authority over the whole world, it may be possible that a wolf or lion may

overcome him, but no one would say that the wolf or lion is superior to him. Thus,

spiritual knowledge is superior to physical might. [3]

THE TERM IMAMIM MUBIN

The superiority of the Imam among other things is in the field of knowledge as it is

explained in 36:12:

Verily, We shall give life to the dead and We record that which they send before and

that which they leave behind and of all things have We taken account in a manifest

Imam.

Many commentators of the Holy Quran translate the last two words of this verse

Imamim Mubin as Manifest Book, though it should literally be translated as Manifest

Imam. They translate it in this manner, because they hold that the whole verse gives the

connotation that the deeds of the people will be recorded in a book (and assume that itcannot be taken account in the manifest person of the Imam). Tabari also interprets the

word Imam in this verse as the guarded tablet or a book of evidence and record. [4]However, Sayyidna Naisr-i Khusraw refutes such an interpretation in his Khwan-al-

Ikhwan, [5] questioning as to how it is possible that all knowledge be written on the

guarded tablet or in a book of evidence and record. Even if the connotation of the verse

suggests that the term Imamim Mubin refers to a book, the study of the Holy Quran alsoreveals that there are two books to which Allah refers, in 56:77-80:

Verily it is a Quran most honourable. In a Book well-guarded. None touches it savethose who are pure. Sent down by the Lord of the worlds.

Here a distinction is made to demonstrate that there are indeed two books. The Book(Quran) is an honourable book and it is in a well-guarded Book i.e. the living Prophet

and after him the Imam of the time. It indicates that the inner meaning, the correct

interpretation of the Quran is with the living Prophet and after him the living Imams.

A clear distinction also emerges between a silent book and a guide If we study the

verse 23:62, where it is ordained:

On no soul do we place a burden greater than it can bear; Before us is a book which

speaks the truth, and they will not be darkened/misguided.

Here only the living Prophets and the successors to their knowledge (the Imams) are

referred to, who are always in the midst of the people to guide them. It is far from Allahs

mercy that He should have the speaking book with Himself (in His presence) and revealit only on the day of judgement, so that it would only facilitate the testimony of the deeds

of the people and their interrogation and consequent punishment or reward Thus a guide

must always exist in the world, as a Prophet or his successor, the Imam of the time.

Hence, when Imamim Mubin is mentioned in 36:12, it refers to this guide, in which


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everything is recorded. This recording is also in a figurative sense and it implies that

the Imam has been blessed with perfect knowledge of everything, which obviously

includes the knowledge of the deeds of the people.

JUST IMAMS VERSUS IMAMS WHO MISLEAD

Quite different from the first six verses quoted, where Imam means a divinely ordained

leader who is directly descended from the Prophet Muhammad, in the next group of

verses, the term Imam is used for the leaders of the infidels. One among these verses is9:12, where it is revealed:

And if they violate their oaths after their covenant, and taunt you for your religion, then

fight the Imams of the infidelity. Verily there is no oath for them, so that they may berestrained.

Similarly in verse 28:41, it is said:

And we made them Imams who invite to the fire and on the day of judgement they shall

not be helped.

The above two verses, referring to the leaders of infidels, indicate a common theme. In

9:12 it is mentioned that if they (people) violate their oaths, then the Prophet should fight

the leaders of infidelity. This is so because their leaders were the source of infidelity andthey should be fought first. Conversely, it implies that the true Leaders (Imams) are the

source of righteousness. In the second verse of this group, that is in 28:41 it is revealed

that those who are not righteous leaders invite their followers to the Fire (Nar).However, the converse implies that the true Imams invite their followers to the Light

(Nur). This is clearly shown in the verse 14:1, that the Holy Quran was revealed by

Allah to Prophet Muhammad so that he could lead people to the Nur:

A.L.R. (Alif Lam Re) A Book which We have revealed unto you, in order that you

might lead mankind out of the depths of darkness into light, by leave of their Lord, to theway of (Him) the exalted in Power, worthy of all praise. [7]

The leader of the infidels who lead their followers to the fire, however, apparently receive

much success. The reason for this, as portayed in the Quran, is that these leaders have pomp and physical power which sometimes their contemporaries who are the true

Leaders (Prophets or Imams) may not have. This attracts the followers of the former, as is

mentioned in the Holy Quran:

And Musa said: OurLord, You have indeed bestowed on Pharaoh and his chiefs,

splendour and wealth in the life of the present so, our Lord, they mislead (men) fromYour path - 10.88

Another reference is also made in the Quran inverses 43:51-53, where it is revealed that

Firaun (Pharaoh) tried to proclaim his superiority over Prophet Musa (AS) by showing


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to his people that Egypt belonged to him and rivers flowed under his palace whereas

there were no gold bracelets bestowed on Musa and he could hardly even express

himself. Many people were convinced by these arguments and were deceived by Firaunwhose ultimate end is shown in 11:97-98,

They followed the command of Firaun and the command of Firaun was not righteous.He will go before his people on the day of judgement and lead them into the fire, but

woeful indeed will be the place to which they are led.

Thus it becomes clear that the word Imam is used in the Quran in the general sense of a

leader, a personality who leads either to a straight path or leads astray. Nasir Khusraw

shows the distinction between the true Imam and the unjust claimants when he remarks

that whoever usurps the place of the rightful Imm, causes his own destruction. Just asamongst many oxen, even though one ox may become more powerful, yet, it would never

be able to protect other oxen. If it claims to be their leader, it will also perish. But if there

is a man to look after them, he will protect them from wild animals and take them to the

pastures and bring them back to their resting place in time. [8] The true Imam, although ahuman being, is yet different from other human beings because of the spiritual knowledge

which he alone possesses. Thus the unjust claimants cannot equate themselves with therightful Imam despite their wordly strength.

IMAM AS BOOK OF GUIDANCE

After discussing the verses where the term Imam is used, meaning either a just or an

unjust leader, we shall now deal with two verses where the term Imam is used to connote

a book. In the verse 11:17 it is revealed:

Is he then (like him) who has a clear proof from his Lord and a witness from Him and

preceded by the Book of Musa, an Imam (a guide) and a mercy? They believe therein, butthose of the sects that reject it, the fire will be their meeting place. Be not then in doubt

thereon, for it is the truth from your Lord, yet many among men do not believe.

Here the Book revealed to Prophet Musa, i.e. the Taurat (Torah) is referred to as Imam

(guide) and mercy. Similarly, it is referred to as Imam in 46:12:

And before this, was the Book of Musa as an Imam (a guide) and a mercy and this book(the Quran) confirms (it) in the Arabic tongue to admonish the unjust and as glad tidings

to those who do right.

The word is used in both the verses to mean a guide and refers to a Book, especially the

one that is revealed to a Prophet. In Arabic, and in many other languages, a thing is

metaphorically named according to the function it carries out, for example, a camelcarrying water is itself called Mashak (the pot carrying water) and so on. Therefore, it can

be understood that the word Imam used for a revealed Book, connotes its function as a

guide. [9] Apart from this, the term Imam in verse 15:79 implies the meaning of a path:


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We inflicted retribution on them, and indeed both (the cities) were on a manifest Imam

(highway).

If one examines the context of this verse, it apparently refers to a place called Aika. In the

time of Prophet Lut (AS) and Prophet Shuaib (AS), the people who lived in Aika and the

Cities of the Plain were rebellious. Allah punished them and the evidence of the ruins oftheir cities is still to be found between Arabia and Syria. Nonetheless, it is interesting to

see that the word Imam is used to mean highway (road, path). In fact, it is also interesting

to see that the words like din, shariah, tariqa, madhhab, sirat all signify, in one sense oranother, a path, e.g. din means a road, Shariah means a main road leading to a river

(enabling the thirsty to drink water), tariqa means a path emerging out of the Shariah,

madhhab means a highway, sirat means a road leading to a place of worship and

furthermore, Ummah means a group of people moving towards a common destinationunder the guidance of a single leader and along a single road. In the pre-Islamic era, hadi

was a man with a specialized knowledge of all the possible ways in the desert, whose

profession was to lead man in the right path until they reached their destination safely.

[10]

In the first six verses quoted herein, the term Imam connotes a leader and it may seemthat there is a contradiction here, since in the above verses the term Imm also means a

path. However, there is no contradiction, as such, as the word is again used in a figurative

sense. We saw earlier that in Arabic metaphoric language, a camel carrying water is itself

called Mashak (water bag). Similarly the leader i.e. Imam who shows the path himself isknown as the path and through this path the recognition of Allah is achieved, as it is said

in the Quran:

Verily, My Lord is on the straight path.(11:56)

IMAM AS WITNESS

Lastly, in 17:71, the term Imam is used in the sense of a witness, i.e. the Imam will serve

as a witness on behalf of his followers,

Remember the day when We will summon every people with their Imam (leader-

witness) then, whosoever is given his book in his right hand, these shall read their books

and they shall not be dealt with (even) a shred unjustly.

In this ayat the term Kull, all is used, which indicates that every person (from Hazrat

Adams progeny) will be summoned with his/her leader, and only then will Allah givejudgement of either reward or punishment. It is implied that at all times, the righteous

Imams and the false Imams will be there with whom their followers will be summoned,

otherwise the word of Allah Himself would be false. The Imams who will be called withthe people will bear witnesses to the actions of their followers. The rightful Imams will

be witness of their faithful followers and the unjust Imams will accordingly testify for

their followers. However, the implication is that one should hold fast to the rightful Imam

for the benefit of ones soul, because those who are not the true Imams will not be able to


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intercede for their followers actions. This is testified in the Quran in the following two

verses:

None shall have the power of intercession, but such who has received permission (or

promise) from (Allah) The Most Gracious. (19:87)

and

And those whom they call upon besides Him have no authority for intercession, excepthe who bears witness of the truth and they (people) know (that). (43:86)

Thus the two verses make it clear that only the true Prophets and Imams bear witness to

the truth and only they receive permission from Allah to intercede for their followersactions, whereas the unjust claimants of Imamah like Firaun, as we have already seen

above in 11:97-98, would lead their followers towards the fire.

CONCLUSION

To conclude, among the various meanings of the word Imam in the Quran a guide or aleader seems to be the most generally applicable. A close observation of other meanings

also reveals that they are related very closely to this basic meanings. For instance, the

Book, the Path, the Witness imply as well as assume the meaning of leadership or

guidance. Apart from deriving the basic meaning from the twelve ayats where the termImam is used, several related concepts emerge, namely, that the true Imamah (the

institution of rightful Imam) is from amongst the progeny of Prophet Ibrahim (AS), it is

Divinely Designated and it always exists in this world.

____________

Note: In most places, the translation of Quranic ayats is from The Holy Quran: Text,

Translation and Commentary byYusuf All. However, at some places the translation is

mine.

Footnotes:

1. cf. Lane, E.W. : Arabic English Lexicon, p.9.

2. It is said that Hazrat Ibrahim had a dream in which Allah asked him to sacrifice that

which he loved most. Hazrat lbrahim prepared to sacrifice his son and fulfilled the test.cf. Shorter Encyclopaedia of Islam, pp. 154-155

3. Tusi, N. Tasawwurat, ch.24.

4. Tabari: Tafsir, p. 100, cf. Hunzai, F.M. The Concept of Imam in the Quran and its

Later Development, Ilm, March 1979, Volume 4, Numbers 3 & 4.


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5. op. cite p. 76.

6. Hunzai, N. Dhikr-i-Ilahi, p3

7. Prophet Musa was also asked to call his followers to the Light. The Holy Quran 14:5.

8. Nasir-i Khusraw, Wajh-i-din, ch. 1.

9. Hunzai N. Recognition of Imam, Eng. trans. unpublished.

10. Izutsu, T. God & Man in Quran p. 145.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ahmed Ali, S.V., The Holy Quran, Text & Commentary, Karachi; 1964.

Arbery, A. J., The Koran Interpreted, 2-Vols. George, Allen & Unwin, London 1955.

Buhl F., Al-Kuran Shorter Ency. of Islam London, 1974.

Hunzai, F. M., Concept of lmam in the Quran and its Later Development. Part 1 & 2,

Ilm Vol 4. nos. 3 & 4 March, 1979, and July, 1979.

Hunzai, N., Recognition of Imam, Unpublished Part I & II

Hunzai, N., Dhikr-i-Ilahi, Canada

Ivanow, W., Imam and lsmailiyya, Shorter Ency. of Islam London, 1974.

Khusraw, Nasir., Khan-al Ikhvan, ed: Solar. A. H. Tehran, 1338.

Khusraw, Nasir., Wajh-i-Din; ed: Solar. A. H. Tehran, 1348.

Pickthall, M., The Meaning of Glorious Quran U.S.A., 1953.

Tusi, N., Tasawwurat ed and trans: Ivanow. W. Holland, 1950

Yusuf Ali, The Holy Quran Text-Translation and Commentary, London, 1975.

~~~~~~~~~~

This is an adapted version of the original article, The Term Imam in the Holy Quran,which appeared in Ilm, December 1986, Volume 11, Number 1, published by the Shia

Imami Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board for the United Kingdom.

term imam in quran - by dilshad keshwani

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