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Trial of Ibrahim (a) Verse: Difference between revisions
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''' | '''The Trial of Ibrahim (a) Verse ''' (Arabic: آية إبتلاء إبراهيم) is the [[verse]] 124 of [[sura]] [[al-Baqara]] in which God appointed [[Ibrahim (a)]] (Abraham) as imam. Referring to this verse, Shi'a believe that [[imamate]] is a God-given position and that imam needs to be [[infallible]]. | ||
== | == Text == | ||
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{{center|'''وَإِذِ ابتَلىٰ إِبراهيمَ رَبُّهُ بِكَلِماتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ قالَ إِنّي جاعِلُكَ لِلنّاسِ إِمامًا قالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتي قالَ لا يَنالُ عَهدِي الظّالِمينَ'''}} | |||
And when his Lord tried Abraham with certain words, and he fulfilled them, He said: 'I am making you the Imam of mankind.' Said he: 'And from among my descendants?' He said: 'My pledge does not extend to the unjust | |||
|source = Q,2:124 | |||
|quoted = 1 | |||
}} | |||
# What is the meaning of | == Meaning == | ||
# What is the meaning of imamate which God gave | In this verse, three points have drawn the attention of Muslim exegetes and theologians: | ||
# What is the meaning of "trying with words", and what are the words with which God tested Ibrahim (a) (Abraham)? | |||
# What is the meaning of imamate which God gave Ibrahim (a) after he successfully passed the trials? | |||
# What is the mentioned injustice which inhibits one from attaining the position of imamate? In other words, does this verse implies infallibility as the requirement of imamate? | # What is the mentioned injustice which inhibits one from attaining the position of imamate? In other words, does this verse implies infallibility as the requirement of imamate? | ||
== Meaning of " | == Meaning of "words" == | ||
There are different views about | There are different views about the meaning of "words": | ||
* It is narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (a) that | * It is narrated from [[Imam al-Sadiq (a)]] that Ibrahim's (s) trial was through his dream in which he saw that he was sacrificing his son, [[Isma'il]] (Ishmael). It seems that this narration refers to one of the most important trials of Ibrahim (a), not excluding his trial, in the above verse, to sacrificing his son. | ||
* About | * About the verse, three interpretations are narrated from [[Ibn Abbas]], | ||
# | # The 10 orders related to the purity of body: [[Madmada]], [[Istinshaq]] [inhalation], brushing teethe, circumcision, trimming mustache, etc. | ||
# There are 30 Islamic qualities or instructions which are mentioned in the Qur'an, in (9:112), (33:35) and (23:1-9). | # There are 30 Islamic qualities or instructions which are mentioned in the Qur'an, in (9:112), (33:35) and (23:1-9). | ||
# Hajj rituals. | # Hajj rituals. | ||
* Hasan Basri said that, " | * [[Hasan al-Basri]] said that, the "trials" are Ibrahim's (a) debate with the worshipers of stars, the moon and the sun, throwing him into fire, his immigration and sacrificing his son, Isma'il (a). | ||
* Abu Ali Juba'i said that, | * Abu Ali al-Juba'i said that, Ibrahim's (a) trial was through intellectual and religious obligations. | ||
* Mujahid has said, that the intended meaning of "words" was the phrase "He said, 'I am making you the Imam of mankind.'" and its following verses. Accordingly, imamate is a part of Abraham's (a) trial, not a position he (a) was given afterwards. | * Mujahid has said, that the intended meaning of "words" was the phrase "He said, 'I am making you the Imam of mankind.'" and its following verses. Accordingly, imamate is a part of Abraham's (a) trial, not a position he (a) was given afterwards. | ||
After mentioning the above opinions, | After mentioning the above opinions, [[al-'Allama al-Tabrisi]] says that the [[verse]] reflects them all. | ||
=== | === Discussion and Evaluation === | ||
Since in the noble Qur'an, "words" do not refer to some parts of the statement, | Since in the noble [[Qur'an]], "words" do not refer to some parts of the statement, [[Allama Tabataba'i]] did not consider Mujahid's opinion worthy of any attention. | ||
After mentioning above opinions except the first one, Tabari says that, it is possible that all or some of the mentioned opinions would be meant, because there is no authentic hadith about this. | After mentioning above opinions except the first one, [[al-Tabari]] says that, it is possible that all or some of the mentioned opinions would be meant, because there is no authentic [[hadith]] about this. | ||
Ibn Kathir considered Mujahid's idea in conflict with the context of the verse, but said that other opinions would be right. | [[Ibn Kathir]] considered Mujahid's idea in conflict with the context of the verse, but said that other opinions would be right. | ||
Qurtubi quoted from Abu Ishaq | Qurtubi quoted from Abu Ishaq Zajjaj that different opinions are compatible for the interpretation of "words", because Ibrahim(a) was tested with all those. | ||
Even though | Even though the meaning of "words" is not mentioned in the Qur'an, but the context of the verse implies that whatever "words" have been, they have been important in proving Ibrahim's (a) competence for the position of [[imamate]]. | ||
been important in proving | |||
=== Conclusion === | === Conclusion === | ||
According to narrations received from the Ahl al-Bayt (a), God gave the position of imamate to | According to narrations received from the [[Ahl al-Bayt (a)]], [[God]] gave the position of [[imamate]] to Ibrahim (a) after the position of [[Khulla]] [friendship]. | ||
Position of | |||
Position of Khulla is when human being becomes full of God's love and friendship and does not love anything but God and thus he would not save any act of devotion in the way of God. | |||
Accordingly, it can be said that, trials such as throwing onto fire by Nimrod, immigration from his homeland and settling his family in the hot and arid land of Arabia and sacrificing his son were all among the "words" and trials intended by the verse. | Accordingly, it can be said that, trials such as throwing onto fire by Nimrod, immigration from his homeland and settling his family in the hot and arid land of Arabia and sacrificing his son were all among the "words" and trials intended by the verse. | ||
Also, this point is clear that the mentioned trials took place during | Also, this point is clear that the mentioned trials took place during Ibrahim's (a) prophethood before he received his position of imamate. | ||
== Abraham's (a) Position of Imamate == | == Abraham's (a) Position of Imamate == | ||
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From the phrase "'I am making you the Imam of mankind.'", Fakhr Razi infers Abraham's (a) infallibility so that imam is one who is followed, if he commits a sin, following him in that sin becomes obligatory, but it is wrong; since, an action a sin if it is forbidden and since following an imam is obligatory, therefore, following that action becomes obligatory; while an action cannot be obligatory and forbidden at the same time. | From the phrase "'I am making you the Imam of mankind.'", Fakhr Razi infers Abraham's (a) infallibility so that imam is one who is followed, if he commits a sin, following him in that sin becomes obligatory, but it is wrong; since, an action a sin if it is forbidden and since following an imam is obligatory, therefore, following that action becomes obligatory; while an action cannot be obligatory and forbidden at the same time. | ||
=== Twelver | === Twelver Shi'a Reasoning === | ||
Twelver | Twelver Shi'a theologians and exegetes refer to the phrase "'My pledge does not extend to the unjust.'" and say that, one who commits a sin, has done injustice, because he has broken the rules of God and according to the Qur'an, "…and whoever transgresses the bounds of Allah —it is they who are the wrongdoers." (2:229) and also God says "'My pledge does not extend to the unjust.'" where the pledge refers to imamate since the phrase "'I am making you the Imam of mankind.'" has come before that. Also Abraham (a) asked God to give imamate to his children and God answered, "'My pledge does not extend to the unjust.'"; therefore, if the pledge here does not mean as imamate, then the answer would be irrelevant to the request. | ||
==== Question and Answer ==== | ==== Question and Answer ==== | ||