Trial of Ibrahim (a) Verse: Difference between revisions

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* [[Al-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 al-Juba'i said that Ibrahim's (a) trial was through intellectual and religious obligations.

* Al-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 Ibrahim's (a) trial, not a position he (a) was given afterwards.

After mentioning the 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.<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Jamiʿ al-bayān'', vol. 1, p. 608.</ref>

Al-Qurtubi quoted from Abu Ishaq al-Zajjaj that different opinions are compatible with the interpretation of "words" because Ibrahim (a) was tested with all those.<ref>Qurṭubī, ''al-Jāmiʿ ali-aḥkām al-Qurʾān'', vol. 2, p. 95.</ref>

The position of khulla is when a human being becomes full of God's love and friendship and does not love anything but God<ref>Ibn Athīr, ''al-Nihāya'', vol. 2, p. 72.</ref> and thus he would not save any act of devotion in the way of God.

Accordingly, it can be said that trials such as being thrown onto fire by [[Nimrud]], 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.

First opinion: [[imamate]] is a quality specific to him. After passing important tests, he (a) was given the imamate of the people of his time and other times, including even the [[prophets]]; i.e., everyone followed his [[monotheism|monotheistic]] traditions.<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Jamiʿ al-bayān'', vol. 1, p. 610.</ref>

To support this opinion, some shreds of evidence are mentioned from the [[Qur'an]], for example, to reject [[Jews]] and [[Christian]]s' claim that they related Ibrahim (a) to their religion at the time of the [[Prophet (s)]], the Qur'an mentions that those who are the most worthy to be related with Ibrahim (a), are the Prophet (s), his followers, and those who followed Ibrahim (a) before Islam.<ref>Qurʾān, 3:68.</ref> In another [[verse]], [[God]] revealed it to the Prophet (s) that he must follow Ibrahim's (a) religion<ref>Qurʾān, 16:123.</ref> and in another verse, introduced Islam, the same religion as the religion of Ibrahim (a).<ref>Qurʾān, 22:78.</ref>

This theory cannot be accepted due to the following reasons:

* [[Musa (a)]] (Moses), [['Isa (a)]] (Jesus) and the [[Prophet of Islam]], each had an independent religion, and since every religion abrogates the religion previous to it, so it could not be said that these prophets (a) have been following Ibrahim's (a) religion. Accordingly, the intended meaning of the mentioned verses is the heart of Ibrahim's (a) religion which is [[monotheism]] and submission to divine orders and prohibitions, as it is mentioned in the Qur'an that, "Indeed, with Allah the religion is Islam." <ref>Qurʾān, 3:19.</ref>

* Ibrahim (a) asked God to grant [[imamate]] to his descendants, and God gave it to the pure ones among his descendants, as in the Qur'an mentioned about Ibrahim (a), [[Ishaq (a)]] (Isaac) and [[Ya'qub (a)]] (Jacob) that, "We made them imams, guiding by Our command." <ref>Qurʾān, 21:73.</ref>

In al-Razi's viewpoint, the two statements mentioned firstly and secondly are not compatible with each other because, in the first statement, imamate of Ibrahim (a) has been regarded as the prophethood of those prophets who brought new religions, and in the second statement, it is regarded as the prophethood in its general sense.

Also, the third statement does not prove his claim since to consider imamate as an act of grace is not compatible with considering imamate as prophethood.

Moreover, undoubtedly, all or some of the trials Ibrahim (a) passed and made him worthy of the position of imamate, happened during his prophethood, and thus it is impossible to interpret imamate as prophethood.

Another point that rejects al-Razi's view is that when Ibrahim (a) received the position of imamate from God, he asked it for his children as well, and this shows that Ibrahim (a) either had children then or at least was sure to have one because he would not ask his request provided that he would have any children.

Also, we know that Ibrahim (a) had no children until he (a) was old and he (a) was disappointed to have any child in a natural way and when angels gave him the good news that he (a) would have children, "He said, 'Do you give me good news though old age has befallen me? What is the good news that you bring me?'"<ref>Qurʾān, 15:54.</ref> Thus, he (a) received the position of imamate at the end of his prophethood, after he (a) received the good news of having children.<ref>Ṭabāṭabāyī, ''al-Mīzān'', vol. 1, p. 267-268.</ref>

The condition of reaching this position is that the person reaches a level of spiritual perfection that he (a) does not even commit a "[[Tark al-Awla]]" (abandoning the better). Even though the prophets (s) before Ibrahim (a) were infallible, but according to the Qur'an, they sometimes committed something, abandoning which was preferred.<ref>Qurʾān, 20:115; 28:15.</ref> These prophets (s) did not reach such a position as of Ibrahim (a), and their speech and actions cannot be regarded as the perfect example for mankind for all ages, but after passing difficult trials, Ibrahim (a) reached a position which is considered a perfect exemplar for all the mankind.<ref>See: Subhānī, ''Manshūr-i Jāwīd'', vol. 5, p. 235-237.</ref>

The justification for such an [[Tafsir|interpretation]] is that political leadership and Wilayah is not a part of prophethood and its relation with prophethood is partial in subject and aspect; i.e., some prophets have had political leadership and Wilayah in addition to their position of prophethood and many others have not had such a position, like Imams (a) had political leadership and Wilayah, but they were not prophets.

::"The word 'imam' is used in two cases, one who is the leader of others in words and deeds and another who rises as a political leader to manage the society.

:: In the first usage, a prophet and an imam are the same because every prophet is an exemplar for others in words and deeds; but, in the second usage, it is not the same. Since there are prophets sent only to deliver divine orders to people, and not assigned for the political leadership of the society."

# from the verse about [[Talut]]'s ruling, it can be inferred that the prophet was not having imamate and ruling together at that time; since, if it was so, people would not ask him to appoint a ruler for them. Also, if he was in the position of ruling, people would not say that, "we are more competent to rule than Talut", but they would say that, "you are more competent to rule than Talut."

About the prophet of [[Banu Israel]] at the time of [[Talut]], that people asked the Prophet (s) to appoint a ruler for their war with the enemies is an obvious reason for the fact that they regarded commanding the army among the duties of the prophet (s) and also the Prophet (s) accepted their request and did not say that it is not among the duties of prophethood. But, that people thought themselves more competent for ruling than Talut was because they judged that based on wealth and popularity. That was why the prophet (s) described Talut's physical and intellectual competencies and rejected people's judgments.

Even though Harun (a) had the merits of imamate, with the presence of Musa (a) who was an [[Ulu l-'Azm prophet]] and had the political leadership of the society, there was no grounds for Harun (a) to exert political imamate; and thus everything had to be carried out following Musa's order.

Also, if Ibrahim's (a) imamate meant to be political leadership, it did not need such grave trials. In political leadership, more than spiritual merits, competence, and wisdom in social leadership are required and prophets (s), as the best of people of their times, had such qualities, especially that they were [[infallible]] in knowledge and action.

Fifth opinion: from [[Allama Tabataba'i]]'s viewpoint, [[imamate]] in this [[verse]] is spiritual guidance; which is not of the nature of guiding the way, but it is of the nature of reaching the desired and bringing one to the desired.

Such guidance requires having a special spiritual perfection and position, which is achieved after great struggles. To prove this opinion, 'Allama refers to some verses of the Qur'an:

* Verses which mention prophet's guiding after mentioning their position of imamate such as, "And amongst them, We appointed imams to guide [the people] by Our command, when they had been patient and had conviction in Our signs." <ref>Qur'an 32:24.</ref>

# Imamate and guidance are together; i.e., guidance is the special feature of imamate and its introducing sign; thus, imamate without guidance and guidance without imamate is impossible to imagine. The mentioned guidance is happened by the will of [[God]].

# Achieving the position of imamate and guidance can be achieved by divine will through [[patience]] in the way of God and certitude in the signs of God. Since patience is mentioned unconditionally, it includes any patience in the way of God, bearing hardships and steadfastness in divine trials. This patience is the fruit of the perfect knowledge and certitude in the signs of God.

# Divine will is actually the spiritual aspect of things, and every creature connects with God from its spiritual aspect. Therefore, an imam must be one of the people of certitude, meaning that they see the spiritual aspect of the universe, and using such knowledge, he can enter competent hearts through their spiritual dimension and guide them towards God.

Therefore, the journey of people towards God and their achievement to the desired perfection can happen through imam's inner and spiritual influence, the same as during the apparent life of imam, when he shows the way of happiness to human beings. Thus, imam's guidance has two apparent and spiritual aspects.<ref>Ṭabāṭabāyī, ''al-Mīzān'', vol. 1, p. 272-273.</ref>

From the phrase "I am making you the Imam of mankind.", [[Fakhr al-Din al-Razi]] infers Ibrahim'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 is a sin if it is forbidden and since following an imam is obligatory, therefore, following that action becomes obligatory; while action cannot be obligatory and forbidden at the same time.<ref>Fakhr al-Rāzī, ''Mafātiḥ al-ghayb'', vol. 4, p. 36-37.</ref>

Twelver Shi'a [[theology|theologian]]s and [[exegete]]s refer to the phrase "My pledge does not extend to the unjust." and say that one who commits 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." <ref>Qurʾān, 2:229.</ref> 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, Ibrahim (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 imamate, then the answer would be irrelevant to the request.<ref>Fāḍil Miqdād, ''al-Lawāmiʿ al-ilāhīyya'', p. 332-333; Sayyid Murtaḍā, ''al-Shāfī'', vol. 3, p. 141.</ref>

The answer is that the negation in the phrase "My pledge does not extend to the unjust." is absolute and means that anyone who can be called an unjust person at any moment of his life would not receive imamate and conditioning this phrase needs a reason which is non-existent.<ref>Ṭūsī, ''al-Tibyān'', vol. 1, p. 449; Ṭabrisī, ''Majmaʿ al-bayān'', vol. 1, p. 202.</ref>

Second Answer: Here, regarding the existence of definite evidence, those who commit a sin and then repent would not receive the pledge of imamate, as Ibrahim's (a) children can be categorized into four groups:

# Those who were unjust at the beginning but then repented and were on the right path for the rest of their lives;

# Those who were not unjust at the beginning but became unjust later and were the same until the end of their lives;

Undoubtedly, Ibrahim (a) did not ask God to give [[imamate]] to the second and third groups among his children. Only the first and fourth groups could be the ones he (a) asked God to give imamate to. On the other hand, the phrase "My pledge does not extend to the unjust." implies that the first group could not receive imamate; therefore, only the fourth group could receive imamate; i.e., those who never committed any action which could be an example of injustice.<ref>Ṭabāṭabāyī, ''al-Mīzān'', vol. 1, p. 274.</ref>