Meaning of Imam in (2:124)
Mu' meneen Brothers
and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa
Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon
all of you)
One of our
brothers/sisters has asked this question:
Bhai, Please
explain me the "Imam" in this quote 2:124.
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."
Jazak Allah
Kheir
Your brother in
Islam,
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Meaning of ‘Imam’ in
(2:124)
In the name of Allah, We praise
Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can
misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We
bear witness that there is no one (no idol,
no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam,
no dai, nobody!) worthy of
worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His
slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
The Arabic word ‘imaam’
translated into the English language means a righteous leader.
Allah Subhanah put Prophet
Ibrahim (a.s.) through several tests and trials, and he passed every one of
them with ‘flying colors’! The tests
that Allah put Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.) through, were the most severe tests He
has put on any of His Messengers. He
is the first Prophet to make ‘hijrah’ or migration for Allah! He was constant in His worship and against
all odds, he remained steadfast in his worship to his Lord! He was sentenced to be thrown alive in the
fire by the wicked king Nimrod, but he depended on Allah’s help alone! He went from place to place for several
years preaching the Oneness of God, but no one believed him, except his wives
and one nephew, Prophet Lot. At all
times, he remained steadfast on his deen of Tawheed. He was childless and prayed to Allah to grant him children. Allah blessed him to have a child (Prophet
Ismail) in his old age; and when the child was of age, Allah commanded Prophet
Ibrahim (a.s.) to slaughter Prophet Ismail (a.s.) for Allah’ sake. Allah has Himself named this test of Prophet
Ibrahim (a.s.) as ‘balaa ul adheem’ (A Great Trial). And Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.) passed this trial too, and willingly
and whole-heartedly submitted his will to the Will of Allah.
His worship and his
steadfastness was so pleasing to Allah Subhanah, that Allah has called Prophet
Ibrahim (a.s.) His ‘Khalil’ (choicest friend!). A ‘khalil’ is like no other friend, and each person can only
have one ‘khalil’…. And that position
and status and honor, Allah gave to his beloved and obedient servant, Prophet
Ibrahim (a.s.).
After Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.) passed
all his trials and tests, Allah Subhanah wanted to honor this obedient and
patient slave of Allah; not only in the Hereafter, but also in this world. And when Allah decides to honor someone,
there can be no comparison! And, Subhan
Allah, how Allah honors His believing slaves!
The honor He gave Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.) is probably unsurpassed in this
world.
Thus Allah promised him in this
aayah, that Allah will make Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.) an ‘imam’ or leader of
mankind! This did not mean that Allah
would give him a kingdom to rule, but it meant that Allah would bestow upon him
the status of Prophethood, and also to be the Patriarch of all the deens to
come; and thus make him the ‘real’ leader of mankind. The leader or ‘imam’, whom all those who follow the Truth, will
follow until the end of time! Prophet
Ibrahim (a.s.) immediately and humbly asked if this promise of leadership would
also apply to all his descendants, whereby Allah replies that the leadership
would only apply to the good and righteous descendants of Prophet Ibrahim
(a.s.), and not the evildoers amongst them.
True to His Promise, Allah made
Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.) the Patriarch or father of all the deens to come. Each and every Prophet of Allah that came
after Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.), were from his descendants; and each of them
followed the ‘millah’ or Way of Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.). Such was the honor given to this noble
slave and Prophet of Allah, Prophet Ibrahim Al-Khalilullah (a.s.)!
Whatever written of Truth and benefit
is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of
me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is
the Only Source of Strength.
Your Brother in
Islam,
Burhan