IMAMAT (LEADERSHIP) THE SUMMIT OF ABRAHAM'S HONOURABLE PROGRESS

      The argument now proceeds on the line of ABRAHAM the champion of MONOTHEISM, and the constructor of the Cubic House of God, KAABA. It is also about the importance of this focus of point of Monotheism, which is now a days, a universal center of worship for all Islamic the world. Such matters have been discussed through eighteen verses which follows from hereafter. The said verses serve a three fold purposes.

      1) An introductory and plot laying for the change of QIBLA.

      2) The people of the book claim to rely and depend thoroughly upon ABRAHAM, while they feel full of rancour against Islam, which is complete submission to the Will of God, this was the most loved and adhered to by ABRAHAM, who laid the foundation of Monotheism. These verses show how far they are from what they claim to be near it!

      3) The pagan Arabs too who had turned to idolatry and polytheism, claimed the same thing - that HAZRAT ABRAHAM was their progenitor through Ishmael, and of course both of the parties are right in their claims, for, indeed HAZRAT ABRAHAM and his son ISHMAEL THE SACRIFICE, together built the House of God in Mecca, long before the temple of JERUSALEM was built.

      (The Israelites too, are indeed the offspring of HAZRAT ABRAHAM through his son ISAAQ.)

      In the following verses, the greatest phases and aspects of ABRAHAM'S life and its most important events are discussed in some details; beginning thus:

      ``And call to mind when the Lord tried and tested ABRAHAM with certain words, (COMMANDS) which he fulfilled all in the best of ways. And after his success in the examination Allah said to him: ``I am going to make you an IMAM for the people. ABRAHAM pleaded; and what about making Imams from my offspring? God answered him: ``I don't promise that for the oppressors and wrong doers of them.''

      The above verses denotes that Imamat, (LEADERSHIP) is a higher rank and position than prophethood.

      When HAZRAT ABRAHAM got the glad-tidings of being an Imam, and was promised the leadership of the world, he was so excited with happiness, that he pleaded the high position of Imamat for his progeny; and his prayer was granted with the limitation that those among his offspring who were Godless and oppressors; would not have it.

NOTES

1- WHAT IS MEANT BY `KALAMÄT'?

      The ARABIC KALAMAT which HAZRAT ABRAHAM was tested by them; literally means `WORDS' but here it is used in the mystical sense of God's Will or Decree, or Purpose; and that was a series of hard and very difficult duties assigned to him, and in everything HAZRAT ABRAHAM did his best to fulfil God's wish, and he succeeded in all.

WHAT WERE THE KALAMÄT (WORDS)?

      These can be understood from the various verses, throughout the Holy Qurän, that mainly consisted of:

* ِ Taking his lonely wife (HÄJAR) and child (ISHMAEL) and settle them in that wilderness round KAABA, which was a region uncultivated and uninhabited by human beings.

* ِ Making himself ready to sacrifice his beloved son (ISHMAEL) for the sake of his only one Lord God.

* ِ Standing so firm against the idolaters, destroying their idols, the punishment for which was to enter that huge blazing fire which every body has heard of.

* ِ Leaving his house and home town and family and emigrating to elsewhere, leaving the land of idolaters behind.

* ِ Building the sacred refuge of KAABA and purifying GOD'S HOUSE, for worship of Monotheists.

2- WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROPHETHOOD AND IMÄMAT (LEADERSHIP)?

      ARABIC "IMAMAT" has the primary sense of being foremost, and hence it may mean religious leader - the leader of the congregational prayers - model - pattern - and example. But as for the especial meaning that here may be intended; by studying different verses in QURÄN we may conclude that: Those who carry God's Meseages may have various levels and positions; such as the position of prophethood, the duty of which is to convey and communicate God's Message to HIS servants. To teach and train and purify people. A prophet in his realm of assignment tries for a revolutionary change of minds, thoughts, cultures, and in particular the morals and ethics for living. The prophet communicates and convey the message, LAW and the commandments; but an IMAM'S duty is to put them into force and practice, and encourage and urge people to perform and to fulfil, while Imam himself is a pattern and an example for that performance and fulfilment.

3- ABRAHAM'S HIGHEST EVOLUTIONARY STAGE

      From the preceeding argument we may conclude that an Imam is higher in rank and position than an Apostle. To reach that high spiritual rank, needs having special merits and qualifications - those that HAZRAT ABRAHAM attained through hard and difficult trials.