ভূমিকা

And he made it a word to continue in his posterity that they may return… (Surah Zukhruf 43:28) It means there would always be from the progeny of Ibrahim a person believing in the Oneness of Allah and he would invite the people towards monotheism that perhaps the polytheists revert to faith. Many traditions say that it means that Imamate would remain in the progeny of Ibrahim and the Holy Prophet (S) till the day of Qiyamat.

Thus Shaykh Tabarsi says that some have said that ‘Kalimah’ refers to monotheism and some say that it means Imamate would remain in their progeny. There is a similar tradition from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) also. Shaykh Tabarsi says that there is difference of opinion that to whom does this refer. Some have said that it is the progeny of Ibrahim till the day of judgement and Saddi has said that it refers to Aale Muhammad (a.s.).

Ibne Mahyar has related from Sulaiman bin Qays that: One day we were in the mosque, Ali (a.s.) arrived and said: Ask me whatever you like before that you don’t find me anymore, and ask me the exegesis of the Quran because there is knowledge of the first and the last ones in it and it has left nothing for anyone. And no one knows the meanings of the Quran except Allah and those firmly rooted in knowledge and the firmly rooted in knowledge is not one but many, one of them was the Holy Prophet (S).

Allah had taught him the knowledge of the Quran. The Holy Prophet (S) taught me and this knowledge shall remain in his progeny till the day of Qiyamat.

That is just as the sciences and the relics of Moosa and his vicegerent Haroon were in the chest, in the same way the sciences and the relics of the last Prophet and his Caliph are safe with their progeny. That is why he said that I am in relation to the Prophet (S) what Haroon was to Moosa.